The Healthy Skeptic: Pat Robertson Leg Presses 1000 Pounds

Part of: The Healthy Skeptic

Pat Robertson has been a controversial figure on the American religious and political scene for many years. As a popular televangelist who made his bones on his Christian Broadcasting Network, Robertson has made many polemical statements over the years.

However, this item has nothing to do with anything that Robertson has said.

Pat Robertson, at 74 years of age, has leg pressed 1000 pounds.

I know it sounds crazy, but there is videotape to document this remarkable feat. And I don’t want to quibble with matters of proper form or with regards to whether or not the leg press is an efficient or difficult exercise.

The bottom line is that Pat has done something pretty impressive and has shown that 74-year olds can still bring it.

But did Pat really leg press this 1000 pounds, or did he get help from an even higher authority?

After all, way back in 1985, Robertson claimed that via the power of prayer he was able to divert the path of Hurricane Gloria away from his home base of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and in 1995 he made a similar claim that he was able to change the course of killer Hurricane Hugo.

As a side note, Pat didn’t take credit for causing others to suffer through tragedy and devastation so that he could avoid the same. But I digress.

More recently in 2005, this leg pressing charismatic kicked off the 21-day, power of prayer-based “Operation Supreme Court Freedom” that was designed to create vacancies on the "radical" U.S. Supreme Court. Sure enough, shortly thereafter, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced her resignation and Robertson declared that God had heard these prayers.

So I’m thinking that, if by prayer Pat can beat down Mother Nature and affect the composition of the Supreme Court, how can a paltry 1000 pounds on a leg press stand in his way?

Pat’s taking all the credit, but God deserves all the credit for Pat’s leg pressing prowess.

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for sal-marinello

Article Author: Sal Marinello


Sal Marinello is a National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer, a U.S.A. Weightlifting Certified Coach, a full-time, private Professional Strength and Conditioning …

Visit Sal Marinello's author pageSal Marinello's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own
  • No image found

Article comments

  • 1 - RJ Elliott

    May 27, 2006 at 10:11 pm

    Uh...I watched the video, and I'm a bit stunned...

    First of all, we have no way of verifying that those weights were really the weight they were marked as.

    Second, he was using his hands (upper body) to assist him, and was not going all the way down and all the way up.

    Third, he's a known kook with a product to shill for. So, his cred is pretty much in the sewer.

    Maybe Pat Robertson really can leg press 1000 (or 2000) pounds. But, looking at it rationally, I doubt the veracity of the claim...

  • 2 - Matthew T. Sussman

    May 27, 2006 at 10:15 pm

    Watch for Victor Conte on the next 700 Club.

  • 3 - sal m

    May 27, 2006 at 10:39 pm

    like i said the form was suspect, but i think the weights were real...however, like omar in the jewel of the nile, those who aspire to command respect based on "pious power" may resort to cheap parlor tricks in order to impress.

  • 4 - JC

    May 30, 2006 at 6:07 pm

    Hmmm.... there's a huge difference between 1000 lbs and 2000 lbs.

  • 5 - sal m

    May 30, 2006 at 6:50 pm

    i didn't see the 2000 pound "attempt" but the clip provided above is of the 1000 pound try.

  • 6 - Victor Plenty

    Jun 01, 2006 at 6:10 pm

    Even I can leg press 2000 pounds. Pounds sterling banknotes, that is.

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for May 28, 2012

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for April

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs