Tom Platz was a professional bodybuilder known for having some of the biggest and most well-developed leg muscles in the history of the sport. His massive quads, shaped through intense training, earned him nicknames like "The Golden Eagle" and "The Quad Father." If you want to build legs like Platz, be prepared to work hard and push yourself to the limit! Here is an overview of how Platz trained each major muscle group to build his iconic physique:
Legs
As you might expect, legs were the major focus of Platz’s training. His leg workouts were legendary for their extreme intensity and volume. A typical leg session for Platz might look something like this:
- Squats: 5 sets of 8-12 reps, going as deep as possible and focusing on squeezing the quadriceps. He would pyramid up in weight each set until hitting a very challenging top set.
- Hack Squats: 4 sets of 12-15 reps, again going extra deep and really focusing on contracting the quads with each rep.
- Leg Presses: 5 sets of 15-20 reps, emphasizing high volume and squeezing out every last rep. He was known to use leg presses with his feet positioned very high and wide on the platform to better target the quad sweep.
- Leg Extensions: 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps, holding at peak contraction on each rep to maximize quad development. He focused on feeling a deep burn in the quads with this exercise.
- Leg Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps to round out leg training with some hamstring work.
Platz would train legs with this type of high-intensity routine two times per week, blasting his quads and surrounding muscles with multiple exercises and very high volumes. His quads were known to be sore for days after his brutal leg workouts.
Chest
Platz also focused on building an extremely thick and defined chest, evident in his competition photos where his pecs were full and striated. Here is how he likely trained chest:
- Flat Barbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 6-10 reps, pushing heavy weights in the hypertrophy rep range and focusing on squeezing the pectorals.
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 10-12 reps with a full stretch and contraction on each rep.
- Flat Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, emphasizing the squeeze at the bottom of the movement.
- Cable Crossovers: 3 sets of 15-20 reps to finish off the chest. He focused on completely fatiguing the pecs.
Platz trained chest twice a week, blasting it from multiple angles with mass-building exercises and volumes to pack thick slabs of muscle onto his upper body.
Back
In addition to his famous chest and leg development, Platz also built tremendous thickness and density in his back - the hallmark of a true champion bodybuilder. Here is how he trained back:
- Wide-Grip Pull-ups: 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps using strict form and holding at the top squeeze position.
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 8-12 reps, squeezing the back at the top of each rep.
- Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets of 12-15 reps, using a wide grip and feeling a deep contraction.
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 15-20 reps to failure, emphasizing the stretched and contracted positions.
Platz focused on basic, heavy back exercises to stimulate maximum upper back and lat hypertrophy. He trained back with similar volume and frequency as chest to create complete upper body development.
Shoulders
Platz also recognized the importance of building big, round deltoids to complement his chest and give that classic bodybuilder V-taper. His shoulders were full and proportional. His deltoid training looked something like this:
- Overhead Barbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps, pressing heavy and focusing on using the shoulders, not momentum.
- Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps with strict form, squeezing at the top.
- Bent-Over Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 15-20 reps to pre-exhaust and isolate the side delts.
- Upright Rows: 2-3 sets of 12 reps for full upper shoulder development.
Platz hit shoulders once or twice a week, blasting them with heavy pressing and strict isolation movements to build that rounded 3D look from all angles.
Arms
No bodybuilder’s routine would be complete without direct arm work, and Platz knew the importance of building huge biceps and triceps to complement his other mass. Here is how he trained guns:
- Barbell Curls: 4 sets of 8-10 reps, focusing on strict form and squeezing.
- Preacher Curls: 3 sets of 12 reps, holding the peak contraction.
- Hammer Curls: 2 sets of 12-15 reps emphasizing forearm supination for biceps peak.
- Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps to blast the triceps.
- Rope Pushdowns: 3 sets of 15 reps using cables for constant tension.
Platz prioritized basic, heavy arm training to stimulate maximum growth in the biceps, triceps and forearms. He knew big arms would allow him to display his physique’s full potential.
Conclusion
There you have it - a complete overview of how Tom Platz likely structured his intense training routines for each major muscle group. The keys are heavy weights, consistently challenging progression schemes, extreme volume, and getting a skin-tearing pump and burn in every working set. It’s physically and mentally demanding, but Platz’s example proves that with fierce dedication and work ethic, you can build a masterpiece muscle physique through diligent training. Use these guidelines and see how closely you can emulate Platz’s legendary legs and proportional upper body development! Bring a notebook to the gym and be prepared for the hardest muscle-building training of your life if you want to follow in The Quad Father’s footsteps!
