Franco Colombo: the sharp turns of fate of the strongman from Sardinia

Barefoot childhood

Franco Columbu was born in 1941 in a remote village in Sardinia in the family of a poor farmer. Since childhood, he was engaged in peasant labor and knew well what need was. The nosy, energetic boy turned out to be a good shepherd. The boy ran like mad after the sheep along the slopes and ravines. In the obstacle course my legs became stronger and I gained more endurance.

In his youth, Franco Colombo surpassed many of his peers in strength and agility. As he grew up, the teenager realized that life in a remote province of Italy left no choice: either he would forever tend the herd, or he would become a local racketeer and engage in extortion from wealthy families. The prospect of running after animals was not attractive, and his innate conscientiousness did not allow him to become a member of a local gang.

The thought of how to arrange his life did not leave the boy day or night. By the will of the Supreme Providence, he took up boxing and, after short training, became a participant in competitions, where he won. This was followed by an invitation to train at a professional club. Franco understood that this chance was sent by fate and made every effort to become the country's boxing champion.

early years

Franco Colombo was born on August 7, 1941 on the Italian island of Sardinia. He was the only son in a poor but loving farming family, so he was forced to work as a shepherd from an early age. The young man got used to physical activity from the time when he took rest in the mountains, while he could not spend the night at home, getting food for himself and chasing sheep. His first job taught him endurance and willpower.

Already as a teenager, he surpassed his peers in strength. For all boys at that age, fighting was great fun, but not for Frank, since strict Catholic parents considered fighting unacceptable for their son. Despite his parents' prohibitions, he began his sports career in his hometown, namely, he won a local boxing tournament, after which Franco was invited to the professional ring.

After this achievement, the young man made his final choice in favor of sports, since he saw no prospects for himself in his homeland, where he could either herd sheep all his life or join one of the criminal gangs that received money from financially secure local residents. This option did not suit him because of his moral principles, which his parents taught him from childhood.

Emigration to Germany

Despite the victory, life did not change for the better. To hear the clink of coins in his pocket, the boxer moved to Germany. There he began working on an automobile assembly line and training at a local club. During his next hitting practice, the coach suggested that he work with a barbell and strengthen his arms. Columbo was so carried away by pumping up his biceps that at the competition, instead of knocking out his opponent, he almost sent him to the next world. The athlete suddenly felt a tremendous power within himself, which in the excitement could not be controlled. The guy realized that it was time to take off his gloves and pick up the bar.

Some biographical facts

• One day, while walking on Franco Colombo, his wife Deborah and two friends were attacked by hooligans. The former boxer literally crushed the jaw of one of the attackers with a powerful blow; the other attackers immediately ran away.
• The bodybuilder was famous for his amazing pump lungs. He could inflate a heating pad so that it burst like a balloon.
• The hero of the article took anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass. He, of course, got the body he wanted, but, unfortunately, taking AS led him to impotence and the inability to have children.
• The volume of his biceps is 47 cm.

Cool twist of fate

Quick achievements confirmed that the choice was correct. At the same time, fortune once again remembered Columbo and arranged an acquaintance with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played a big role in fate. The jocks formed a friendly “union” and began training together. At the tournament they competed in different categories, but this did not stop them from supporting each other.

By the way, Schwarzenegger and Columbo have been friends for 52 years.

At that time Colombo:

• bench pressed 235 kg;
• deadlifted 338 kg;
• squatted with a weight of 300 kg.

In a short time, the Italian athlete achieved high performance in powerlifting.

A life-changing injury

Next on the list of goals was the “Strongest Man” competition, but while preparing for the entry, the athlete received a serious injury. After this, he could not return to competitions for several years. He had to personally develop a special set of training that helped him slowly but effectively restore his damaged knee. During his recovery, he graduated from the university and received his doctoral license. He spent most of his practice as a physician developing and creating various training programs. He also prepared a special diet for bodybuilders, which helped them gain muscle mass quickly and with the least harm to health. Among other things, he helps train young athletes who want to follow in his footsteps.

Rapid career in America

Gold John's Hall in California surprised Franco with its technical equipment. He had never seen such simulators even in magazines. Joint training with Arnie turned into a friendly rivalry, where everyone tried to surpass in loads and intensity. Classes in this format were incredibly stimulating for both. The bodybuilder’s efforts were rewarded. In 1968, the guy won the Mr. Universe title in the “muscular” category. In 1972 he became “Mr. Universe” in his weight category and showed 2nd result at “Mr. World”.

A bodybuilder with a rural upbringing could not understand the lifestyle of his gym mates. They did not know how to save and spent every penny they earned in cafes at friendly gatherings. Franco was responsible for his health and planned his budget so that his muscles received normal nutrition every day. My ability to lay bricks helped me support myself. Later, he organized a team of bodybuilders, and they worked together at a construction site. Passers-by were speechless when they saw the muscular guys with stretchers.

Leaders and outsiders of Franco's sports menu

In the personal menu of the athlete himself, a special place is given to the consumption of whole eggs. According to the bodybuilder himself, this product is easily digestible, is a source of 7 different proteins, a complex of vitamins and bioactive substances, which has a direct effect on building muscle mass.

Taking fast carbohydrates before training is taboo for Franco. A pre-workout meal should occur 90 minutes before the start of exercise, with an emphasis on protein-containing foods. A similar nutritional scheme before strength loads allows you to create an amino acid reserve for the muscles being loaded.

Being a devout fan of multi-joint basic exercises, the professional athlete proved by personal example the viability and effectiveness of the classical principles of bodybuilding. His recommendations will help you model an effective workout regimen in the gym and significantly succeed in bodybuilding!

Championship achievements

In sports everything went as usual. The piggy bank was replenished with the title “Mr. Universe”, and in 1975, Olympia silver. In 1976, after the “king of biceps” Schwarzenegger left the stage, Colombo received the coveted title .

Immediately after the tournament, at the “Strongest Man” performance, the athlete injured his knee, showed the 5th result and left the sport for 5 years, receiving compensation of $ 1 million.

According to the doctor's forecasts, he was in danger of complete paralysis. However, in 1981 he was already standing on the top step of Olympia. During the recovery period:

• mastered chiropractic and received a medical college diploma;
• developed a set of exercises for myself;
• restored knee function;
• opened a private doctor's office.

After winning the tournament, the bodybuilder announced his final retirement from the sport.

Athlete performances

Having good anthropometric data, our Frankie in 1968 became the winner of the Italian and European Powerlifting Championships.

After heavy workloads in the USA, the athlete conquered the Mr. Universe competition in 1975 and at the same time took 2nd place in the well-known Mr. Olympia.

Colombo was not used to losing, and a year of hard training yielded results - the absolute champion of 1976 at Mr. Olympia. The day after receiving the title, Franco takes part in another competition, where he seriously injures his knee. The injury puts performances under ban; doctors said that he needs to quit bodybuilding.

Of course, our hero did not accept the doctors’ conclusion and continued special training. For 3 years, Colombo did not give up, and his efforts were rewarded. In 1981, the absolute winner of Mr. Olympia, but this was the end of his star journey in sports - this was the decision of the athlete himself.

Colombo workouts

The athlete became famous for his ideal proportions and shape of his quadriceps. The pumped-up muscles in the shape of a drop literally hung over the knees and gave volume and relief to the legs. Before his performance in 1981, he trained like a man possessed, preferring exercises for his arms, calves, and thighs. Instead of lats, he spends hours working on his abs and forearms.

The proposed leg program is designed for advanced athletes and includes basic and targeted exercises. The trick of the training is deep squats and the position of the feet, placed at a distance of 15 cm. He performed 7 approaches with weight in decreasing order: 15 times, 10 times and then minus 2 in each take. Next came:

• leg presses - 4 sets: 50, 25, 20, 10.
• bending limbs in the simulator -6x20.
• lunges with weights – 3x12-15.
• deadlift – 6x3.

What do weightlifting legends eat?

Franco’s personal victories in weightlifting would have been impossible without an organized diet. In matters of nutrition, the eminent bodybuilder also adheres to a rather original scheme, which, however, in terms of macronutrient composition meets accepted modern standards in bodybuilding. It is noteworthy that nutritional recommendations for beginner bodybuilders and advanced bodybuilders are somewhat different.

So, for debutants in heavy sports, Colombo recommends using a four-course nutrition system. Based on the athlete’s recommendations, lunch should be the most dense and high-calorie meal. In terms of nutritional value, the daily amount of protein and carbohydrates should reach an average of 200 g, and fat - about 60 g. Surprisingly, among the instructions for beginning bodybuilders you can find very original advice: drink a glass of beer or wine twice a day.

Meanwhile, the facts of sports medicine prove the negative effect of drinking alcoholic beverages for an athlete: they reduce the synthesis of anabolic hormones and also provoke the release of a hormone with an antagonistic effect - cortisol. The diet plan of a professional athlete should consist of 6 meals, including 4 main meals and 2 snacks. The last meal should take place no later than 22:00 and include exclusively light, low-calorie foods - fruits or vegetables.

Life outside of sports

Not many people know that the athlete has film experience . His friend Arnie brought him into cinema. Columbo starred in “The Terminator,” “Conan the Barbarian,” and “The Running Man.” In the famous films: “Beretta Island” and “The Ancient Warrior” he got the main roles. Later he wrote a script and tried himself as a producer in a film about Sardinia. In 2014, Another Round was released, in which Franco became the head boxing coach. In his personal life, everything is like everyone else. Colombo is married twice and has an adult daughter. Happily married to Deborah Drake.

Professional merits

Franco achieved incredible heights in powerlifting. The muscleman won his first bench press competition. He lifted 150 kg, which was surprising considering his recent injury. He participated and won fights in Italy and Europe. His best achievements in powerlifting were: bench press - 238 kg, deadlift - 340 kg, squat - 297 kg. Colombo also became a participant and winner of the Mister Europe competition. The man won the title of the strongest man in the world.

The next area of ​​his achievements was bodybuilding. In the USA, Colombo decided to perform on the podium, where he won the Mr. Universe title and became a two-time Mr. Olympia title holder, after which he left this industry.

Immediately after moving to America, the bodybuilder enters medical college, which he successfully completes and works for some time in his specialty in his personal account. He is developing a special set of exercises to restore his damaged knee.

This iconic person also played the role of a writer. He became the author of several books on bodybuilding, the most famous being “Victory Bodybuilding.” The Italian's talent is not limited only to sporting achievements; Franco is also known as an actor and director.

His acting debut was playing in the film “Pumping Iron”, followed by roles in the films “The Running Man”, “Terminator”, “Beretta Island”, “Conan the Barbarian”, etc. A little later, Columbo shoots the film “Sardinia. The Most Wonderful Island in the Sea,” where he pays tribute to his birthplace.

At the moment, the man has his own small restaurant in his native Italy, to which he devotes his time.

Cause of death of Franco Colombo

On August 30, 2020, the world of bodybuilding was shocked by an event - Franco Colombo died. Italian media confirmed the death of 78-year-old comrade Arnold Schwarzenegger. While swimming on one of the beaches of Sardinia, the famous athlete suffered a heart attack, as a result of which he began to drown. Arnold Schwarzenegger reported on social networks about the death of a friend and the bitterness of loss after fifty-four years of friendship.

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Franco, You've heard me say that I don't like when people call me a self-made man. You've even heard me say that you're part of the reason I could never accept that label. But I wanted you to know why. From the minute we met in Munich, you were my partner in crime. We pushed each other, we competed with each other, and we laughed at every moment along the way. When I finally got to America, I was alone. I'd left my family, my country, my whole life behind. So when I asked Joe Weider to bring you to train with me, it was because I knew I wasn't the same without my best friend. I could thrive without money, without my parents, but I couldn't thrive without you. I am devastated today. But I am also so, so grateful for the 54 years of friendship and joy we shared. The pumps, the chess games, the construction work, the meals, the pranks, the life lessons - we did it all together. We grew and we learned and we loved. My life was more fun, more colorful, and more complete because of you. I will always miss you. But I'll also know that a part of you lives on in me, in Debbie, in Maria, and in the millions of people you inspired every day you lived. And I will be there for Maria and Debbie, so you can rest now with no worries. I love you Franco. I will always remember the joy you brought to my life, the advices you gave me, and the twinkle in your eye that never disappeared. You were my best friend. Love always, Arnold

A post shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger (@schwarzenegger) on Aug 30, 2020 at 10:35am PDT