Tom Platz, famous for his leg development, hasn’t missed a beat since retiring from bodybuilding. The bodybuilding legend showed off his squatting strength at 69 years old on April 19, 2025, repping out 175 pounds before moving to a leg extension finisher.
Platz is nicknamed ‘The Quadfather’ and has put that moniker to the test on countless occasions. He competed in the Golden Era, testing himself against legends of the sport, including former seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition to winning the Mr. Universe contest in 1980, Platz’s highest Olympia finish came in 1981 in third place.
Leg growth and strength have remained top priorities for Platz since leaving the sport competitively. He’s long adopted a similar training approach to Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates, often seeking failure, contrasting with typical routines made of four sets of 10-12 reps.
Platz’s training methods have stood the test of time, considering his lower body strength at almost 70 years old. He’s also backed up his efforts with impressive leg updates, appeasing his large fan base, who rely on his insights to make training adaptations.
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Golden Era Bodybuilder Tom Platz Smashes Squats Ahead of His 70th Birthday: “HAD to do this… For Myself!”
With the bar positioned on his back, Platz fired off squat reps in a slow and controlled manner, wearing a lifting belt. He then followed up with a brutal set of leg extensions, pausing at the top of each rep before finishing with partial reps, which has remained a cornerstone in his training for decades.
“69 Days to My 70th Birthday *
At 69, HAD to do this… For myself!” shared Tom Platz.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DImX4yJNJra/
Platz isn’t the only high-level bodybuilding legend to show off his longevity with shredded physique updates and training clips. Recently, Open standout Lee Labrada turned back the clock at 65 years old, sharing three side-by-side images spanning over 30 years of his ripped quads.
Dorian Yates, a former six-time Olympia champion, is another Open Bodybuilding icon who hasn’t slowed down since stepping away from the sport. At 62 years old, he underwent a total right hip replacement surgery but hasn’t let that get in the way of regular training or rehabilitation therapy.
Tom Platz was more than just a bodybuilder, he was a pioneer who helped usher in a new era of leg development as an IFBB Pro. His training sessions, even today, show the degree of intensity he implemented to become one of the greatest bodybuilders in the world.
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