Inside Franco’s Brutal Power-building Workout!
Inside Franco’s Brutal Power-building Workout! This Franco-inspired routine is a great blueprint for any lifter who wants to build dense, impressive muscle mass. As a world-class powerlifter with a 525-pound bench press, 750-pound deadlift and a 650-pound squat, Franco proved to the bodybuilding world that muscle density comes from moving heavy iron. In the second edition of The Built from Iron Series: From Classic Mass to Modern Science, we are stepping away from Arnold’s Golden Six and looking inside the training
of the Sardinian Strongman. Ready to check it out? Then let’s get going!
Franco’s Brutal Power-building Workout – A Quick Recap
| Day of the Week | Targeted Muscle Groups | Core Training Philosophy |
| Monday | Upper Body | Mechanical tension paired with high volume for massive pumps. |
| Tuesday | Legs | Max effort squat to build lower-body power. Alternate squats and deadlifts. |
| Wednesday | Recovery | Get some rest! |
| Thursday | Upper Body | Upper chest emphasis. Overhead pressing strength paired with direct arm work. |
| Friday | Legs | Pure leg focus. |
| Saturday | Recovery | Absolute recovery. |
| Sunday | Recovery | Absolute recovery. |
A Franco-Inspired Power-building Split
Normally, I prefer to give readers the exact routine as used by the particular bodybuilder I’m writing about. Franco relied on an unusual 14-day split routine that featured twice-a-day training as well as mixing in supersets with regular straight sets – and he lifted heavy. Let’s be real, unless you do absolutely nothing all day long, a routine like that will never fit in anybody’s lifestyle. Therefore, why print it? Therefore, you can find many examples of a more practical routine that has you raining 5 days per week. This routine is along those lines, directly inspired by Franco’s training. (1)
Day 1: Upper Body
Barbell Bench Press
1 set x 15 reps
1 set x 10 reps
4 sets x 4-6 reps
Wide-Grip Pull-Up
5 sets x 8-10 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press
4 sets x 8 reps
Bent-Over Barbell Row
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Triceps Dip
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Dumbbell Curl
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 2: Legs
Barbell Squat alternated every other week with the Deadlift
1 set x 15 reps
1 set x 10 reps
2 sets x 6 reps
2 sets x 4 reps
Lunge
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Leg Curl
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Standing Calf Raise
4 sets x 15-20 reps
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Upper Body
Incline Barbell Bench Press
1 set x 15 reps
1 set x 10 reps
2 sets x 8 reps
2 sets x 6 reps
Lat Pulldown
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Flat Dumbbell Fly
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Bent-Over Barbell Row
5 sets x 6-8 reps
Overhead Press
5 sets x 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Rear Lateral
4 sets x 10-12 reps
Close Grip Bench Press
4 sets x 10 reps
Dumbbell Curl
4 sets x 15 reps
Day 5:
Barbell Squat
1 set x 15 reps
1 set x 10 reps
1 set x 8 reps
1 set x 6 reps
1 set x 4 reps
Leg Extension
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Hack Squat
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Leg Curl
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Standing Calf Raise
4 sets x 15-20 reps
Abs every training day!
Day 6 and 7: Rest
Performance Notes
This may be more volume than some lifters might be used to. Still, compared to the 14-day twice a day routine Franco preferred, it’s not bad.
Make sure you do every rep using correct form with the rep under complete control. I see lifters at the gym all the time rushing their reps, or not performing complete reps. I also see them stop at a certain rep total when they could have easily kept going. Guys like Arnold and Franco performed clean, full reps and took their sets to the point where they could not complete the last rep on their own.
Rest Periods & Tempo: Old-School Thinking
If you want to duplicate Franco’s training approach, you have to understand how he approached resting between sets. Franco’s training was defined by working with minimal rest. He preferred to rest just 30-45 seconds, but he often trained with Arnold, so he would have been forced to wait until Arnold was done with his set.
The 30-45 Second Rest
Nonetheless, in his written material, Franco advocated training at a fast pace, following a strict 30-to-45 second rest period between sets. He believed that minimizing rest kept the muscles engorged with blood and allowed weight training to double as a cardio session.
- Where Modern Science Agrees – For Franco’s high-volume isolation work and arm supersets from his 14-day double split routine, this short rest period is very effective. Keeping the pace fast induces massive metabolic stress leading to insane pumps – a primary driver of muscle growth.
- Where Modern Science Disagrees – For the heavy compound pyramids (like Bench and Squats), a 30-second rest window is counterproductive. Modern thinking for near-maximal lifts usually fall into the 3 minute (sometimes higher) rest periods for your system to fully recover. If you only rest 30 seconds before attempting a heavy 4-6 reps, your top set strength will drop dramatically.
- Since this routine is a scaled down 4 day a week routine done once a day, I suggest resting a little longer as desired. It’s really a matter of personal preference. I like to train fast, but many lifters prefer to take maybe 2 minutes after a heavy set.
The Powerbuilding Tempo (2-1-2)
Franco didn’t use the modern 3 or 4-digit tempo system like we do now (this approach began to take hold in the 80s), but his style of rep execution was incredibly deliberate. He utilized his competitive powerlifting background to maximize force production while preserving joint integrity. You can translate his lifting style into a 2-1-2 tempo:
- 2-Second Eccentric (Lowering) – Franco fiercely advocated against dropping the weight. He controlled the negative portion of the lift for roughly 2 seconds to keep maximum tension on the muscle fibers.
- 1-Second Peak Contraction (Pause/Squeeze) – On pulling and isolation movements (like rows, chins, and curls), Franco held the absolute peak of the movement for a hard 1-second squeeze to maximize motor unit recruitment. Otherwise, he’d simply keep the rep going (continuous tension).
- 2-Second Explosive Concentric (Lifting) – On the heavy presses and squats, Franco focused on maximum acceleration. The goal was to drive the barbell up with explosive power to recruit the fast-twitch muscle fibers.
A Brief Look At Franco’s 14-Day Split
Here’s his 14-day split to give you an idea of how he trained.
| Day | Morning | Evening |
| Day 1 | Chest & Delts | Arms and Abs |
| Day 2 | Back | Legs |
| Day 3 | Abs | Chest & Delts |
| Day 4 | OFF | Arms |
| Day 5 | Legs and Abs | Back |
| Day 6 | Abs and Obliques | Chest & Delts |
| Day 7 | Rest | Rest |
| Day 8 | Arms | Legs |
| Day 9 | Abs and Oblique | Back |
| Day 10 | Chest & Delts | Biceps & Triceps |
| Day 11 | Back and Abs | Legs |
| Day 12 | Abs | Chest & Shoulders |
| Day 13 | OFF | Arms |
| Day 14 | Rest | Rest |
With Franco Columbu’s routine, you would be training shoulders, chest, and arms 5 times, back and legs 4 times, and abs 7 times over his 14-day split. Franco targeted his back in a back-only session, and he did the same for his legs.
As noted, his routine also utilized supersets. For example, his chest routine consisted solely of supersets, and he also used them for arm work. But, over the 14 days, he used straight sets for the same muscle groups.
Remember, this is a twice a day routine, which works well when bodybuilding is your job.
Nutritional Guidelines
Franco followed a high protein, low carb Mediterranean-influenced diet consisting of clean food choices. His diet reflected his heritage. He would eat lean proteins, yogurt, eggs, imported cheese, fresh fruit, and salads. (2)
Protein
If you’re serious about lifting, you should be consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. At that intake level, it makes sense to spread out your protein consumption across 5-6 meals/snacks/shakes. This is a classic approach to protein timing. It lets you work your protein intake into your normal meal schedule.
Plus, it can be easily adjusted based on your lifestyle. Do you lead a hectic lifestyle? Then take advantage of protein shakes and bars (I did). Maybe your lifestyle is not too hectic? Then eat 3 solid meals with 2-3 shakes and snacks.
I also recommend drinking a post-workout shake right after your last set, then eat a meal an hour or two later.
Strategic Nighttime Protein Intake
Franco came close to this much more recent concept by eating yogurt at night to help with gut health. With the kind of training you’ll do using this routine, I suggest using this nighttime tip: 30 minutes before bed, eat or drink a protein source that features slow digesting protein sources. You can go with a protein shake, a serving of low-fat cottage cheese, or a serving of low sugar Greek yogurt.
This is a simple tip that helps you stay in a positive protein environment during the night. That’s usually a time when your body falls into a negative protein state.
Carbohydrates
I advise limiting your sugary carbs and focusing on complex carbs. While Franco’s approach worked well for him, you need carbs to provide the ATP energy your muscles depend on when you train.
Therefore, I suggest a total daily intake of 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. However, if you’re trying to build mass, you can go up to 2-2.5 grams as long as you don’t start gaining fat around your waist! If that starts to happen, cut your carbs back by 50 grams a day until you even out.
Finally, I recommend following this Strategic Pre-Workout Nutrition Blueprint, which states that you should be consuming roughly 50% of the day’s carbohydrates (and all of the day’s simple carbs) in the hours that surround your training sessions.
Healthy Fats
20% of your calories should come from healthy fats sources, including nuts, seeds, olive oil, salmon and other fatty fish. Always avoid saturated fats and trans fats (fried foods, fast food, fatty red meat, high fat dairy products). Franco was smart about this back in the day because he followed a Mediterranean diet that focused on low fat.
Supplement Tips
Back in Franco’s day, supplements were a mere shadow of what they are today. With that in mind, any serious lifter should be using a cornerstone supplement program consisting of:
- Hi-Tech Precision Protein – Protein powder has come a very long way from Franco’s day. This one is an innovative powder providing 25 grams of hydrolyzed whey per serving. In addition, it features a technology that is exclusive to Hi-Tech and allows the release of the potent EAA/BCAA leucine in the initial phases of protein synthesis.
- PEScience Select – This is a great choice for your nighttime protein snack to help you stay in a state of positive protein balance. One serving supplies 24 grams of fast and slow digesting whey and milk proteins.
- Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode – This is one of the most innovative pre-workouts on the market. Why is that? Because when it was introduced not that many years ago, it charged out of the gate with dosages that embarrassed all the “big boys”, thereby revolutionizing the industry. Now, any serious pre-workout has to match Gorilla Mode’s dosing.
- NutraBio Base – Here’s a great example of a “Core” pre-workout. What is that, you might ask? It’s a Pre with a streamlined formula at a value-minded price.
- AllMax Nutrition Creatine – Since it came out in the early 90’s, creatine monohydrate has become the most tested and proven effective supplement on the planet, bar none. This product features patented CreaSyn® micronized creatine monohydrate that is 99.9% pure!
- AllMax Nutrition VITASTACK – Every lifter needs a good multi! Here’s one that covers all your nutritional needs with an extremely impressive 7 complex formula!
- EFX Sports Karbolyn – I suggest Karbolyn to help you power through any tough workout, and Franco’s workouts definitely fall into that category. Take it with your Pre and it will quickly load fast-digesting carbs for quick ATP energy. It will make a noticeable difference in your workouts!
Summary
In this edition of the Built From Iron Series, we looked Inside Franco’s Brutal Power-building Workout with a heavily inspired-by-Franco training program. We also caught a glimpse of his insane 14 day split. Then we looked at nutrition and supplements. All that’s left is to apply these tips and take them to the gym – but before you go, stop by illpumpyouup.com and stock up!
References:
- https://legend-tracker.com/articles/franco-columbu-workout-routine/#the-practical-franco-columbu-workout-routine
- Winning Bodybuilding, Franco Columbo, p. 116.
By Jim Brewster