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e-GENERAL HEALTH & INJURIES

8-Dear Mr. Platz, my name is james and i,m from kc mo. My question is i just had knee surgery about three months ago, i had build mass in my quaids, but know it,s hard on me to even to do leg extentions. Can you recommend how i can build my thighs back up?
ANSWER: Hi, James. Knee surgery, hate to hear that man. Leg extensions would definitely be hard on it and personally wouldn't suggest that you do them at all. Since I married a natural doctor, Cha, she has insight to the healing and strengthening of the joints of the body which has increased my ability to train regularly without much discomfort. You might want to check the website www.standardprocess.com - I personally do not take vitamins but I do take whole food concentrates and glandulars (for the past 4 years). My recovery is faster than it was when I was younger! James, I think it would help you if you spent some time with my wife, Cha. She helps people all over the U.S., coast to coast and even in Hawaii with their nutrition. You might want to send her an email platz@achievexcellence.com. Thanks for emailing, good luck, Tom Platz

8-First off, I would like to say I am a huge fan of yours. I am also a big health freak, and in fact, I really have a passion for bodybuilding. Also, I will carry on my interest into graduate studies for health promotion. Recently, I experienced something terrible, every bodybuilders nightmare, I tore my tendon. I actually tore my distal biceps tendon doing dumbell preacher curls. Anyway, I heard you had a similar incident happen to you, and I was wondering how that affected you mentally and physically, and when you returned full-fledged to the sport. Thank you so much for your time! Respecfully, Mike J.
ANSWER: Hi, Mike. Of course when injury occurs, I was a bit startled to say the least. Usually when you are injured, it offers you the opportunities to learn how to train better or more efficiently. In other words, you have to train around the injury. So you might say it can be a positive thing. As far as recovery and rehab, it took me a good part of a year before I was back in the groove. Had I known what I know today through my wife, Cha, it would not have taken me as long to recover and to get back to the iron. You might want to send her an email, platz@achievexcellence.com and ask her about it. By the way, even with the injury, I still guest posed at 1983 Mr. O rather than competing. Regards, Tom Platz

8-Tom, when I 1st many years ago saw the size of your legs. I was blown away! I just read your article in MandF. I have been lifting weights since I was 12 years old...I am 36 now...Can you answer this for me please...How many times a day should I eat and what types of meals would build muscle and lower fat? I do a lot of heavy lifting too. I lift atomic stones from the strongman competitions...see I workout with these stones as a part of my work out...Thanks Tom. You are an inspiration to me and many others...Bob R.
ANSWER: Hi, Bob, thanks for all the kind words – great to hear that I can still motivate and inspire athletes like yourself. Keep up the great work. As for your meals, you should be eating five or more times a day – your calorie intake should be based on what you currently weigh. If you are trying to reduce weight – then it will take a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. But if you want to retain muscle and reduce % bodyfat – you have to eat good food five or more times a day and not worry about the scales say, but what your measurements are. Regards, Tom Platz

8-Tom, I have been an avid fan of yours since 1978. I have competed since 1982, placed in 3 local shows and than in 1995 I placed 2nd in the Mr. Connecticut and than 6th in the Mr. America AAU.
I have a question and it is on a serious note. During your competition days what was your blood pressure?.. I have discovered after almost 26 yrs of working out Naturally not drugs-- As you can see the time lapse from 1982 to 1995 in order for me to place second I had to either wait for my competitors to have joint and ligament issues or die for me to place in that contest. Anyway.. After almost 26 yrs of lifting and cardio exercising my doctor advised me to stay away from the weights and do strictly cardio swimming and biking alternate each day and loose about 20 pounds.. I am 5'4" and weigh 187lbs. and am dropping. After not lifting for a month my B/P went from 160/95 down to 150/80 and still dropping. I have performed some investigative research and have uncovered the fact that anaerobic + aerobic activity will not keep your B/P in check. It is better to perform strictly aerobic activity. I realize if someone ever published the fact that weight lifting, bodybuilding was bad for you or unhealthy many would scoff at it. Well, I see the dramatic difference in my own body from performing aerobics as compared to weight lifting. So Tom all this boils down to is this bodybuilding long term causes some serious side effects... true or false? Don't worry I do not work for CNN or 20/20 and will not blurt out anything you may place here in. I would just like to get this answered from a person I looked up to as a kid and now be a man of almost 40 would like to know. I was 14 when I started working out. Best regards and I am looking forward to hearing from you. If you could send me a pic that would be great. Fond regards, Daryl G., Pennsylvania
ANSWER: Hi, Daryl, I'm not a doctor, but I do know some of your information is a bit off. There was an article in Time Magazine, January 21, 2002 called "Pumping Preventive Iron". You ought to read it; it talks about how it is very important to weight train. My wife, Cha, is a natural doctor candidate - she primarily deals seriously obese people and physically and mentally challenged, but does work with some pro bodybuilders and athletes. Blood pressure is normally attributed to being overweight and eating the wrong foods and in the more fitness realm, taking stimulants like ephedra and garbage like that. In your case, you might be overweight - don't know - and your doctor is right, you should lose the weight. If he says that you should do nothing but cardio - I'm a bit surprised. My wife receives referrals from medical doctors who have patients with high blood pressure to weight train as part of their rehab program. One of most recent clients with extremely high blood pressure was sent to her by his doctor - in one month, his blood pressure went to normal without medications - he didn't do much cardio at all - mostly resistance training. I'm not saying your doctor is wrong as I don't know what is wrong with you other than the high blood pressure or what your family and past medical history is like, but maybe you need to do a little more research.

As for myself, I have never had high blood pressure and still train on a regular basis, been training since I was 9 years old - I'm 5'8" and weight about 190. Weight training actually improves life and promotes longevity; Cha's mother is 82 and she does resistance training, loss 20 pounds (she had high BP, but doesn't anymore) - she looks about 50. Cha is 55 and has been training since she was 21 - she gets mistaken often for a 35-40 year old (www.achievexcellence.com/). She has never had high blood pressure. Now you also have to know when you train too much - but 2-3 times per week is good and changing up the volume/intensity has a lot to do with being intelligent in your approach. Sometimes once a week is enough, depending on you - sometimes taking 14 days off is good for muscle growth - it depends if you know what you are doing and why. I'm wondering what OTC supplements you stopped taking when you stopped lifting? [Keep in mind, it will never be just one thing that affects the human body and its responses/reactions (from Cha).] For ordering information, please go to www.tomplatz.com/market/market.htm. Regards, Tom Platz