Bodybuilding icon Tom Platz is calling for changes in the sport, and not just for the Men’s Open class that he once competed in. In a recent Instagram reel shared on August 1, 2024, Platz expressed that bodybuilding has become more of a science experiment rather than art, calling out competitors for relying on excessive drug use, including the Bikini category.
Renowned as the ‘Quadfather,’ Tom Platz cemented himself into bodybuilding’s history books with his legendary physique and fierce attitude. Adopting the methods of training to failure, Platz boasted unmatched muscle hardness and shredded conditioning. Tom Platz often pushed his fellow athletes, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, while competing on stage, which ultimately saw him take as high as third place at the 1981 Mr. Olympia.
Tom Platz Frustrated With Drug Use in Bodybuilding Today, Wants ‘Less Science and More Art’
Tom Platz revealed that he kept his performance-enhancing drug use simple and ‘uncomplicated.’ After competing during the golden years of bodybuilding, Platz reflected on what he sees on stage in the modern era, which he believes has become more drug-oriented.
Platz’s warning regarding PED use isn’t just for the Men’s Open class. He specifically calls out the Figure and Bikini divisions as well for their excessive use of steroids.
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“I think we need less science, more art. Right now we have science experiments on stage in every category. Okay, I don’t think that the Figure girls are any less guilty than the Open class. The Bikini girls are taking more anabolic steroids than I did back in my heyday.”
When comparing PED stacks to when he was competing, he revealed that androgen use caused him to gain a significant amount of weight and resulted in a blocky, less aesthetically pleasing appearance.
“When I took a lot of stuff, I tried androgenic material. I looked like modern day. I gained a lot of weight. I looked like I was blocky, trying to waddle onto the stage, and I said, never again” Platz stated.
Despite being against the direction bodybuilding has taken in terms of steroid use, Platz doesn’t believe it is a dark sport. Instead, he stressed the positive impact the sport has had on his life.
“What I hate to see today was, well, I don’t have enough genetics, so it means more drugs. Well, I have great genetics, and I’ll take even more drugs and be the superstar of all time. It’s not a dark sport. It’s been a wonderful sport for me. It’s been nothing but exactly what I envisioned. It’s been mentally, physically, spiritually, financially satisfying. Everything I wanted it to be, it was. I liked being involved with something I love. I love this dearly. It was never about the money.”
While Tom Platz has a fondness for the sport, he is still fearful of the effects that PEDs are having on athletes.
“It wasn’t about abusing myself. I can barter with god for one more show. I think it’s at an absurd level right now. Oh, I get it. I know why it works, but it’s also not the healthiest way to do it, and it concerns me about the people dying.”
Platz isn’t the only bodybuilding legend who feels like PEDs are out of control. Rich Gaspari has given his thoughts regarding the Bikini and Wellness categories, expressing that steroid use has gotten out of hand. He believes it comes down to poor coaching methods and too many trainers not knowing what they are doing.
“It seems like it’s happening, it’s so relevant in the industry, and it’s gotten out of hand. There is too many trainers out there that don’t know what they’re doing.”
Shawn Ray has also spoken up regarding steroid use in today’s landscape, feeling that bodybuilders are overcompensating with too much food and PEDs. Ray believes no one is forcing the athletes to be bodybuilders or use steroids and argues that the risks come with the job.
With all things considered, Tom Platz highlights a pressing matter within bodybuilding. Years ago, the sport embodied aesthetically pleasing physiques that focused on the art of muscle mass, conditioning, and overall symmetry. Platz doesn’t want the sport to shy away from what it truly means to be a bodybuilder.
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