Franco Columbu

Franco Columbu is an Italian actor, a former champion in bodybuilding, and a successful competitor for ‘world's Strongest Man'. He was born on August 7, 1941 at Sardinia in Italy . He started his athletic career as a boxer, then gradually progressed into the sport of Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting, followed by bodybuilding. He won the renowned title of Mr Olympia in 1976 and 1981. With a height of 5'5” (1.65 m ) Columbu stands shorter than most of his bodybuilding competitors. But this did not deter his aim and achievement of success.

When Columbu competed in the first World's Strongest Man competition in the year 1977, he was supposed to run the refrigerator race in the final round. This called for a downhill race in which a bulky, unwieldy refrigerator was strapped to the racer's back. While ahead, Columbu stumbled, and collapsed with a grotesquely dislocated leg. This ended his future participation in the contest, though he secured the fifth place. He fully recovered within three years.

Bodybuilding Titles

• 1966: Mr. Europe, 4th
• 1968: NABBA Mr.Universe (Most Muscular)
• 1969: IFBB Mr.Europe (Medium)
• 1969: NABBA Mr. Universe (Most Muscular)
• 1969: NABBA Mr. Universe (Short)
• 1969: IFBB Mr. Universe (Short)
• 1970: IFBB Mr. Europe (Short & Overall)
• 1970: AAU Mr. World (Pro Short)
• 1970: IFBB Mr. World (Short)
• 1970: IFBB Mr. Universe (Short & Overall)
• 1971: IFBB Mr. Universe (Short & Overall) *Disqualified for selling bodybuilding booklets - considered as a professional*
• 1971: IFBB Mr. World (Short & Overall)
• 1974: Mr. Olympia (Lightweight) [6]
• 1975: Mr. Olympia (Lightweight) [6]
• 1976: Mr. Olympia (Lightweight & Overall) [6]
• 1981: Mr. Olympia [6]

Power lifting titles

• Champion of Italy
• Champion of Germany
• Champion of Europe

Strongman

• 1977: World strongest man, 5th

Powerlifting Best Lifts

• Bench press 525 Lbs / 238.35 kg
• Squat (exercise) 665 Lbs / 301.91 kg
• Dead lift 750 Lbs / 340.5 kg (in some training sessions, he was reported to have lifted over 780 Lbs / 354,12 kg, all at a bodyweight of less than 190 Lbs / 86,26 kg)

Boxing

• Amateur Boxing Champion of Italy

Extra

• 2009: Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award

• Franco Columbu holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition, and is a qualified chiropractor.
• He currently holds a position on the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
• He holds expertise in Sports Medicine and Kinesiology.
• Columbu has been a close friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger, though the two have competed against each other in several contests. They were inseparable as training partners for a long time. He was called the Sancho Panza' of Arnold 's early days. In fact, Franco served as the best man at Arnold 's wedding.
• From the onset of his arrival in America in 1969, Columbu was considered one of the world's strongest men.
• He pursued a parallel career, that of a weightlifter and a chiropractic.
• Franco also made intermittent minor forays into acting. He also did a number of TV commercials. He starred in and produced numerous feature films.
• Dr Franco Columbu has won all the major bodybuilding and power lifting titles, including Mr.Olympia twice.
• In 1979, Franco made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest lung power after he blew up a hot water bottle in just 55 seconds using sheer lung power.

FRANCO COLUMBU ON BODYBUILDING

Franco suggests a comprehensive workout that can be used with or without weights. It would surely help to flatten the stomach, narrow the waist and eliminate unflattering ‘love handles'. He believes in consuming a solid diet that will lead to a championship physique – a diet that will promote health, strength and vitality. He probably dabbled with steroids during his effort to achieve the Mr Olympia title. But he drew a limit with regard and no one ever saw him with the freak-show physique of steroid monsters. Columbu was one of the greatest professional body builders the world has known. Famous for his incredible dead lift and for the horizontal crease in his pecs, this muscle man was fondly nicknamed ‘The Sardinian Strongman' after Sardinia , his birthplace. Comparatively, he looks like a very lean but strong man. He retired from active participation in bodybuilding in 1981.