Tom Platz is no stranger to the world of bodybuilding. Though the icon hasn’t won as many championships, the Quadfather won the 1980 Mr. Universe in his class. Platz was primarily known for his leg development during his time. It was no easy cakewalk for Tom to win competitions as he competed with the likes of Mike Mentzer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, and more.
Platz has witnessed most of Arnold’s and Mike’s rivalry on stage and off it. A resurfaced video recently showed him sharing one of the reasons for Mentzer’s death. Tom mentions how there was always tension between the champion bodybuilders. They were never calm when they saw each other.
One of the main reasons for this was their workout routines and methodologies. While Schwarzenegger suggested training 6 days a week, twice a day, is good for building muscle, Mentzer brushed away that idealogy. He said one needed to train only 2 or 3 times a week. What further occurred was that Arnold’s methodologies were being challenged in print and magazines. The Austrian Oak was not happy with what was happening.
It was during the 1980 Mr. Olympia when their rivalry got intense. Most of the bodybuilders in the backroom saw Arnold arguing, and he snapped at Boyer Coe. Mentzer, who was in the same room, lashed back at Arnold. The 7-time Olympia irritated Mentzer, saying everyone knew why he lost the previous year and saying, “You have a fat stomach anyhow.”
Mentzer right away charged at Arnold to settle things up, which Arnold did not expect and got scared of. Mentzer said in an interview later on:
“He couldn’t look me in the eye. He literally went from being a frantic hysterical adolescent to shrinking away like an injured child.”
Moreover, Tom Platz stated that, years later, the two made up, and it was clear to everyone, including Mike, that he was the next Mr. Olympia. Mentzer was one of the most intellectual persons and bodybuilders who graced the bodybuilding community. Platz says that probably if Mike had just congratulated Arnold, next year would have been his.
In conclusion, Tom Platz felt that one of the reasons Mentzer died at an early age was because he carried anger with him at all times. Knowing he was one of the best bodybuilders and not being able to win a championship due to multiple reasons, Mentzer let that affect him largely.
“He got upset and carried this bitterness and carried this anger with him everywhere he went. And I think that’s one of the reasons to cause him to die.”
Mike Mentzer’s sudden death and the legacy he left behind
Mentzer’s contributions to refining bodybuilding training methods were phenomenal in terms of his experiments to achieve successful muscle growth. He donned the role of trainer in the latter days, wrote books on his teachings, and contributed to the shaping of many bodybuilding icons.
He passed away owing to heart complications. His friend and colleague, Val Segal, confirmed he died of natural causes, putting the rumors about his death to rest. After his sudden demise, his ideas and techniques gained traction as a new philosophy in training picked up by modern bodybuilders.
In a career spanning 3 decades, his practice of HIT and heavy-duty training has been popular in the fitness arena. Mentzer left a big hole in the bodybuilding fraternity with no capable successor to represent the mantle. His ideas still live on, and many widely practice them because of their relevance to reaching full muscular potential.
