Thread: Skinny Tom Platz

Tom is still in good shape and trains, but he is no longer a competitive bodybuilder, nor does he look like one.

As Mudge said he has shoulder injuries, quite bad in fact, he has a very limited range of motion due to permanent damage. In fact he cannot even put his arms straight over his head anymore.

well put Prince.

people don't realize that these guys do reach a point where they priorities change. Once they stop competing, they usually stop the juice, and change their w.o.'s from trying to get enormous to reap health benefits and to try to keep lean muscle.

Tom has moved on with his life into business affairs, as most do when they retire. I've heard and read in many other places (besides this post) that Platz was the most intense MF'er ever. Straight squatting for like 10-20 minutes!!! (and who says there's overtraining???)

That's insane! His legs rightly displayed the discipline and pure insanity that went into his training. Even with all the drugs nowaday guys have, still NO ONE has been able to reach his development.

In this book by musclemag international:

"With all due respect to Demayo, Cutler, Coleman and Belknap, few dispute the fact that in his prime, Tom Platz had the greatest legs of all time. In fact a couple years ago, new leg monster, Paul "Quadzilla" DeMayo challenged Tom to drop his pants at an exhibition. Despite being out of competition for 10 years (which means this "challenge" happened in 1997), Tom took up the challenge and proceeded to display a set of legs that caused DeMayo's heart to flutter. After all those years Tom's legs still had the size and muscularity that other BB's only dream about"

I think that's the biggest "bragability" as far as pro BB's go ever. In other words, "everyone" (meaning the pros) has/had huge arms, a big ass chest, a huge back, tight abs etc.....So its hard to dispute who has the best EVER.

The only exception is Platz. NO ONE COMES CLOSE!

He was in the hospital once for oxygen starvation after a set of 10 minute squats is one thing I remember reading. He just wanted to see how far he could go, if that isn't hardcore what is.

If you haven't been there and done that, relax with what you say.

Paul Demayo is one of my all time favorites.

I have seen that pic of Platz and DeMayo on stage with their pants down, as you stated the most amazing thing about it was that Tom Platz had not been in competition for years, nor was he in any type of competition training at that time!

Originally posted by Mudge
Arnold has had some surgery a few years ago, I can't remember what it was for though, hmm.

Arnold underwent heart surgery to replace an injured valve. Rumors abound that the valve was blown due to excesive steroid use over the years.

Platz is a legend. However, even legends have to age. I guarantee that if I saw him on the street today and didn't know who he was, I'd think to myself, "Wow, that guy's in pretty damn good shape."

Nobody will ever beat his insanely developed legs.

Arnold also had rotator cuff surgery recently.

Not sure if you would say that about Tom though, at least not if he were in regular clothes. If he were in shorts you probably would.

Since I live in Maine, where most people are fat and lazy, believe me, I'd notice that he was in shape. Being in shape around these parts is rare.

Well I was justed shocked when i seen my old hero after a 18 year lay off myself! The guys in the gym use to call me Platz because of my legs, I trained around Belknap and Lance Dreher back in 1981 in Rockford. Are those guys still alive?

Tom Platz is off the steroids.

Like countless others he forgot it's called: Body Building, as in health building.

More than his body, Platz was #1 for building his ego.

Tom Platz = Mr. Mega Ego

Platz was the world's hardest trainer. So.

What did it ever get him? Quote: "I'll win the Olympia or die trying!"

(Mohamed Makkawy ranked higher than Platz.)

He neither won nor died. Another blow hard bites the dust.

Now he's a big movie star! Did you know he starred in 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, with Joe Pesci?

He did. He was one of the heads! Was he singing or dancing or both? Some star. ...and some say Arnold can't act.

Another quote: "...even the President of Ghana wanted to meet me." ...ego!

...and what's with bleaching his hair for 25 years? ha ha ha ha Has anyone ever told him how SILLY that looks? (Tell Lee Priest while you're at it. )

...and what's with Platz gritting his teeth in ever photo, as if he's lifting a car off someone?? Give us a break!

Platz is a nice guy(met him at the '81 Olympia), but he ain't no Golden Eagle.

Danny Padilla(5th place '81 Olympia) was the real winner of the 1981 Olympia! Danny's a class act all the way! Look for him at the next Masters O. He could come in at 215lbs., at 5'2"!

Check out Danny's website: www.google.com

His legs always made his upper body look wat too small. He was the opposite of the guy at everyones gym that has 22 inch arms but has no chest , back, or legs at all. You guys know who I'm talking about!! The guy that works out on arms every day at the gym and hides his toothpick legs under the funny clown pants!!

Originally posted by BabyArnold
His legs always made his upper body look wat too small. He was the opposite of the guy at everyones gym that has 22 inch arms but has no chest , back, or legs at all. You guys know who I'm talking about!! The guy that works out on arms every day at the gym and hides his toothpick legs under the funny clown pants!!

i know the guys you are talking about ALL too well. that describes 99% of the kids at my school gym. they work arms, and don't forget the chest, day after day after day after day.
its very humbling to go to my home gym and see real monsters with legs that match their upper bodies.

we used to always joke around with my old roomate. he's about 6'1 or 2", 150lb, and literally, a bean pole looks like ronnie coleman next to him. he started going to the gym at school cuz he saw how much me and my other roomates went. we used to say he should work nothing but legs. take so much juice and eat so much food and do nothing but legs. after a while he'd have legs like Tom Platz and an upper body like a toothpick, imagine that.

When I played football we had the strength coach for the Utah Jazz put us on a program called bigger ,faster, and stronger. We worked legs everyday of the week, and only worked upper body 2 times per week, but arms chest and shoulders were all in one workout. It sucked, but my point is that to start your growth from nothing you should focus on your legs because your upper body will try to grow to match your legs. But as you can see in most gyms, your legs will never grow to match your upper body. It's all relative.

Originally posted by BabyArnold
His legs always made his upper body look wat too small. He was the opposite of the guy at everyones gym that has 22 inch arms but has no chest , back, or legs at all. You guys know who I'm talking about!! The guy that works out on arms every day at the gym and hides his toothpick legs under the funny clown pants!!

I think we know the same guy. lol

There is a chinese guy at my gym on gear, nice arms and upper body, but toothpick legs that just look discusting. Moreover, he wears shorts EVERY DAY.

Personally, I have always had small calves until recently, and I would only wear shorts on leg day. One morning this guy told me that my calves needed to be proportionate to my arms. Well my arms were 19 inches and my calves were 16. His criticism killed me! I work calves every other day now. They are at 17 1/2 now, still a long way to go.

Good improvement though. My calves are stubborn as hell too.

I use a Dorian Yates calf workout and it seems to have worked really fast.

he obviously isnt as big nowadays but he doesnt look so skinny on this page, bet hes still toned: i can see a hint of a good chest there:
http://www.tomplatz.com/goldeneagle/goldeneagle.htm
the pic of him in his dodgy braces and shirt on?

Tom was always one of my favourite personalitys in bodybuilding

Originally posted by seyone
I don't know how he could let himself get like that.

people get old, it happens



but it is sad that that has to happen to people