Tom ‘The Quadfather’ Platz Leg Exercise Assessment

01/04/2021

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There are two kinds of folks on this world:

Those that prepare legs and those that don’t.

You’re both the kind of one who will get an absolute hard-on being within the squat rack, crying blood and grimacing on the ground the place it looks like Christ has taken a shit in your soul.

Or,

The kind of one who is a strolling meme, utilizing each excuse beneath the solar to justify why it’s nonetheless arm day for the fifth day in a row.

Both approach, there isn’t a in between.

Throughout the ‘Golden Period’ of bodybuilding, one bodybuilding legend redefined what leg day regarded like, forging an admirable profession, constructing a legacy and who made positive he was extraordinary among the many extraordinary.

That man was none apart from Tom Platz, in any other case often called ‘The Golden Eagle’, ‘Quadzilla’ and ‘The Quadfather’.

Regardless of his highest putting being a mere third within the 1981 Mr. Olympia (rating behind Franco Columbu and Chris Dickerson), it’s nonetheless largely agreed right this moment that Platz had the best leg improvement of all time.

In a time the place the aesthetic v-tapers of Schwarzenegger and Zane reigned supreme, Platz’s monumental legs had been a unique kettle of fish.

Whereas some may disagree, for my part, Tom Platz’s legs far surpassed the offbeat legs of Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman and Kai Greene amongst others which was validated in a ballot by Muscular Development crowning Tom Platz with the best legs in bodybuilding.

We’ll be having a look on the type of workouts Platz carried out to build-up his world-beating legs.

So, with out additional ado, lets assessment his legendary leg exercise.

Overview

Tom Platz’s Leg Exercise consists of 4 main leg workouts:

He would additionally complement the above with some calf workouts to actually construct up the legs.

Whereas well-known for his thunderous legs, Platz’s relentless work ethic was additionally one thing that garnered the respect of most of the greats in bodybuilding, notably Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“I used to be all the time the type of bodybuilder who actually adopted his instincts. In these days, my focus was on depth and intuition. Arnold used to take pleasure in my depth. He’d touch upon the quantity of vitality I’d create. However I performed off the opposite folks, too.”

Platz was a person that received off on the sensation of being completely shit confronted after each set.

If he didn’t find yourself in a sweaty mess, squirming on the ground in agony like an upended tortoise, he merely didn’t go arduous sufficient.

As an example:

That is how Platz described his expertise of ending a set of excessive quantity squats:

“I did have quite a lot of grueling workouts on the squat rack to the purpose the place my life would go in entrance of my eyes.

I’d lay on the ground within the outdated Gold’s Fitness center in Venice Seaside and my coronary heart can be racing so quick that I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t see. The lights damage them and it felt like there was somebody stabbing knives into my legs...

…I’d have a towel over my head and would run the water fountain over my face, and after 5 or ten minutes I’d rise up and go ‘subsequent set’.”

Platz would additionally routinely carry out a number of units of squats for 10 minutes cranking out over 100 reps of 225lbs (100kg) or extra.

Thankfully,

This isn’t the exercise we’re going into right this moment, however it does offer you an concept of the sheer ferocity this man possessed.

Should you wished a bit extra proof of absolutely the torture Platz used to inflict on his legs, take a look at the beneath video of him squatting 525lbs (238kg) for 23 reps on the FIBO commerce present in Cologne, Germany in 1993.

Observe his strict kind and the way he’s unable to face on the finish as if he’s been run over by a truck:

So include me, get your sick bucket prepared.

That is going to be crippling.

Tom Platz Leg Exercise

Train	Units	Reps
Barbell Squats	8 – 12	5 – 20
Hack Squats	5	10 – 15
Leg Extensions	5 – 8	10 – 15
Leg Curls	6 – 10	10 – 15
Standing Calf Raises	3 – 4	10 – 15
Seated Calf Raises	3 – 4	10 – 15
Hack Machine Calf Raises	3 – 4	10 – 15

Examination

Like all of Tom Platz’s workouts, this one unsurprisingly consists of by no means ending, soul-crushing quantity.

It’s essential to grasp that high-volume coaching was the primary keep of many aggressive bodybuilders through the ‘Golden Period’ and Platz was identified to stay within the squat rack.

While the depth and quantity of this routine may appear extreme in comparison with a number of the extra favoured moderate volume, split workouts of today, there may be a lot to be gained from performing this protocol (excuse the pun).

Firstly,

You’ll be performing a punishing 33 – 47 units or 2,145 – 5,170 reps in whole the place it’s seemingly you’ll by no means have carried out that degree of quantity in your life.

Thus, that is very a lot a sophisticated exercise.

Secondly,

A mixture of barbell squats, hack squats, curls and extensions will guarantee no muscle fiber will go unscathed the place you’ll be working your legs from all angles.

Given the quantity of units and reps to be carried out, you’ll undoubtedly be going by way of hell and again within the fitness center.

Platz is the primary to confess that a few of his workouts had been excessive and his degree of coaching isn’t for everybody. They don’t permit themselves to get uncooked and intense as a way to expose their weaknesses.

“Not everyone is psychologically outfitted to be a professional athlete. I wished to alter the way in which folks thought in regards to the fitness center expertise and coaching.”

In fact, most individuals are able to performing this routine, however usually occasions they’ll take a look at the amount concerned and admit defeat earlier than they’ve even given it a shot.

In spite of everything,

Platz himself stated:

“If you end up uncomfortable is if you’ll develop!”

And an excellent wiser man as soon as stated,

“By no means go to the fitness center and try high-volume squats with out a spotter”.

In fact, I made that one up, however it’s a good suggestion nonetheless.

Should you’re studying this and are nonetheless not delay from this routine, take a look at the beneath video of Tom Platz placing IFBB professional bodybuilder, Jason Lowe by way of his paces.

It definitely isn’t as straightforward because it reads:

Notes

Heat Up

Make sure you heat up earlier than making an attempt this exercise.

Platz favored to carry out 1 or 2 units of barbell squats with gentle weights (or the bar itself) which allowed him to zone-in and get into the rhythm and circulate of the motion earlier than starting his working set.

This was in order that he was in the appropriate way of thinking and that his legs had been totally warmed up.

He additionally favored to do some gentle stretching/mobility work to make sure his legs had been limber and unfastened.

Barbell Squats

It’s no seceret:

Tom Platz handled squats as a type of spiritual apply.

He likened the squat rack to a holy place (an altar virtually) the place life and loss of life befell throughout each exercise.

In fact,

Curling within the squat rack is the largest cardinal sin anybody can commit on the fitness center, so in the event you spot somebody doing this earlier than you possibly can start to step as much as the rack, make sure you squat on their corpse for disrespecting the sanctuary of legs.

Now that we’ve received out that out of the way in which, it’s essential to notice that barbell squats of the high-bar selection was the popular selection for Platz, and one which might be required of you.

While there are totally different strategies to performing the right squat, Platz’s best solution to execute the motion was utilizing an Olympic-style model that concerned your knees going previous your toes and your butt virtually touching the ground (ass to the grass).

He felt such a motion permitted a smoother ascent from the underside which promoted a pure upright place, however that allowed for ample mobility within the hips and ankles while nonetheless giving the depth wanted to develop monstrous legs.

Platz additionally favored to give attention to a spot in entrance of him when performing squats to make sure his physique was all the time in an upright place that allowed the bar to go straight up and down as effectively as doable:

“It helps to take a look at an imaginary spot on the wall or ceiling to remain in the appropriate place. It made the train harder, however more practical.“

When performing barbell squats, make sure you’re comfortably supporting the bar in your higher again, conserving your core engaged all through and specializing in a degree in entrance of you to permit the bar to maneuver up and down with nearly all of the load being lifted out of your quadriceps.

It additionally goes with out saying that full squat depth is important.

Should you’re not prepared to go deep, or at the very least beneath parallel, you’re solely dishonest your self.

Hack Squats

One facet of Tom Platz’s legs that gave him the sting over his rivals throughout his prime was the unbelievable improvement of his vastus medialus (VMO) in any other case often called the ‘teardrop’ muscle discovered on the entrance of the quadricep simply above the knee.

Not solely this, his vastus lateralis, which is a muscle of the quadricep discovered on the surface of the thigh was additionally well-developed that gave his legs the additional width (and thickness) that no different competitor delivered to the desk on the time.

Platz attributes the event of each of those heads of the quadricep to recurrently performing hack squats and the totally different positions he would put his toes in.

He would typically carry out standard hack squats, the place your toes are parallel to at least one one other and are shoulder-width aside in addition to remoted variations to focus on totally different heads.

“It’s virtually like a squat. It’s not like a sissy squat and the motion just isn’t up within the air it’s very primary you push out of your toes switch weight by way of your heels and flex.”

A favorite of Platz’s was placing his toes in a ‘duck’ place the place his heels can be collectively on the platform and toes mentioning.

As he descended on the hack squat, he would go up on his toes, pushing his knees ahead and down till they had been practically as little as his toes and explode again up.

He felt this gave him an amazing pump on the vastus lateralis and was a staple train he integrated on his journey all through the Mr. Olympia competitions.

Take a look at the beneath video of Tom Platz demonstrating methods to carry out the right hack squat and commentary on his well-known duck stance model from 1 minute and 38 seconds:

As Platz talked about within the video, performing hack squats in addition to his favorite duck stance selection, could be very damaging on the knees.

Guarantee you might be snug with the method first earlier than making use of any weight.

When you’ve received the motion nailed down, look to use some weights that may help you carry out the train with no ache within the knees for the specified units and reps.

Leg Extensions

In true Platz style, leg extensions weren’t carried out within the standard approach.

He would normally go quite a bit lighter on this train as a way to carry out every rep as completely as doable. Additionally, going lighter meant that he may crank out much more reps guaranteeing he may go to failure safely.

It’s value noting that every rep is to be taken by way of a full vary of movement pre-failure. He favored to magnify the motion even additional by pretending he was kicking the pad on the machine by way of the fitness center roof.

Typically occasions, he would carry out 60 reps in a single set.

Later, Platz would then transfer the load as much as a heavier load, simply sufficient for him to get a superb contraction – even when it meant the reps would change into a bit extra sloppy.

When fatigue and failure started to set in, he would name for a accomplice to push in opposition to the pad as a way to churn out a couple of partial reps to make sure no muscle fiber escaped the punishment being inflicted on his legs.

There’s no denying:

Platz would take failure to a different degree and made positive he left all the pieces on the fitness center ground every time, even when it meant breaking the shit out of every machine within the weight room earlier than he referred to as it a day.

Not satisfied?

Take a look at the beneath video of Tom Platz performing leg extensions from 4 minutes and 12 seconds:

When performing leg extensions, make sure you go away all of it on the market, getting full vary of movement and incorporating partial reps for maximal hypertrophy.

Leg Curls

Just like leg extensions, Platz most popular doing leg curls with lighter weights, normally 22kg (50lbs).

This might permit him to decelerate the motion and get a full extension and contraction on the hamstrings (which he referred to as leg biceps).

Platz carried out only a few units of leg curls however would guarantee every rep was managed, notably through the unfavorable (decreasing) section of the elevate for larger muscle recruitment.

When fatigue and failure would start to creep in, Platz would name upon his coaching accomplice to assist him squeeze out a couple of extra reps.

This might contain his accomplice serving to him push up his ankles to finish the contraction on the prime in addition to have his accomplice maintain the pad down on the backside to crank out a couple of extra partial reps.

Platz believed you need to be fatiguing the muscle throughout each portion of the elevate: prime, center and backside. That approach, each single muscle fiber all through the motion is damaged down, permitting it to develop again larger and stronger.

A phrase of warning:

Should you’re trying to do that with a coaching accomplice and wanting to use the identical depth as Tom Platz, strive to not get banned out of your fitness center for sexually harassing the leg curl machine.

You’ll little question get a couple of bizarre/humorous/scared/involved seems to be.

Take a look at Tom Platz demonstrating how he usually performs leg curls from 5 minutes and 41 seconds.

Viewer discretion: machines had been harmed within the making of this video.

Calves

With regards to leg day, it’s not an actual leg day in the event you’re additionally not coaching calves.

Only a few folks even think about coaching (or wish to prepare) calves for numerous causes unknown to man.

Nevertheless, Tom Platz knew the significance of coaching calves and the way it might assist construct a stable basis for his enormous quadriceps and hamstrings to take a seat on.

Not solely this,

Having well-developed calves will guarantee your physique’s total proportion/symmetry will stay so as, notably as you prepare quadriceps and hamstrings arduous.

Even bodybuilding greats like Reg Park, Steve Reeves and Arnold Schwarzenegger knew the significance of coaching calves and the distinction having well-developed calves made to at least one’s physique.

Standing, seated and hack machine calf raises are the order of the day, with all three workouts designed to hit your calves from totally different angles.

Relying on whether or not Platz was within the low season or making ready for a contest, he would fluctuate the poundage when coaching calves. As an example, throughout low season Platz would carry out the above calf workouts with heavier weights for decrease reps.

When he was making ready for a contest, he would lower the load and enhance the variety of reps (typically as much as 200 reps cut up into 5 or 6 units) as a way to drop extra physique fats and enhance the striations within the calves.

Platz notes that he solely educated his calves twice per week. The rationale for this was not solely was he of smaller stature, and subsequently required much less frequency of labor, but in addition the extent of depth he positioned on his calves meant that he wanted extra time to get well:

“I had most success coaching calves twice per week… with actually arduous intense coaching twice per week proved only.”

Particularly:

In direction of the tip of his calf exercise, Plat favored to slowly add some weight onto both the standing or seated calf machine and maintain the load on the center of the motion for a time frame.

He’d additionally name his coaching accomplice to press or put his complete body weight in opposition to the machine and maintain it for a couple of seconds till his muscle groups, tendons and ligaments may not maintain the load.

Tom Platz believed that the static maintain labored wonders on his calves and actually helped to blow them up even additional:

“The static rep, the partial static rep, possibly as soon as per week, possibly twice per week on the most, proved to be unbelievable, magic for my calves. I by no means wished to get implants. Between getting implants or doing heavy static partial work, the heavy coaching, arduous work, old skool coaching methodology labored finest.”

Take a look at the beneath video of Platz describing how he constructed up his calves:

When coaching calves, make sure you’re utilizing a surprising precept to essentially assist them develop.

The calves are typically fairly a cussed muscle group so will usually require numerous tips from time-to-time as a way to preserve progressing and avoiding a plateau.

Respiration

Respiration while exercising might be some of the neglected elements of coaching (alongside getting sufficient relaxation and adequately feeding your physique).

When performing barbell and hack squats, ensure you take a giant deep breath in earlier than you descend and maintain it in your stomach as you descend conserving all the pieces tight. As you start to blow up again up, exhale as deep as you possibly can to finish the rep.

This degree of respiration is required for all workouts and never simply squats.

Respiration correctly and taking huge deep breaths in will make sure you’re sending sufficient oxygen to the working muscle(s) so that you simply’re in a position to full every rep safely and successfully.

Counting Reps

Platz most popular to rely what number of reps he had accomplished in units of 5.

This may have a constructive psychological impact because it’s far simpler (and rewarding) to know that you’ve got hit a milestone in your working set. Additionally, it provides you a clearer concept as to what number of reps you’ve got left to hit which might encourage you even additional.

Should you’re counting each single rep throughout this exercise, it may be tormenting to know you’ve got one other 17 reps to go on the large compound lifts resembling barbell squats and hack squats.

Depth

Platz’s would assault each working set till he had nothing left within the tank and reached full failure.

Going to failure meant that he was giving it all the pieces he had in order that he may go dwelling figuring out that he gave his coaching session his best possible.

Guarantee you might be additionally making use of this identical degree of depth to your exercise.

Get within the zone by specializing in the duty at hand and keep away from getting distracted with what’s occurring round you. Each set and each rep calls for your full focus and utmost dedication so make sure to apply 100% effort to the train you might be performing.

Finally:

Nobody is chargeable for your muscular improvement apart from your self, so if you’d like legs which are an actual head turner, you must go all in.

Ideas

Tom Platz’s Leg Exercise is an actual balls to the wall routine that may push your legs previous their breaking level.

Because the saying goes: ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and if you’re not seeing any progress, its seemingly since you’re doing the identical, boring routine and your legs have adjusted to the coaching stimulus.

This exercise is assured to provide your leg muscle groups a kick up the arse as a way to drive progress.

Certainly:

Excessive rep squatting was additionally the popular weapon of selection for a lot of old-school bodybuilders who advocated performing squats to construct remarkably robust legs, together with John Grimek and Reg Park.

In fact, Tom Platz took it to a different degree, and to this present day, nonetheless has top-of-the-line developed legs of all time.

With that stated,

This coaching plan is a psychological sport as a lot because it’s a bodily one.

Typically occasions you’ll really feel like your thoughts is starting to speak you out of performing one other rep when you understand you continue to have a couple of extra reps left within the tank.

It’s essential to rid your self of any unfavorable self-talk when your deep within the trenches of this exercise as that’s the place you’ll seemingly cease pushing your self.

Should you cease if you’re fatigued and haven’t pushed your self previous the purpose of fatigue, then the would-be beneficial properties is not going to are available in as successfully.

This exercise is all about pushing your self previous the purpose of no return and guaranteeing you’re not going straightforward on your self. It’s if you attain this place that the beneficial properties will are available in thick and quick as a result of it will likely be new, unfamiliar territory.

Going again to what the person stated himself:

“If you end up uncomfortable is if you’ll develop!”

This is applicable not solely to bodybuilding, however all elements of life too which helped Platz forge an unshakeable character and develop a successful mindset within the fitness center.

I’ve used the above routine on many events to push previous inertia and by no means stop to be in a world of ache the next day, the place strolling up and down the steps and sitting on the bathroom seat change into a few of life’s greatest struggles.

The extent of depth and madness this leg exercise requires will redefine how you consider leg day and can guarantee your muscle groups are shocked into progress.

By far, essentially the most improvement I noticed for my legs was performing the barbell squats within the units and reps prescribed by Platz. The burn is unfathomable and on many events, was unable to face absolutely erect after finishing a couple of units.

Not solely this,

The mendacity leg curl additionally helped me actually deliver up my hamstrings (which is normally a lagging space for me), and I’ve been in a position to steadily enhance the poundage for progressive improvement.

There is no such thing as a denying:

Tom Platz was born on leg day and his routine is a implausible plan to comply with to spice issues up each on occasion.

Conclusion

In abstract,

Tom Platz’s Leg Exercise is a ball-busting coaching plan that may ship your legs into the pit of hell.

This routine just isn’t for the feint of coronary heart, however it’s efficient and can end in some unprecedented beneficial properties.

Not solely this, however the psychological toughness Tom Platz’s leg routine will instill in you goes approach past the fitness center itself. That is all about pushing your self far past you can’ve ever presumably imagined after which some.

Finally:

To get the job executed, you must DO the job.

This isn’t one thing you possibly can obtain from speaking or listening, however by merely getting sweaty within the squat rack, difficult your self to get higher every day.

Should you put within the work (actual work), the remainder will comply with and as Tom Platz says:

“Whenever you promise your self one thing, make a dedication, you possibly can’t quit. As a result of, if you’re within the fitness center, you must fulfill the promise you made to your self. The individuals who can self encourage – in any discipline – are normally those who win. No matter expertise.“

Over To You

What do you consider Tom Platz’s Leg Exercise?

Are you planning on making an attempt it? Tried it already?

Let me know your ideas within the feedback beneath!