Pat Robertson presses 2000 pounds?

[Gulliamo]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/ROBERTSON_2000?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

So the beloved Pat Robertson from the 700 Club claims he leg pressed 2000 pounds. I do not think he was referring to British currency. Do any of our body builders out there have experience with this? Is this realistic? Can the machine even hold that much weight? Is he breaking world records at age 73?

[CplFerro]

Dear Gulliamo,

Presumably Mr. Robertson pressed the weight in twenty pound increments, perhaps over a period of several weeks.

Cpl Ferro

[Zbu]

The only thing that article has to do with the magic Robertson pushes is that he finally learned how to Photoshop. Interesting how a man who knows how to use a camera to manipulate didn't feel free to tape this back in 2003 when he supposedly did it.

Oh wait, it's all bullsh...faith, yeah, that's the ticket.

[Meffy]

There's another thread on the same claim and related ones. Most if not all posters to it seemed (dare I say it) skeptical.

[edit] Oops, two threads. A short one in this forum and this in Politics:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=57262

[geetarmoore]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/ROBERTSON_2000?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

So the beloved Pat Robertson from the 700 Club claims he leg pressed 2000 pounds. I do not think he was referring to British currency. Do any of our body builders out there have experience with this? Is this realistic? Can the machine even hold that much weight? Is he breaking world records at age 73?



JESUS CHRIST! :jaw-dropp




:rolleyes:


He made the claim on his website, on a page where you could - for a fee - get the instructions for making the high-engery shake that he consumed while training for the lift. For a fee.... Robertson.... No way!

[Bikewer]

They were showing film clips on CNN yesterday. I only saw a second or two, but I noticed that:

He wasn't moving the rack of weights very far. Hardly what I'd call a "leg press"

You couldn't tell how much weight was on the rack.

[Meffy]

God miraculously converts all Pat Robertson's lies and distortions into Truth with a capital T. It's a sign of his infinite heavenly love that he does Pat's bidding and sends disasters to smite Pat's enemies.

... Or rather, tries and <DonAdams> misses by that much. </DonAdams>

[dahduh]

The CBN website has a video clip of Pat Robertson doing a 1,000lb bench press; google "Pat Robertson" + "age-defying shake".

I am not an expert on body-building, but something about this clip doesn't look right. During the sequence some hefty looking blokes are putting 100lb weights onto the press. I don't know about you, but when I pick up a 20kg bag of cement - half that weight - I have to brace it against my stomach just to stagger across the yard. These guys cheerfully put the weights clearly marked "45.4kg" on the bar with no effort at all, and towards the end one helper actually extends his arms when putting on a 20.4kg weight. In this shot, you can also estimate the outer rim width of the weight to be about 5cm, and I estimate the diameter to be less than 40cm; a solid iron weight of these dimensions would weigh 49kg. However, these weights are very clearly hollowed out by almost their entire thickness, and must have a volume of perhaps 1/4 of this, suggesting the weights are only of the order of 12kg. In the end there are 10 weights to a side, and assuming them all to be about 12kg (although some are marked 45.4kg and some 20.4kg), this would mean Pat is pressing 240kg.

But it is admittedly difficult to tell. Who out there is very familiar with gym weights, can you express an opinion? Is Pat pulling a fast one?

[blutoski]

God miraculously converts all Pat Robertson's lies and distortions into Truth with a capital T. It's a sign of his infinite heavenly love that he does Pat's bidding and sends disasters to smite Pat's enemies.

... Or rather, tries and <DonAdams> misses by that much. </DonAdams>

Ahhh. He's fuelled by lies. This is starting to make sense. That's why the fundies don't fear peak oil: they have tapped into an unlimited source of power. In both senses of the word 'power'.

[Meffy]

@daduh: Good catches. :-}

@blutoski: Sounds like a bad 1950s sci-fi horror movie plot! I like. Your theory explains so much so well.

[Dustin Kesselberg]

I saw the video of him doing 1000 pounds.

1.He did not even remove the safety bar.

2.His range of motion was about 1 inch.


Which means he wasn't doing much of anything but pouncing 1,000lbs up and down about 1 inch at a 30 degree angle

[Pyrrho]

"Presses" != "Lifts"

You can press 2,000 lbs all you like. Actually moving it is another question.

[Meffy]

"Presses" != "Lifts"

You can press 2,000 lbs all you like. Actually moving it is another question.
:-D Like the bar bet I used to try. "If I can knock down that wall, you buy the next pitcher. Okay? Here goes." (Proceed to rap wall with knuckles several times, from high up to near the floor. Suffer groans of disgust. Fail to collect.)

[c4ts]

How come Pat Robertson gets 2,000 pounds and Muscleman could only get 300?? I think god is playing favorites.

[Huntster]

From the range of responses on this thread, it's clear that few of the responsee's have ever leg pressed.

I don't think Pat Robertson leg-pressed a ton, and I don't think any of you know what that means.

Bottom line?:

None of you (YOU or Pat Robertson) is worth my time.

[Badger]

A 1000 lb bench press? I call "bull excrement". Wikipedia...world record is 1008 lbs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bench_press. I would guess that it was "shirted".

A "shirt" is a heavy denim (often, many layers of denim) that fits the powerlifter really tightly. When they are wearing them, they look like they're wearing spandex. The heavy, tight, denim shirt kind of acts like a spring, aiding the lifter in the lift.

It also indicates the world record for a "raw" bench (no such shirt. just man, muscle, and iron) is 715 lbs.

So, was ole Pat in a lifting shirt?

With regard to the 2000 lb leg press, once again I cry "Bull Excrement!". The official world record has been covered above.

No 76 year old twink like Robertson can accomplish these feats as claimed. Maybe if he was driving a forklift, or the weights were styrofoam instead of steel.....

His claims are laughable. I'm sure there are some very large and strong men who are deeply offended by this spectacle. It'd end badly for Pat if he and they meet in the very near future.

[strathmeyer]

None of you (YOU or Pat Robertson) is worth my time.

What exactly makes us unworthy of your time, again? And then why exactly are you posting here?

[Huntster]

What exactly makes us unworthy of your time, again?

Your rejection of truth.

...And then why exactly are you posting here?

Good question.

I don't know.

[Kopji]

From the CBN website:

Where does Pat find the time and energy to host a daily, national TV show, head a world-wide ministry, develop visionary scholars, while traveling the globe as a statesman?

One of Pat's secrets to keeping his energy high and his vitality soaring is his age-defying protein shake. Pat developed a delicious, refreshing shake, filled with energy-producing nutrients.
http://www.cbn.com/communitypublic/shake.asp



Disclaimer: Consult with your physician before starting this or any new health regimen or supplement program, especially if you have allergies to any of the listed or related products, or are under the care of a physician or other medical professional, or have any other health problems. No specific health benefit is implied or promised from this recipe.

http://www.cbn.com/communitypublic/shake.asp


Nutrients:
Maybe Pat meant 'energy-providing nutrients', not 'energy-producing'. Energy producing sounds cooler though.

Specific Health Benefits:
Closer to the truth:

"Our special shake combined with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise will be of a vague and unspecific benefit for some but not all people. Although we have no scientific evidence, we have plenty of personal testimonies."

or

"Despite the hateful lies and rumors on atheist sites, our special shake will not cause normal people to begin saying crazy things and acting like a lunatic."

[Huntster]

Unlike Pat, I can easily leg press 1,000 lbs.

I can lift any amount of weight. It might take me a while to figure out how, but I'll get it done.

I work for the best, and am married to better. I'd better get it done when told.

Nothing can stand in the way.

I'm not joking. There is absolutely nothing I can't do for my employer or my spouse.

[Meffy]

None of you (YOU or Pat Robertson) is worth my time.
Then the inescapable conclusion is that you are dishonoring the scant time on earth that the God you believe in has given you by wasting it on unworthy activities. Don't you suppose your disrespect makes God feel insulted?

Please, stop second-guessing God. Do only that which is worth your while.

"Have fun storming the castle!"

[Dustin Kesselberg]

From the range of responses on this thread, it's clear that few of the responsee's have ever leg pressed.

I don't think Pat Robertson leg-pressed a ton, and I don't think any of you know what that means.

Bottom line?:

None of you (YOU or Pat Robertson) is worth my time.



You can say that again...Except for me of course. I lift everyday.

[Dustin Kesselberg]

A 1000 lb bench press? I call "bull excrement". Wikipedia...world record is 1008 lbs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bench_press. I would guess that it was "shirted".

A "shirt" is a heavy denim (often, many layers of denim) that fits the powerlifter really tightly. When they are wearing them, they look like they're wearing spandex. The heavy, tight, denim shirt kind of acts like a spring, aiding the lifter in the lift.

It also indicates the world record for a "raw" bench (no such shirt. just man, muscle, and iron) is 715 lbs.

So, was ole Pat in a lifting shirt?

With regard to the 2000 lb leg press, once again I cry "Bull Excrement!". The official world record has been covered above.

No 76 year old twink like Robertson can accomplish these feats as claimed. Maybe if he was driving a forklift, or the weights were styrofoam instead of steel.....

His claims are laughable. I'm sure there are some very large and strong men who are deeply offended by this spectacle. It'd end badly for Pat if he and they meet in the very near future.


He claimed a 2,000 leg press on the machine..Not a 2,000lb benchpress.


Do you even lift weights?

[c4ts]

I thought Jesus was supposed to be the Bionic Man, not Pat Robertson...

[Gulliamo]

The CBN website has a video clip of Pat Robertson doing a 1,000lb bench press; google "Pat Robertson" + "age-defying shake".

I am not an expert on body-building, but something about this clip doesn't look right. During the sequence some hefty looking blokes are putting 100lb weights onto the press. I don't know about you, but when I pick up a 20kg bag of cement - half that weight - I have to brace it against my stomach just to stagger across the yard. These guys cheerfully put the weights clearly marked "45.4kg" on the bar with no effort at all, and towards the end one helper actually extends his arms when putting on a 20.4kg weight. In this shot, you can also estimate the outer rim width of the weight to be about 5cm, and I estimate the diameter to be less than 40cm; a solid iron weight of these dimensions would weigh 49kg. However, these weights are very clearly hollowed out by almost their entire thickness, and must have a volume of perhaps 1/4 of this, suggesting the weights are only of the order of 12kg. In the end there are 10 weights to a side, and assuming them all to be about 12kg (although some are marked 45.4kg and some 20.4kg), this would mean Pat is pressing 240kg.

But it is admittedly difficult to tell. Who out there is very familiar with gym weights, can you express an opinion? Is Pat pulling a fast one? I go to the gym 5 days/week and lift weights 3 days/week (just stating my meager qualifications). The 100lbs plates look authentic. It is also MUCH easier to lift a 45lbs plate than a 45lbs sack of sand. I can bench press about 250lbs and military press 70lbs dumbbells but cannot move my 127lbs 60 inch TV without assistance. I can leg press about 600lbs for several repetitions and may be able to leg press something close to 1000 (I have never tried)(maybe I'll try today) but there is no way I could leg press double that!

I think the key observation here is that he is not "pressing" the weight - when I leg press my knees nearly touch my chest - he is merely moving the weight a few inches. While this may not seem like a big deal to non-lifters it is significant! The amount of weight that one can simple "suspend" on a leg press is substantial.

[Meffy]

It just occurred to me that because aging is part of life as designed by God, defying age -- whether by drinking Methuselah shakes or other methods -- amounts to defying God.

*tsk* Pat Robertson, you are irritating your supposed creator. Yet again. You and KK are two peas in a stunted pod.