Coaching a Natural Lifter Through Tom Platz’s Brutal Leg Day: Can They Survive?

Bodybuilders have a saying, “Friends don’t let friends skip leg day.” And yet, despite this, a lot of lifters don’t train their legs hard or often enough. Go to any gym and you’ll see plenty of big chests and bulging biceps, but massive legs are a much less common sight.

One bodybuilder who could never be accused of skipping leg day is Tom Platz – the Quadfather. Platz rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s and was one of the most popular bodybuilders to never win the Mr. Olympia. However, he came close in 1981, when he secured 3^rd place.

As his nickname implies, Tom Platz was known for his incredible legs. In fact, one possible reason that he didn’t win more pro shows was that his huge legs overshadowed his upper body.

The Quadfather was famous for being one of the hardest-training bodybuilders ever. He took almost every set to failure, using intensifying techniques like drop sets, partials, and forced reps in most workouts.

For a taste of Platz’s intensity, check out this video of him doing leg extensions:

But, he didn’t just train hard, his gym sessions were long too. He frequently pumped out a dozen sets of squats before moving on to the rest of his leg workout. Platz’s training methods were so brutal that many of his peers called him crazy and dreaded training with him!

Related: Lee Priest on Training Legs With Tom Platz: “I Was so Fried, I Thought I Was Having a Heart Attack”

The Challenge

I’m a veteran personal trainer, so when my personal training client and friend Brad asked me to coach him through a Tom Platz leg workout, my initial response was, “No way!”

That’s because, unlike the Quadfather, Brad isn’t a pro bodybuilder and he’s not on any performance-enhancing drugs. However, Brad enjoys training legs, is a good squatter, and he’s always up for a challenge. So, after some back and forth, we agreed to give it a try.

In this article, I’ll break down the workout and reveal how it all went.

Tom Platz’s Leg Workout

Tom Platz had numerous leg workouts, and his training methods were always evolving as he strived to develop his show-stopping physique. However, there is a common thread that runs through every Tom Platz leg workout – squats.

The Quadfather was a phenomenal squatter, even going head-to-head with legendary powerlifter Fred “Dr. Squat” Hatfield in their famous Great American Squat-Off.

In that event, Platz did an incredible 23 reps with 525 pounds and scored a squat 1RM of 765 pounds. Hatfield, who went on to become the first man to squat over 1000 pounds, only managed 11 reps with the 525 but hit 855 for his big single.

For a visual of this legendary event, check out this video:

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that our chosen Tom Platz leg workout involves lots of squats:

No.	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1	Squats	8-12	5-20
2	Hack Squats	5	10-15
3	Leg Extension	5-8	10-15
4	Leg Curls	6-10	10-15
5	Standing Calf Raises	3-4	10-15
6	Seated Calf Raises	3-4	10-15
7	Leg Press Calf Raises	3-4	10-15

Note: We used the lower end of Platz’s set range to give Brad the best possible chance of completing this workout.

Unsurprisingly, Brad’s eyes widened in shock when he saw that his Tom Platz leg workout would involve at least 33 work sets. But a deal’s a deal, so we agreed to meet up early the following week to attempt this classic bodybuilding challenge.   

How did it go? Check out the next section and find out!

The Tom Platz Leg Workout: Can a Natural Lifter Survive?

Having read Tom Platz’s biography/training manual, I knew that the Quadfather understood the value of a thorough warm-up. In fact, despite his massive legs, Platz had excellent flexibility and range of motion, suggesting he never skipped his pre and post-training stretching routine.

So, with that in mind, we kicked off Brad’s Tom Platz leg workout with 10 minutes of easy cardio and a few lower-body dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises to improve muscle elasticity and ward off injuries.

Then, warmed up and mentally prepared for what was coming next, it was time for Brad to start his leg workout.

1. Squats

8 sets, 20-5 reps (pyramid)

Quadfather Tom Platz attributed much of his leg size to squats. Consequently, the “king” of exercises was at the top of his must-do list. Platz was a prodigious squatter, often doing 15-20 sets in a single workout. He once squatted non-stop for ten minutes with a hefty 225 pounds!

Needless to say, no natural lifter could ever match Platz’s squatting prowess, so Brad lowered his sights and did eight pyramid sets. This involved starting relatively light and increasing the load while lowering the rep count set by set.

Here are Brad’s squat numbers for this workout:

• 1^st set – 20 reps, 60 kg/135 pounds
• 2^nd set – 15 reps, 70 kg/155 pounds
• 3^rd set – 12 reps, 80 kg/175 pounds
• 4^th set – 10 reps, 90 kg/200 pounds
• 5^th set – 8 reps. 100 kg/225 pounds
• 6^th set – 7 reps, 105 kg/230 pounds
• 7^th set – 6 reps, 110 kg/240 pounds
• 8^th set – 5 reps, 115 kg/255 pounds

While the first couple of sets were really just a warm-up, the last five sets were pretty tough for Brad, who needed 2-3 minutes between each one to recover. The final five reps were real grinders, but, after plenty of grunting and clenching of teeth, he completed them and staggered onto the next exercise.

2. Hack Squats

5 sets, 10-15 reps

The great thing about hack squats is that your movements are guided so you’re free to focus on pushing your legs to their limit. In this case, that meant five sets to failure. So, we loaded the hack squat machine and I set Brad to work.

Fatigue was setting in by now, so Brad’s rep count decreased set by set. This was only to be expected. We also ended up using a little less weight than usual. Despite this, Brad’s legs were shaking and pumped by the end of the first set and got worse as we continued.

Tom Platz was a huge fan of adding isometric holds at the bottom of his hack squat reps. So, to give Brad an authentic Quadfather workout experience, we did the same. These paused reps were Brutal and pushed Brad to his absolute limit.

Here’s a video of Tom Platz training bodybuilder John “Mountain Dog” Meadows:

3. Leg Extension

5 sets, 10-15 reps

Brad thought switching from compound squats to isolation leg extensions meant the workout was about to get easier. Boy, was he wrong! Despite being a single-joint exercise, leg extensions create incredible muscle tension while partially inhibiting blood flow into the quadriceps. The result is a deep burn that only gets worse as your set continues.

Leg extensions are best done with light to moderate weights and smooth, controlled reps, so that’s what we did. Each set ended with 2-3 forced reps, where I helped Brad lift the weight and he lowered it slowly on his own. For the last set, we did an isometric hold where Brad extended his legs and kept them straight for a full 20 seconds.

After 18 sets of quad-centric training, Brad’s thighs were pumped to the max, and almost unable to support his weight as he walked. I think he would have happily quit the workout if there were any more quads exercises left to do.

The good news for Brad was that we were going to hit his hamstrings next, so his quads could enjoy a well-deserved rest.

4. Leg Curls

6 sets, 10-15 reps

Despite his incredible hamstring development, Tom Platz didn’t do many hip extension exercises, such as Romanian or stiff-legged deadlifts. Instead, he relied on very deep squats and conventional leg curls. During the 1970s and 1980s, when the Quadfather was in his prime, that meant lying leg curls, so that’s what we did.

Brad found it hard to bend his legs against the tightness of his very pumped quads and reported that lying on his front was uncomfortable. But, he sucked it up and pumped out six quality sets of leg curls.

Each rep involved a short mid-rep pause and we finished the last three sets with yet more forced reps. The last set featured another extended isometric hold where Brad flexed his knees and kept them bent for a full 20 seconds.

5. Standing Calf Raises

3 sets, 10-15 reps

Tom Platz’s calves were every bit as huge and ripped as his quads and hamstrings. And yet, despite their incredible muscularity, the Quadfather did nothing more exotic for his calves than the usual calf raises – standing, seated, and leg press machine.

Of course, what his calf training lacked in complexity it made up for with intensity, and every set was to failure and beyond.

Brad said that the hardest part of doing standing calf raises after destroying his quads and hamstrings was keeping his knees locked! Again, though, he sucked it up and got on with the job at hand like a boss.

We did three sets of standing calf raises, each one ending with a triple drop set to push the training intensity to the max.

6. Seated Calf Raises

3 sets, 10-15 reps

Standing calf raises work both the gastrocnemius (upper/larger calf muscle) and soleus (lower/slender calf muscle). However, the bent knee position during seated calf raises puts the focus on the soleus, which is why most calf workouts involve both of these exercises.

Related: Seated Vs. Standing Calf Raise – Which One Should You Do?

As before, Brad did three sets with drop sets at the end of each one. Don’t let the straightforwardness of this calf exercise fool you; sets to failure plus drop sets is a recipe for pain and growth!

7. Leg Press Calf Raises

3 sets, 10-15 reps

I’ve never been a fan of leg press calf raises; I think the risk of slipping and getting crushed by the footplate outweighs any benefits. But who was I to argue with Tom Platz? So, we loaded up the leg press and Brad started his final exercise.

For safety, and because Brad was feeling really tired now, we kept the weight light and focused on keeping his calves under constant tension. This provided an intense burn and pump, bringing the workout to a satisfying end. Each set finished with 10 lengthened partials or burn reps to ensure that every possible muscle fiber was fully stimulated. 

Brad survived his Tom Platz workout, but only just. And while you might be able to complete such a marathon training session, the aftermath will probably put you off ever doing it again!

Closing Thoughts

The Tom Platz leg workout left Brad exhausted. His muscles were so fatigued that he could barely walk downstairs and out to the parking lot. He later told me that he had to crawl out of his car as he was unable to get up out of the low seat!

Unsurprisingly, post-exercise muscle soreness was severe and the worst Brad had ever experienced, and it lasted well over a week. Brad also had problems sleeping for a few days and couldn’t stop eating.

In short, this workout messed him up!

This all suggests that the average natural lifter is not equipped for the demands of training like a chemically enhanced pro bodybuilder. Performance-enhancing drugs speed up muscle protein synthesis, allowing for a faster recovery, even after incredibly long, intense workouts.

That’s why pro bodybuilders thrive and grow on training programs that will destroy most natural lifters. Training like a pro will put most nattys into a state of severe overtraining.

So, while it’s fine to be inspired by Tom Platz’s leg training, it would be a mistake for most natural lifters to copy it. Natural bodybuilders will get much better results by following programs designed specifically for them that balance training with adequate recovery.

Related: How to Write A Bodybuilding Program

Have you tried a pro’s routine? How did it go for you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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