Franco Columbu 14 Day Workout Routine and Diet
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Franco Columbu is a two-time Mr. Olympia, taking home the title in both 1976 and 1981. He was also know as perhaps the first powerbuilder. His best lifts include:<ins id="aswift_0_expand" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline-table; height: 280px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 336px; background-color: transparent;"><ins id="aswift_0_anchor" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; height: 280px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 336px; background-color: transparent;"><iframe width="336" height="280" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="true" id="aswift_0" name="aswift_0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px;"></iframe></ins></ins>
- 525 pound bench press
- 655 pound squat
- 750 pound deadlift
His training split was very unique, and focused around a 2 week cycle.
“Train each body part twice a week, as hard and relentless as possible each time. Every second week, I’d dead-lift after my leg routine. My dead lift workout was 300 for five reps, 400 for five reps, 500 for five reps, 600 for two or three reps, 650 for one rep and 700 for one rep.”
Franco Columbu’s workout routine breaks down like this:
- Day 1 – Chest and shoulders in the AM, arms in the PM
- Day 2 – Back in the AM, legs in the PM
- Day 3 – Chest and shoulders
- Day 4 – Arms
- Day 5 – Legs in the AM, back in the PM
- Day 6 – Chest and shoulders
- Day 7 – REST
- Day 8 – Arms in the AM, legs in the PM
- Day 9 – Back
- Day 10 – Chest and shoulders in the AM, arms in the PM
- Day 11 – Back in the AM, legs in the PM
- Day 12 – Chest and shoulders
- Day 13 – Arms
- Day 14 – Rest
Franco Columbu 1981 Mr. Olympia Workout Routine
Chest Workout
- Bench press – 3 sets x 15, 10 and 4 reps…superset with cable crossovers – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Dumbbell flyes – 3 sets x 20, 15 and 6 reps…superset with cable crossovers – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Incline bench press – 3 sets x 15 reps
- Barbell pullovers – 3 sets x 25 reps
- Dips – 3 sets to failure
- Cable crossovers – 3 sets x 25 reps
- Lateral raise – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Bent over reverse laterals – 6 sets x 10 reps
- BTN press – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Alternating dumbbell front raise – 3 sets x 8 reps
- Cable lateral raise – 3 sets x 10 reps
- Wide grip pull-up – 6 sets x 10-15 reps
- T-bar row – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Seated cable row – 4 sets x 10 reps
- One arm dumbbell row – 3 sets x 10 reps…superset with hammer grip pull-ups – 3 sets x 10 reps
- Triceps pushdown – 4 sets x 8 reps…superset with standing dumbbell curl – 4 sets x 8 reps
- Barbell skullcrushers – 4 sets x 8 reps…superset with barbell preacher curl – 4 sets x 8 reps
- Seated French press – 4 sets x 8 reps…superset with seated incline dumbbell curl – 4 sets x 8 reps
- Squats – 7 sets x 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 reps
- Leg press – 4 sets x 50, 25, 15, 8 reps
- Leg extensions – 6-7 sets x 20 reps
- Barbell lunge – 2-3 sets x 12-15 reps
- Deadlift – 6 sets x 5, 5, 5, 3, 1, 1 reps
The body has an incredible language all its own. When we’re young, we “listen” through instinct. It’s only as we get older that we start to lose contact. After a while we start to rationalize. We tend to do things out of habit. If we train a certain length of time with a particular weight and number of sets, we have a tendency to get off a “death bed” if necessary to do the workout. The body is saying “no”, “do less”, or “nothing.” When you ignore the message you are apt to get injured and whatever training you do won’t give you the results you are working of. Now this doesn’t mean to cater to laziness. Be honest with yourself and you’ll know the difference.
Franco Columbu’s Muscle Building Diet
Breakfast
- 3 eggs
- 1 piece fruit
- Large glass of orange juice
- Yogurt with milk and granola cereal
- Mineral water with a vitamin and mineral supplement
- Fresh vegetable with oil and vinegar dressing
- Cooked vegetable
- Protein, fish, chicken, lamb or liver
- Wine or mineral water
- Cheese and fresh fruit
- Same as lunch
- Yogurt
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