“I Was So Hurt”: Girl Cheating on a Bodybuilder Fueled Him to Become One of the Most Celebrated Bodybuilding Legends of All Time

A heartbreak that led to an iconic career… that’s the story of the Quadfather, Tom Platz. The retired IFBB professional bodybuilder and quad icon, Tom Platz is recognized as one of the most prominent bodybuilding prodigies in the fitness industry. He rose to fame in 1980 after winning the title of Mr. Universe. However, it was in 1981 that Platz became a household name in the bodybuilding arena as he caused the stir among his fans with his insanely ripped physique. Interestingly, it was a heartbreak that fueled the passion of the bodybuilder of making it big in the industry.

During his golden days, the legendary Tom Platz earned the nickname, The Quadzilla, because of his meticulous persona and shredded abs. More so, the icon is known for his muscular legs that astounded everyone when he made his presence on the reverent stage of Mr. Olympia in 1981. Though he finished 3rd in the competition, he was widely praised for his top-notch stature. Nevertheless, the bodybuilder credits his muscular prowess to a breakup that he had been through in 1980.

Tom Platz’s journey of becoming a remarkable bodybuilder following a crestfallen breakup

In January 2023, the Golden Eagle revealed how a despondent episode of his life became his guiding light on the road to success. In 1980, the bodybuilder’s fiance broke up with him and got together with his training partner instead. The 67-year-old stated, “I was so hurt and so baffled that this girl could do this to me”.

Following the heartbreaking episode, the Quadzilla “decided to take all that energy and put it into the gym”. Explaining his training regimen, Platz conceded, “Any exercise I did was wow! Mind Blowing. I would train like every day. And every day look better and better. I am in the mirror I’m scared of myself in the mirror”.

The heartbreak did nothing but filled the bodybuilder with exuberance to cope with the incident in the most incredible way. Detailing his coping mechanism, the 67-year-old asserted, “I was so focused on this. Had the opportunity to be very selfish at that time”. Clearly, the year 1981 proved to be “a magical year” in the Golden Eagle’s life. Now, almost four decades after his retirement, he gives his valuable tutelage to the coming generations of fitness enthusiasts.

The Quadzilla’s thoughts on failure and other pursuits of life

Describing the laid-back mentality that many are adhered to, the bodybuilder stated, “people don’t want what’s hard, they want what’s easy, what looks showy”. However, as per the legend, “if you want results, it’s gonna take hard work for years. That is the secret”. Moreover, in his counsel, Platz added, “You achieved failure…now the only place to go from failure is to win”.

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Over the years, Quadzilla’s pearls of wisdom paved the way for many fitness fanatics to come. Nevertheless, the quad icon mentioned, “the fact that something really devastating happened in my life gave me the opportunity to have something great happen”. The heartbreak indeed macadamized the way for the bodybuilder to stand on the pedestal of success, don’t you agree?

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