Among bodybuilders, Franco Colombo occupies a prominent place. This Italian, with his discreet parameters: height 166 cm, own weight 84 kg, reached peak heights in bodybuilding, having twice won the title of “Mr. Olympia”. By this he proved that perseverance, work and determination can overcome many obstacles.
Early career
The future bodybuilder was born in the rather poor area of Ollolain island of Sardinia (Italy) on August 7, 1941. The boy grew up in a family of severe Catholics. He was brought up in severity, modesty, and from early childhood he was accustomed to discipline. His father forced him to help with the housework, taught farm wisdom and prepared to work as a shepherd.
Despite the discontent of his parents, the young man became interested in boxing. Franco's short stature caused a skeptic smile, but the guy had a strong blow, and unexpectedly for everyone he won victory after victory in amateur tournaments, ending almost all fights with a spectacular knockout. He was invited to professional boxing, and in the amateur category he became the champion of Italy.
Bodybuilding
Franco Colombo (or Columbo) has always been famous for a powerful blow. Once his opponent almost died after the battle. This shocked the young man and forced to strike up with boxing. In search of a better life, he goes to West Germany to earn money. Here in 1965, a fateful case brings him to the already well-known bodybuilder - Arnold Schwarzenegger, who leads Franco into bodybuilding.
Fascinated by training, he achieves serious results in a record-breaking short time: with a weight of 84 kg, while lying down, he pressed a barbell of 205 kg, crouched with a barbell weighing 300 kg and did the deadlift exercise with a weight of 315 kg!
In 1968 he won the title of European and Italian Champion in the powerlifting championship. But real fame awaited him in the United States, where Franco Colombo and Arnold Schwarzenegger, friends throughout their lives, came in 1969.
Twice "Mr. Olympia"
In the United States, the bodybuilder continued his training in the athletic gym of Gold Jim (California), which impressed him with his equipment. Arnold and Franco engaged together, organizing competitions each time, which, according to both, made training more effective. After classes in the gym, Colombo went to work on a construction site, and in the evening he studied medicine.
In 1969, 1970 and 1971 he won first place in the competition "Mr. Universe". In 1975, he ranks second after Schwarzenegger in the competition "Mr. Olympia", and in 1976 his cherished dream comes true: he receives the title "Mr. Olympia". In the same year, he participated in the tournament "The Strongest Man", where he seriously injured his leg. As compensation, he was paid $ 1 million, but doctors said that he would never return to sports.
Franco Colombo was not at a loss: he graduated from a medical college, received a doctor’s diploma and had a successful practice. At the same time, he developed his own recovery program and, with its help, accomplished the incredible through titanic efforts: he not only returned to sports, but in 1981 won the Olympus competition again. This was the triumphal end of his career as a bodybuilder.
Franco Colombo Program
The famous bodybuilder impresses with athletic power, excellent physique and harmonious forms. Having a medical education, he developed his own training program, the main principles of which were:
- each exercise is done in full force;
- be sure to warm up the muscles before training;
- It is worth listening to your own body;
- training should take place at the same time;
- it is important to eat well and have a good rest;
- sugar should be replaced with natural carbohydrates;
- after a series of repetitions, you need to go outside and breathe fully.
Unsportsmanlike achievements
Franco Colombo, whose training took up most of the time, managed:
- to star in several films, including starring in the film "Beretta Island" (1994);
- to act as a producer and director in the documentary "Sardinia is a magnificent sea island";
- write a couple of books, the most popular of which is “Victory Bodybuilding” has been translated into several languages and has survived many publications.
Some biography facts
- Once during a walk on Franco Colombo, his wife Deborah and two friends were attacked by hooligans. The former boxer with a powerful blow literally crushed the jaw of one of the attackers, the other attackers immediately ran away.
- The bodybuilder was famous for its amazing light-pumps. He could inflate the heating pad so that it burst like a balloon.
- The hero of the article took anabolic steroids for muscle growth. Of course, he got the desired body, but, unfortunately, taking AS brought him to impotence and the inability to have children.
- The volume of his biceps is 47 cm.