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In a game outlined through over-the-top physiques, Tom Platz’s legs are the stuff of legend.
The person who sooner or later earned the nickname “The Quadfather” were given his get started in bodybuilding all through the past due Nineteen Seventies, when he arrived on the iconic Gold’s Health club in California. From there, he made a reputation for himself within the game through profitable a handful of main competitions and being a staple on the Mr. Olympia all the way through the ’80s. However except for luck at the degree, a type of folklore has evolved round Platz’s power. Specifically, his prowess at the again squat.
Despite the fact that he by no means captured Olympia gold, there’s no denying the affect Platz had on bodybuilding and the bigger power sports activities group as a complete. As at all times, that begs without equal query: Simply how robust used to be Tom Platz? We dive into the main points beneath.
[Related: Who Is the Strongest Mr. Olympia Winner?]
Changing into Tom Platz
Born in Oklahoma on an army base in 1955, Tom Platz’s early existence used to be outlined through motion. Owing to his father’s quite a lot of jobs, the circle of relatives traveled round america prior to settling in Michigan when Platz used to be in his past due teenagers.
He were given his first barbell set at 10 years previous and, within the evenings, started reworking his frame. Coaching along his dad, the duo pressed and pulled the barbell for hours on finish.
At 13, Platz found out a replica of Muscle Builder mag and used to be transfixed. This, he later mentioned, changed into his bodybuilding bible and, in impact, used to be the template for his later occupation. In highschool, he used weight coaching to make the soccer and monitor groups, and, through the mid-Nineteen Seventies, he used to be dabbling in each aggressive bodybuilding and powerlifting.
[Related: The 13 Best Quad Exercises for Serious Strength and Size]
Via 1974, Platz positioned 2d within the Teenage Mr. The us contest and, the next yr, gained the Mr. Michigan match. Remarkably, he additionally gained the 1975 Michigan Senior State Powerlifting Championships with the next lifts:
Platz would possibly neatly have improved in powerlifting, however he didn’t in finding it difficult sufficient.
“Powerlifting used to be all too simple,” Platz mentioned within the September 1986 factor of FLEX mag. “All you needed to do used to be consume so much and educate just a little.” The learning Platz most popular used to be bodybuilding.
In that vein, Platz traveled to Gold’s Health club in Venice, California, in 1978, which had remodeled right into a bonafide bodybuilding scorching spot following the discharge of 1977’s Pumping Iron. It’s right here the place Platz started coaching with one among his bodybuilding heroes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, within the hopes that it will lend a hand to turn into his body.
However after a twinkling of an eye with “The Oak,” Platz discovered himself drained, sore, and in no higher situation. If anything else, he felt he regarded worse. Thus got here a turning level in Platz’s existence: He discovered that to construct his dream frame, he had to in finding his personal device. That quest sooner or later gave upward thrust to probably the most game’s maximum iconic our bodies.
Tom Platz’s Coaching Taste
Having skilled with Schwarzenegger to diminishing returns, Platz started experimenting with other exercise types, sooner or later deciding on a novel, albeit barbaric device.
Whilst a few of his contemporaries sought to imitate the everyday high-volume coaching method and others copied the Arthur Jones/Mike Mentzer high-intensity method, Platz described his distinctive coaching taste as excessive quantity and excessive depth.
Platz continuously instructed others that he skilled on intuition, which is helping to give an explanation for why his rep levels shifted any place from 5 to 50 on a given workout. Nonetheless, right here’s what one among Platz’s extra usual leg workout routines seemed like from his top:
Right through his top, it used to be commonplace for Platz to coach the use of heavy weights and excessive reps, for each higher and decrease frame. Likewise, newshounds recorded his use of timed units (i.e. 5 mins of contentious reps) when coaching particular frame portions. The past due bodybuilding creator Peter McGough even recalled Platz’s particular device of aggressively the use of partials after his muscle groups have been fatigued.
It used to be a device distinctive to Platz and labored on account of the depth he skilled. The video beneath captures a few of this:
[Related: Lou Ferrigno’s Hulking Comeback at the 1992 Mr. Olympia]
How Robust Was once Tom Platz?
Whilst Platz used to be continuously criticized for being leg-dominant, he spent a substantial amount of time development his higher frame. As recounted through bodybuilding creator Greg Merritt, Platz used to depend his chin-up workout routines no longer relating to units however in mins: 20 to twenty-five mins of as many reps as imaginable. He additionally carried out lat pulldowns at 250 kilos for 20 reps, adopted through some other 20 partial reps at most velocity, consistent with McGough. On dumbbell pullovers, he used a 150-pound dumbbell.
Platz didn’t in most cases use the bench press all through his heyday, who prefer as a substitute to make use of incline dumbbell presses. He incline-pressed 175-pound dumbbells at one level for 6 reps and may just dumbbell curl 70 kilos for strict reps.
On deadlifts, an workout no longer generally related to Platz, he may just pull 600 kilos for as much as 4 reps. He may just additionally carry out 20-rep deadlift units the use of 405 kilos. Staggeringly, Platz used to make use of 1,000 kilos when doing calf raises. It used to be, alternatively, the barbell again squat the place he cemented his recognition.
How A lot May just Tom Platz Squat?
Platz continuously talked concerning the squat being comparable to a non secular revel in for him. And when discussing his power at the transfer, it’s essential to concentrate on each uncooked energy and staying power.
When taking a look at staying power, Platz mentioned he would from time to time squat 225 kilos for a complete 10 mins, a feat that led to over 100 reps. He additionally steadily squatted 315 kilos for prime reps in coaching, from time to time hitting as many as 50.
[Related: The 5 Best Quad Workouts for Forging Bigger and More Explosive Legs]
His most famed staying power feat got here in 1992 when he took phase within the so-called “Nice American Squat-Off” festival in opposition to well-known powerlifter Dr. Fred Hatfield. The brainchild of wrestling promoter Vince McMahon, the competition used to be break up between measuring every athlete’s one-rep max and their rep staying power.
At the one-rep max, Hatfield controlled 855 kilos, whilst Platz, who used to be previous his top on the time, controlled 765 kilos. Later, Platz insisted he would have most probably maxed out at 800 or 900 kilos if he had skilled for it.
Platz greater than made up for it at the staying power portion, managing 23 general reps with 525 kilos throughout his again. That’s in comparison to Hatfield, who carried out 11. It’s a feat that few had been in a position to check since. (Despite the fact that some other people, together with mythical strongman Invoice Kazmier, wondered the legitimacy of the load plates Platz used.)
Having a look at those accomplishments, it’s unsure that many bodybuilders can fit the flexibility of Platz’s squat power. It will have to be famous, alternatively, that the 2023 International’s Most powerful Guy, Mitchell Hooper, bested Platz through attaining 24 reps in Would possibly 2023.
How Does That Evaluate to Different Olympia Greats?
Platz isn’t the most powerful bodybuilder to compete on the best possible stage on the Olympia; that award unquestionably is going to Ronnie Coleman. It may be argued, although, that Platz sits proper along Franco Columbu.
Franco may just squat 655 kilos and bench 525 kilos, whilst Platz may just squat 765 kilos and incline bench 175-pound dumbbells. While Franco deadlifted extra, Platz may just most probably surpass the “Sardinian Samson” on staying power.
[Related: 10 Bodybuilders With Some of the Biggest Legs in the Sport’s History]
Having a look previous Columbu to Dorian Yates, Phil Heath, or Jay Cutler, Platz has all of them beat on leg power. At the depth of coaching, handiest Yates and Mike Mentzer may just fit Platz.
Tom Platz’s Bodybuilding Pageant Historical past
Whilst Platz used to be one of the crucial well-liked bodybuilders of the Nineteen Eighties, he by no means reached without equal objective of profitable a Mr. Olympia. His best possible end on the display got here in 1981, when he secured 3rd position in the back of winner Franco Columbu and runner-up Chris Dickerson.
Nonetheless, Platz controlled to ascertain himself as a legend within the minds of fanatics and competition. Right here’s a rundown of the foremost bodybuilding wins all the way through his occupation, courtesy of Muscle Reminiscence.
- 1975 Mr. Michigan, AAU, Total Winner
- 1976 Mr. The us, AAU, Brief, third
- 1977 AAU Mr. Southeastern USA, Winner
- 1978 IFBB International Beginner Championships, 1st
- 1978 IFBB USA International Qualifier, 1st
- 1979 Mr. Olympia, eighth
- 1980 IFBB International Professional, second
- 1980 IFBB Grand Prix Pennsylvania, tenth
- 1980 IFBB Evening Of The Champions, twelfth
- 1980 Mr. Olympia, ninth
- 1981 Mr. Olympia, third
- 1982 Mr. Olympia, sixth
- 1984 Mr. Olympia, ninth
- 1985 Mr. Olympia, seventh
- 1986 Mr. Olympia, eleventh
- 1987 IFBB Detroit Professional, sixth
A Ultimate Phrase
Platz stays one of the crucial revered and well-liked bodybuilders of the Nineteen Eighties. And whilst his squat totals and the sheer measurement of his quads get all the consideration, don’t forget about his general power. “The Golden Eagle” had mythical energy and carved out a occupation that must be measured through extra than simply contest wins.
Featured symbol: @TomPlatz on Instagram
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