"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 14-DAY TRAINING SPLIT

    MORNING                               AFTERNOON

 1  Chest, shoulders                      Arms

 2  Back                                            Legs

 3  Chest, shoulders

 4  Arms

 5  Legs                                            Back

 6  Chest, shoulders

 7  Rest

 8  Arms                                            Legs

 9  Back

10  Chest, shoulders                     Arms

11  Back                                           Legs

12  Chest, shoulders

13  Arms

14  Rest

NOTE: Columbu trained abs in the morning on days 3, 5, 6, 9, 11 and 12,

and in the afternoon on day 1.

POWER BODYBUILDING PROGRAM

These are Columbu's workouts leading up to his 1981 Mr. Olympia

victory.

CHEST

EXERCISE                                                                

Barbell bench presses: 3 * Sets of  15, 10, 4 Reps

   superset with

   Cable crossovers: 3 * Sets, Reps 20

Flat-bench dumbbell flyes: 3 * Sets of 20, 15, 6 Reps

   super-set with

   Cable crossovers: 3 * Sets of 20 Reps

Barbell incline presses: 3 [dagger] Sets of 15 Reps

Barbell pullovers: 3 [dagger] Sets of 15 Reps

Parallel-bar dips: 3 [dagger] Sets   To failure

Cable crossovers: 3 [dagger] Sets of 25 Reps

* For the first two super-sets, Columbu pyramided up in weight (and down

in reps) for bench presses and flyes, but he kept the weight the same

for cable crossovers.

[dagger] Columbu performed these as a giant set, which is related to a

superset, but with four exercises instead of two. Columbu used the same

weight for all three sets of each movement.

POWER BODYBUILDING PROGRAM

SHOULDERS

EXERCISE                                                                           

Standing dumbbell lateral raises: 4 Sets of 10 Reps

Bent lateral raises: 6 Sets of 10 Reps

Behind-the-neck presses: 4 Sets of 10 Reps

Alternating dumbbell front raises: 3 Sets of 8 Reps

Cable lateral raises: 3 Sets of 10 Reps

POWER BODYBUILDING PROGRAM

BACK

EXERCISE                                                                                

Wide-grip pull-ups: 6 Sets of 10-15 Reps

T-bar rows: 4 Sets of 10 Reps

Seated cable rows: 4 Sets of 10 Reps

One-arm dumbbell rows: 3 Sets of 10 Reps

  super-set with

  Hammer-grip pull-ups *: 3 Sets of 10 Reps

* Use a parallel-grip cable attachment hanging from a pullup bar.

POWER BODYBUILDING PROGRAM

ARMS

EXERCISE                                                                                 

Cable pushdowns: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

  super-set with

  Standing dumbbell curls: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Lying barbell triceps extensions: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

  super-set with

  Barbell preacher curls: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Seated barbell extensions: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

  super-set with

  Dumbbell incline curls: 4 Sets of 8 Reps

POWER BODYBUILDING PROGRAM

THIGHS

EXERCISE                                                                                   

Barbell squats: 7 Sets of 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 Reps

Leg presses: 4 Sets of 50, 25, 15, 8 Reps

Leg extensions: 6-7 Sets of 20 Reps

Barbell lunges *: 2-3 Sets of 12-15 Reps

Dead-lifts [dagger]: 6 Sets of 5, 5, 5, 3, 1, 1 Reps

* Performed every other workout pre-contest

[dagger]Performed every other week