Arnold Schwarzenegger has revolutionized the sport of bodybuilding through his charismatic presence. His name brought star power to the notion of fitness after his arrival on American shores. He popularized lifting weights and regular training. People were in awe of the aesthetic yet herculean physique of the Austrian Oak. Many budding fitness enthusiasts wanted to be like him, worshipping his every move. The ‘Quadfather’ was one such person who dreamed of carving a destiny as glorious as that of Schwarzenegger.

In an archived video posted by the YouTube channel Bodybuilding Beast, Tom Platz revealed how impressed he was with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He would do everything the legend did to sport a similar physique. However, he was surprised that the results were contrary to his expectations, which left him “depressed.”

Tom Platz trained like Arnold Schwarzenegger but did not see results

Tom Platz was famous for his leg development, which was close to 30 inches in his prime. The Quad Father suffered from spinal issues and back problems as a child. However, the beast overcame health limitations through rigorous training and grit. He looked up to the bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, hoping to train with him one day. Moreover, he imitated every move. In the throwback snippet, the bodybuilding coach said, “Arnold had a blonde girlfriend. I got a blonde girl. Arnold drank coffee. I started drinking coffee. If he had hash browns for breakfast and potatoes. I had potatoes for breakfast, so I trained with him six days a week, twice a day…”

Shockingly, Platz noticed that he “got small and fat.” So, he decided to focus on recovery by taking a three-week break. Platz observed- his physique looked jacked, and performance in the gym improved. “.. I can train three and four days a week and train hard. You gotta rest hard. People didn’t understand that. They never talked about that in the magazines in the 80s. All they talked about was training,” added the coach.

Bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, and Arnold Schwarzenegger spent hours at the gym in the classical era of bodybuilding. However, eventually, the focus shifted to lifting heavy but for a lesser duration. It resulted in different aesthetics on the Olympia stage, also known as the mass monster era. In the 1990s, there was another talented bodybuilder who did not follow the training style of Schwarzenegger.

Dorian Yates also went against the tide

6x Mr. Olympia ushered in an era of gigantic muscles and extreme conditioning. He was influenced by Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer, who preferred lifting until the muscle failure and then recovery. Such a workout followed HIT and progressive overload. Dorian Yates won six consecutive Olympias from 1992 to 1997 using this powerful training system, which he now calls ‘Blood and Guts.’

Read More: Bodybuilding Beast Aka ‘The Shadow’ Challenges Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Popular Muscle-Building Methods with Self-Applied Tactics

He, too, revealed his disapproval of training for long hours. In a resurfaced video, the Shadow said, “Everybody was training six days a week and 20 sets, and all this stuff from the Arnold era, and it didn’t make sense to me.” The English pro placed his bet on high-intensity training. Building muscles depends on a host of factors. Moreover, genetics play a huge role. What worked for Arnie did not work for Platz or Yates. It is where the thrill of the game lies—to carve out a unique path.

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