The Tom Platz leg exercise is famous in bodybuilding circles.
For the uninitiated, Tom Platz is a retired bodybuilder. In his heyday, he had among the greatest legs in bodybuilding, incomes him the moniker “The Quadfather.”
To develop his 30-inch gams, he carried out brutal, high-rep leg exercises containing a number of units of squats, hack squats, leg extensions, leg curls, and calf raises.
What made Tom Platz’s leg day much more spectacular was that he insisted on coaching by means of a full vary of movement on each train and doing each rep with picture-perfect type.
On this article, you’ll study the ins and outs of Tom Platz’s leg exercise, why it’s not for everybody, find out how to modify it relying in your circumstances, and extra.
Tom Platz Leg Exercise
Right here is the Tom Platz leg day exercise:
A Phrase of Warning Concerning the Tom Platz Leg Day Exercise
Many green weightlifters assume Tom Platz’s leg exercise is their ticket to very large legs. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely to supply the end result they anticipate for just a few easy causes.
First, Tom Platz’s leg day accommodates an exceptionally excessive variety of units—as much as 43 per session. For many pure weightlifters, this excessive “volume” is extra prone to hinder recovery and development than be productive.
Second, Platz has elite genetics that enabled his phenomenal leg growth. Irrespective of the way you practice, it’s unlikely that you simply’ll see related outcomes except you’re additionally a genetic outlier.
And third, Platz openly used steroids. Taking drugs allowed him to get well from and thrive on ultra-high volumes. With out such chemical enhancement, most will wear themselves to a frazzle attempting to copy his routine.
However, Tom Platz’s leg exercise can have some utility for the common gym-goer.
Trying it sporadically can add enjoyable and selection to your coaching. Moreover, you’ll be able to adapt it by lowering the units and reps to extra manageable ranges (extra on the specifics quickly)—simply don’t count on your legs to explode just like the Quadfather’s.
Understanding the Set and Rep Scheme within the Tom Platz Leg Exercise
Whereas the sheer quantity of Tom Platz’s leg exercise is unconventional, the construction of his set and rep scheme is arguably much more unorthodox.
Not like most programs that prescribe a hard and fast variety of units and comparatively slim rep ranges, Platz allowed himself vital leeway on each the variety of units and reps carried out every session.
This enabled Platz to autoregulate (regulate his workload based mostly on restoration and readiness) to a level most structured applications don’t.
For instance, on days when he felt contemporary and powerful, Platz may carry out 12 units of squats within the 15-to-20 rep vary (certainly one of Platz’s most famed feats of power was finishing 23 reps of squats with 525 kilos). Nevertheless, when he felt drained, he may throttle again the amount and depth to compensate.
Platz believed this delivered superior muscle development, stimulating extra muscle fibers versus inflexible programming.
Critically, Platz additionally took most “onerous” units to failure (the purpose at which he couldn’t full one other rep with good type). However as a result of he adjusted his reps as vital, he prevented lacking rep targets due to fatigue. He merely lowered the per-set reps over the course of a exercise to match his declining efficiency.
The liberty of Platz’s strategy foreshadowed rules like autoregulation and versatile periodization, which at the moment are gaining reputation. And whereas it gained’t work for everybody, it’s a viable technique to practice if you happen to perceive your talents and tightly regulate your workload.
Easy methods to Modify Tom Platz Leg Exercise
Except you’re genetically elite and chemically enhanced, performing Tom Platz’s leg exercise weekly in all probability isn’t prudent.
A extra wise strategy is to change his programming to incorporate simply sufficient quantity to spur development however not a lot that restoration turns into a difficulty.
With that in thoughts, listed below are three revised routines impressed by Tom Platz’s leg day, tailored for rookies, skilled weightlifters, and those that practice with out machines.
Easy methods to Modify the Tom Platz Legs Exercise for Newcomers
When you’ve been coaching for lower than a yr, observe this newbie model of the Tom Platz’s legs exercise to make quick and sustainable progress:
- Again Squat: 3 units of 4-to-6 reps
- Hack Squat: 3 units of 6-to-8 reps
- Leg Curl: 3 of 10-to-15 reps
- Seated Calf Increase: 3 units of 10-to-15 reps
Easy methods to Modify the Tom Platz Legs Exercise for Skilled Weightlifters
This model of Tom Platz’s leg exercise accommodates the proper mixture of quantity and depth to assist skilled weightlifters proceed progressing lengthy after their “newbie gains” are gone:
- Again Squat: 4 units of 4-to-6 reps
- Hack Squat: 4 units of 6-to-8 reps
- Leg Extension: 4 of 10-to-15 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 units of 10-to-15 reps
- Seated Calf Increase: 4 units of 10-to-15 reps
Easy methods to Modify the Tom Platz Legs Exercise if You Don’t Have Machines
In addition to the again squat, each leg train within the authentic Tom Platz leg day includes a machine.
Thankfully, those that practice at home or with minimal tools don’t want a hack squat (or leg press), leg curl, or leg extension machine to coach thier decrease physique like Platz.
Right here’s a exercise impressed by Tom Platz’s leg day requiring only a barbell, dumbbells, and your physique weight:
Who Is Tom Platz?
Tom Platz is a retired bodybuilder often called “The Quadfather” for his distinctive leg growth.
Except for his hulking legs and well-proportioned higher physique, Platz was famed for his coaching model.
Early in his bodybuilding profession, Platz skilled with Olympic lifters, together with Norb Schemansky and Freddie Lowe, who taught him the virtues of squatting with a full range of motion and excellent type. This strategy was not like that of different athletes of the period and have become the hallmark of his leg coaching, considerably influencing the squat exercises that fuelled his fame.
Platz was additionally famend for his coaching philosophy, which emphasised the psychological fortitude required to be a prime bodybuilder.
He was recognized for coaching with extraordinary depth, pushing himself to absolutely the limits of endurance and power. The psychological toughness required to coach this manner grew to become as a lot part of his legacy as his bodily achievements.
Amongst Platz’s most notable wins on a bodybuilding stage have been inserting third on the 1981 Mr. Olympia and claiming the IFBB Mr. Universe title in 1980.
What Made Tom Platz’s Legs Particular?
Right here’s an image of Tom Platz’s legs in his heyday. Want I say extra?:
