Golden era bodybuilding legend Tom Platz still sports a mystique about him years after his retirement. In a recent offering shared via Instagram, Platz revealed his mental approach to squatting 405 pounds for 50 reps, which he accomplished by dividing it up into 10 sets of five repetitions.
Tom Platz continues to inspire bodybuilding fans from around the world even though he’s long hung up his posing trunks. His cutthroat workouts, intensity, and charisma have turned him into a massive star. His lower body density and separation led to him being honored with the nickname ‘The Quadfather,’ and has never shied away from showing off his shocking strength.
Platz held a squat record of 525 pounds for 23 reps, which he achieved in 1992 until former World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper broke it in 2023. Notable bodybuilders such as Lee Priest have been honest about training with the bodybuilding star. After pushing through leg day with Platz, Priest explained that the workout was so intense he thought he was having a heart attack. And although the 69-year-old icon no longer performs under the bright lights, we can learn a lot from how he approached his heavy squats.
Tom Platz Discusses How He Squatted 405 Lbs for 50 Reps, Says ‘I Never Leave the Gym a Loser’
To fortify his mind for such insane lifts, Platz mentioned that he’d enter the gym with a specific number of reps and weight in his mind.
“I can never leave the gym a loser. I would have in my mind, I’m going to do this many reps with this much weight.”
Since thinking about 50 repetitions of 405 pounds was too much for his mind to process, Platz attempted to manage five reps at a time instead.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“When you leave the gym and you accomplish that many reps with that much weight oh life is great! When I did 405 for 50 I could never imagine it, it was too many reps to think about. I can’t manage that but I can manage five at a time.”
“I would do five reps and Tony would say ‘Five! Ten!’ He’d say ’15! 20!’ and then he’d say 25, well, I’m halfway done. I can get 50. They would do this for me but I could manage five reps at a time. I couldn’t manage 50 reps at a time. In my mind, it’s like doing sets of five 10 times. That’s all,” shared Tom Platz.
Believe it or not, Tom Platz didn’t always have shredded and separated quads, he earned them through countless training sessions. He explained that he had a weak lower body in high school, which prompted him to take action by squatting. At the time, he also knew that he’d have to consume enough carbohydrates and protein to sculpt an exceptional lower body.
Given that squatting was among his greatest strengths as an athlete, Platz has been open about how he improved his technique. He explained why he pushed weight faster, which he described as ‘compensatory acceleration.’ He also specified that you don’t have to use heavy weights as lighter loads can result in fewer injuries.
There is no denying Tom Platz’s strength and knowledge around squatting. If high volume is on your agenda, try incorporating his approach to squatting on your next leg day.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
