Tom Platz, bodybuilding legend best known as the Quadfather, explains his steroid cycle and compares it to modern regimens.
Golden Era legend Tom Platz has opened up about his bodybuilding steroid cycle in a new video interview published by Golden Era Bookworm. Perhaps surprising to some, Platz took the “very minimum” with only two compounds in his cycle. He also shares his thoughts on modern bodybuilding steroid doses and cycles.
Tom Platz is an iconic bodybuilder and household name for any fan of bodybuilding and fitness. Best known as a Mr. Universe champion and for his insanely incredible legs – Platz had a reputation of incredible strength and consistency. Platz was a late Golden Era bodybuilder who competed well into the 1980s.
Tom Platz was not only an incredible legend during his prime – but continues to be beloved to this day for his intense training sessions now as a coach. He has also kept up with the work on himself – revealing incredible legs even at 65 years old. His work ethic has been revered similar to the likes of Mike O’Hearn. He is a one of a kind. A true legend in the sport.
Due to his long list of accolades, it comes as a treat when Tom Platz opens up in a brand new interview. Platz is the definition of success – so his words hang heavy on fans of the sport and aspiring bodybuilders. This might be especially true in his recent interview where he opens up about his steroid cycle and how it compares to the regimens that modern bodybuilders take today.
It’s no secret that steroid and drug use in bodybuilding has been an extreme and controversial topic of discussion as of late. There have been a number of tragic deaths in bodybuilding over the past few years – including George Peterson, Cedric McMillan, Bostin Loyd, and former Mr. Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden. This is just to name a few. Sadly there have been over a dozen of too-soon deaths in the bodybuilding world.
While none of these deaths have been exposed to be directly related to steroids – it brought these drugs to the forefront of conversation in the industry. Many have spoken out about the dangers of steroids, the massive increase in doses for modern bodybuilders, and what effects it might have on the current generation as they age.
It’s for these reasons as well that Tom Platz openness about steroids take on more weight. Why? Because he specifically emphasizes just how little he took in comparison to today’s athletes. You can check out the video below:
Tom Platz Claims To Have Only Take Two Steroid Compounds During His Entire Career
Tom Platz admits that many bodybuilders today may be shocked or simply not believe him – but he only two two compounds in his steroid cycle. This remained true for the entirety of his career. Platz states to have only taken Winstrol and Deca.
“I gotta tell you though because it’s on my mind — and nobody is going to believes me, they’re not going to believe me when they hear this. 20 milligrams of Winstrol (Stanozolol) a day, the little pills, the little pink pills and one shot of Deca (Nandrolone) a week, 100 milligrams That was my life’s drug cycle. That’s it. That’s all I ever did… I never took testosterone. I never took any of these designer drugs. I took the very minimum. I took less than the girls would take but it really worked for me. It worked for me.”
Tom Platz explains that he never used “designer drugs” or testosterone. The focus for him was on longevity. He wanted to not only succeed as a bodybuilder while he was young – but also have a healthier future beyond his prime years.
“It gave me longevity, a livelihood, to this day. I think a high dosage of drugs can really lead to problems as we’re seeing today.”
Platz goes on to compare bodybuilders and their bodies on stage to cars at a car show. He claims that his friend, Terry Wogan, had said to him that, “drugs aren’t going to mkae a Volkswagen into a Ferrari.” The idea being that the drugs don’t make the main – the perseverance and hard work (and a little bit of genetics) do. This is clear in the lifestyle that Platz lived. Today he is still best known for his incredible work ethic and strength.
And also much like a car – how well you take care of it determines how long it will last before you have to scrap it. Using the same analogy, the most drugs you pump into your system, the shorter distance you’ll ultimately get out of your life in the long run.
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Tom Platz Reacts To Modern Bodybuilding Steroid Cycles
Tom Platz also looked towards the current crop of bodybuilding athletes and shared his thoughts on the kinds of steroid cycles they take. He admits that what he hears of today seems like a completely different world.
“But I see what some of the guys do now with androgens and how they affect sarcoplasm, which is a fluid substance around the muscle, as you know. It’s not really sailor muscle gains, it’s more water being distributed. I’ve come to respect and understand modern day — I think we’re in a pharmacological quagmire… It’s a different world.”
While Platz doesn’t outright condemn the current steroid cycles of bodybuilders today – it’s clear that he is overwhelmed by how different it is compared to his usage. He literally calls it another world. Perhaps this is a major reason why Platz is able to still showcase incredible strength to this day. He had it all – the legendary fame during his youth and a well lived life after retiring from the stage.
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