Many consider Tom Platz one of the most intense bodybuilders in history. Known for his incredible leg development, which many experts felt was ahead of his time, Platz trained to total failure.
Platz’s bodybuilding career ended in 1987, but his spirit is as alive as ever. With his 70th birthday approaching, Platz was recently filmed training legs, including squats:
Platz can be seen working with 175 pounds and going below parallel throughout his set. He performed leg extensions, including his famous partials, to get extra time under tension. His results were noticeable when he shared a recent leg shot in another post.
Platz knew how his training techniques, including the intensity and partial reps, affected the shape and size of his legs, and research and studies verified that he was correct. Partial reps, especially in the lengthened portion of an exercise, can help elicit greater results. (1)(2)
Platz used partials on leg curls, which is why his hamstrings were admired by many bodybuilding fans and competitors alike. Platz will soon be a septuagenarian, and he expressed why training for an event has been so important to him.
69 days to my 70th birthday at 69, had to do this!
—Tom Platz
Platz’s 70th birthday is on June 25, 2025. Among those in the comments expressing praise for Platz’s efforts was seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
Platz continues to inspire generations of fitness enthusiasts nearly four decades after he curtain-called his pro career, including seven Olympia appearances from 1979 to 1986. His best finish was third in 1981. Franco Columbu won that year, in what many consider the most controversial contest in bodybuilding history.
Platz may be most famous for his 1992 squat-off with powerlifting legend Dr. Fred Hatfield. On that day, Platz squatted 765 for a single and followed it with 525 pounds for 23 reps.
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References
- Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199
- Goto, M., Maeda, C., Hirayama, T., Terada, S., Nirengi, S., Kurosawa, Y., Nagano, A., & Hamaoka, T. (2019). Partial Range of Motion Exercise Is Effective for Facilitating Muscle Hypertrophy and Function Through Sustained Intramuscular Hypoxia in Young Trained Men. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(5), 1286–1294. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002051
Featured Image: @tomplatz on Instagram
