Tom PLATZ - mid '90s..

[Nether Animal]

I understand that he took some time off, and then came back to do a Masters show but did ever get back on stage? I know he tore a bi but this is still an impressive physique

[Nether Animal]

Looks great here

[Fortress]

We were quite friendly during this time. Spent considerable time together on several occasions (a few lifting sessions, too, at both Gold's and World Gym, Venice).

(On a side note, seeing as Tom was friends with Lou, we had some chuckles, the three of us, at the latter gym, when having some sessions. Ferrigno was simply MASSIVE, having recently also pumped back up for his two Olympia appearances.)  

After he began pumping back up, it soon became clear from our talks that he wasn't interested in getting on stage. Tom was just getting a kick out of again being a man with muscles. Even still, if Platz had had plans to re-enter competition, even he would have noticed his physique wasn't anything near what it once had been. The mass (particularly in his upper body) just was not there.

It's doubtful he wanted to fully get back into the level of abuse that would have been required to become the beast he had been in his prime.

Not to mention his torn biceps was extremely noticeable. No amount of curling was gonna fix that shit.  

[Nether Animal]

Awesome. Thanks for clarifying!

Yup, the torn bi was pretty brutal.

[Coffeed]

We were quite friendly during this time. Spent considerable time together on several occasions (a few lifting sessions, too, at both Gold's and World Gym, Venice).

(On a side note, seeing as Tom was friends with Lou, we had some chuckles, the three of us, at the latter gym, when having some sessions. Ferrigno was simply MASSIVE, having recently also pumped back up for his two Olympia appearances.)  

After he began pumping back up, it soon became clear from our talks that he wasn't interested in getting on stage. Tom was just getting a kick out of again being a man with muscles. Even still, if Platz had had plans to re-enter competition, even he would have noticed his physique wasn't anything near what it once had been. The mass (particularly in his upper body) just was not there.

It's doubtful he wanted to fully get back into the level of abuse that would have been required to become the beast he had been in his prime.

Not to mention his torn biceps was extremely noticeable. No amount of curling was gonna fix that shit.  

What was his stack?

[Tha Grim Lifter]

We were quite friendly during this time. Spent considerable time together on several occasions (a few lifting sessions, too, at both Gold's and World Gym, Venice).

(On a side note, seeing as Tom was friends with Lou, we had some chuckles, the three of us, at the latter gym, when having some sessions. Ferrigno was simply MASSIVE, having recently also pumped back up for his two Olympia appearances.)  

After he began pumping back up, it soon became clear from our talks that he wasn't interested in getting on stage. Tom was just getting a kick out of again being a man with muscles. Even still, if Platz had had plans to re-enter competition, even he would have noticed his physique wasn't anything near what it once had been. The mass (particularly in his upper body) just was not there.

It's doubtful he wanted to fully get back into the level of abuse that would have been required to become the beast he had been in his prime.

Not to mention his torn biceps was extremely noticeable. No amount of curling was gonna fix that shit.  

I have a question. Why can't these guys get back to the size they were? Surely muscle memory would get them close if they had the time or were they just so big that a long layoff makes it impossible to reach that peak again?

[Svengoolie]

I figured platz would have still been a stocky guy in his older age.

[SquatsRule]

What was his stack?

1 cc primobolan bi-monthly stacked with 5mg dianobol weekly.

[michael arvilla]

I have a question. Why can't these guys get back to the size they were? Surely muscle memory would get them close if they had the time or were they just so big that a long layoff makes it impossible to reach that peak again?

like he (Fortess) said the level of drugs he would have to take, the total dedication required ( eating every 2-3 hours, double gym sessions, everything thing has to be geared towards growth getting better/ every hour of everyday, these guys did it at a time in their life when they could ( no wife/ family usually ) just a total narcissistic self absorbed obsession with getting bigger/ better ( I'm sure by then Tom had other things going on in his life) ... Also health ... He / getting older and injuries

[Victor VonDoom]

I have a question. Why can't these guys get back to the size they were? Surely muscle memory would get them close if they had the time or were they just so big that a long layoff makes it impossible to reach that peak again?

Ah, the voice of a young man.  As any mature athlete knows, the body responds best to training when it is young.  As you get older your response to training (and drugs) is simply not the same.  It's one thing to build and maintain what you have, but if you stop for years.... age... deflate... and then try to gas up again, you'll find that response is just not as good. As the song says "it's never as good as the first time."

Bah!

[6 Reps]

Ah, the voice of a young man.  As any mature athlete knows, the body responds best to training when it is young.  As you get older your response to training (and drugs) is simply not the same.  It's one thing to build and maintain what you have, but if you stop for years.... age... deflate... and then try to gas up again, you'll find that response is just not as good. As the song says "it's never as good as the first time."

Bah!

No shit.  When you're older, you work twice as hard and get half the results.  When you're young, bodybuilding is a piece of cake.

Btw, I went to a Tom Platz seminar in the early 80's.  He looked terrific but was he ever short!  5'6" at the very most.

[Fortress]

Way back, I never really noticed all the overt sexuality in those mag covers. Look at the one with Tom and Brant. Like she's in position to slurp on Tom's pole.

[Coffeed]

1 cc primobolan bi-monthly stacked with 5mg dianobol weekly.

What about PCT?

[njflex]

Way back, I never really noticed all the overt sexuality in those mag covers. Look at the one with Tom and Brant. Like she's in position to slurp on Tom's pole.

SHE WAS A DIME PIECE ..

[loco]

Looks good for a guy in his mid '90s.

[Tha Grim Lifter]

Ah, the voice of a young man.  As any mature athlete knows, the body responds best to training when it is young.  As you get older your response to training (and drugs) is simply not the same.  It's one thing to build and maintain what you have, but if you stop for years.... age... deflate... and then try to gas up again, you'll find that response is just not as good. As the song says "it's never as good as the first time."

Bah!

I'm 36. I've been training 20 years. Longest ever breaks 6 weeks twice and both times because I was completely fucked overtraining. Look the best I ever looked now and I only juiced 4 years in early 20's. The quality now is far beyond anything I had when juicing or even 6 years ago. Even while working 100 hours a week which I do now I get to the gym at 1130pm or whatever time I can. So yes I probably have a different view but that's because I've never stopped and was strong very early on and stopped overtraining early so I wasn't doing too much. These guys juice up and overtrain, tear muscles etc.

He looks close to what he was in those photos but i'm talking that extra 20% being due to maybe being at such a high peak it's too hard to reach again.

Muscle Maturity is the best thing ever. After 20 years the quality is so good. The thing is unless people know training they don't know what they are looking at.

[Slik]

I'm 36. I've been training 20 years. Longest ever breaks 6 weeks twice and both times because I was completely fucked overtraining. Look the best I ever looked now and I only juiced 4 years in early 20's. The quality now is far beyond anything I had when juicing or even 6 years ago. Even while working 100 hours a week which I do now I get to the gym at 1130pm or whatever time I can. So yes I probably have a different view but that's because I've never stopped and was strong very early on and stopped overtraining early so I wasn't doing too much. These guys juice up and overtrain, tear muscles etc.

He looks close to what he was in those photos but i'm talking that extra 20% being due to maybe being at such a high peak it's too hard to reach again.

Muscle Maturity is the best thing ever. After 20 years the quality is so good. The thing is unless people know training they don't know what they are looking at.

at 36 you're still a kid. Just wait lol. We all looked great prolly well in to our late 40s. It's really tuff after 50.

[Nether Animal]

SHE WAS A DIME PIECE ..

[Danimal77]

No shit.  When you're older, you work twice as hard and get half the results.  When you're young, bodybuilding is a piece of cake.

Btw, I went to a Tom Platz seminar in the early 80's.  He looked terrific but was he ever short!  5'6" at the very most.

He claimed to be just under 5'7" in his prime. He weighed 235 offseason and 218 in competition.

[Danimal77]

To those who've claimed he had no arms, or a small upper body in his prime (1980-1982), think again.

[Nether Animal]

To those who've claimed he had no arms, or a small upper body in his prime (1980-1982), think again.

Structurally wasn't the best, but that's a great BDB any way you cut it.

[njflex]

Structurally wasn't the best, but that's a great BDB any way you cut it.

I agree.his legs for the time were so ahead of his peers it was almost laughable,it did give him somewhat of a disadvantage due to the difference in proportion top to bottom.

[Victor VonDoom]

I'm 36. I've been training 20 years. Longest ever breaks 6 weeks twice and both times because I was completely fucked overtraining. Look the best I ever looked now and I only juiced 4 years in early 20's. The quality now is far beyond anything I had when juicing or even 6 years ago. Even while working 100 hours a week which I do now I get to the gym at 1130pm or whatever time I can. So yes I probably have a different view but that's because I've never stopped and was strong very early on and stopped overtraining early so I wasn't doing too much. These guys juice up and overtrain, tear muscles etc.

He looks close to what he was in those photos but i'm talking that extra 20% being due to maybe being at such a high peak it's too hard to reach again.

Muscle Maturity is the best thing ever. After 20 years the quality is so good. The thing is unless people know training they don't know what they are looking at.

Ah, to be 36 again!  Bah!

at 36 you're still a kid. Just wait lol. We all looked great prolly well in to our late 40s. It's really tuff after 50.

He doesn't realize that yet.  He will.  Bah!

[LanceD]

Something happened to him while training for the Universe in Mexico, his arms up to that point were a real weak point, all of a sudden he had arms???

[6 Reps]

at 36 you're still a kid. Just wait lol. We all looked great prolly well in to our late 40s. It's really tuff after 50.

Here here.  When I was in my late 40's I could do everything bodybuilding that I did when I was in my late 20's/early 30's.  When I started getting into my 50's, some exercises and lifts began to get way harder or completely impossible.