"Mr. Olympia Has Lost its Identity"- Legendary Bodybuilder Tom Platz Talks Olympia and Arnold Classic

The legendary bodybuilder of the golden age, Tom Platz, is one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. The Detroit native kickstarted his career by competing in amateur shows before proceeding to a tougher set of competitions. He gained worldwide fame for his Mr. Universe title and his Pro card win at the 1978 World Amateur Championships.

Platz became renowned for his famous training methods and programs, as well as his dieting style. He was known far and wide for the impression he made when he trained at the iconic Gold's gym and shared the stage with some of the most respected and famous bodybuilders, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lee Haney.

Due to his immense lower body strength, Tom Platz came to be known as the "Quadfather" in the bodybuilding community.

While he has since moved past his competing days, his passion for bodybuilding has by no means diminished even a bit. Platz is still quite vocal about the industry and participants and rather disappointed, as a matter of fact. When asked about the state of bodybuilding, Platz had this to say:

"Mr. Olympia Has Lost its Identity and Arnold Classic Lost its Reputation"

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Tom Platz Discusses Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic

Tom Platz feels like the extent of bodybuilding goes beyond winning the Olympia, and that a win is not all that the sport has to offer.

“Many people think bodybuilding is just winning the Olympia, but it’s not. It’s about so much more than just having a good body and showing off, and these gentlemen [like Bill Pearl] have really shown us how it goes.”

Platz stated that Olympia and other bodybuilding competitions like the Arnold Classic are not what they used to be, as they were once a representation of the perfect holistic man, and not merely reduced to a physique contest.

“The issue is that Mr. America back then wasn’t just a bodybuilding competition. You had to have poise, good skin, good hair, and good language skills, and be [the ideal] representation of American manhood [or] the perfect man, not just physically but mentally and spiritually.”

While having seemingly lost faith in the Olympia and Arnold classic, Tom Platz still remains hopeful for a savior in the form of Mr. America. He feels that the sport may yet have more to offer, and that it is steering in the right direction.

“I think that the Olympia has lost its identity, and that the Arnold Classic has lost its reputation. Mr. America is trying to bring that iconic competition back, and I think that’s the direction that bodybuilding should go."

Platz added,

"I could not say that better. I think the values [of past bodybuilding eras] will come back, especially among the younger community, and it’s not just about biceps and triceps."

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Conclusion

Tom Platz has been exceptionally vocal about his views on modern-day bodybuilding, and rightly so. After all, when a legend speaks, you listen. Tom Platz wasn't the only one to voice his concerns about the sport, and was even joined by the legendary Jay Cutler who expressed his disappointment at the infrastructural changes made by the Arnold Classic in their decision to remove the Women's division and the 212 division altogether.

Upon hearing legends like Tom Platz express their dissatisfaction, we can do nothing but empathize and agree with the validity of their thoughts. All we can do is hope that the integrity of bodybuilding is restored, and that it may take some time to do so and return to its former glory days, but must do so regardless.