Do you know who trained Sylvester Stallone for Rambo? It was none other than legendary bodybuilder Franco Columbu. The following details everything the Sardinian Strongman taught the Hollywood star.

Sylvester Stallone has rocked an incredible physique in almost all of his movies, particularly the Rocky and the Rambo series. Today, we discuss how Franco Columbu turned a muscular Hollywood star into a jacked, highly skilled US Army Special Forces officer, John Rambo.

After the first Rambo was a success, Stallone needed to look bigger and better for the sequel, and who better to train him than a bodybuilder? So, the Rocky star took the help of a two-time Mr. Olympia, Franco Columbu, and became the most jacked he has ever been in his life.

Sylvester Stallone trained for four hours every day and eventually gained 10 lbs of lean muscle in just eight weeks. Columbu put him on a superset-based arm routine that was a combination of high volume, intensity, and precise technique.

It was a 7-move workout that eventually built Stallone's size and definition in no time. Here is everything that the routine included:

• Isolated Triceps Extension (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Seated Incline Curl (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Skullcrusher (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Dumbbell Curl (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Dumbbell Triceps Extension (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Barbell Curl (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)
• Wrist Curl (3-4 sets of 10-12 reps)

Franco Columbu is a well-respected name in the world of bodybuilding, and it was only fitting that Stallone asked for his assistance. He has been the inspiration to many bodybuilders, most notably his best friend, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In fact, in one of the episodes of his Kai Greene Effect podcast, three-time Arnold Classic winner Kai Greene couldn't stop himself from appreciating the veteran bodybuilder.

“Though I was a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a kid, I loved Franco Colombo. I really, really, really loved Franco Colombo. Behind the scenes, now looking back on it, I loved the fact that Franco was as amazing as he was.”

But if you think this was the only bodybuilder-actor collaboration, then here is some information for you in this regard.

Bodybuilders Who Trained Actors for Movie Roles

Franco Columbu isn't the only bodybuilder who helped an actor prepare for a movie role; over the years, there have been many collaborations between actors and bodybuilders. Some bodybuilders, like the great Arnold Schwarzenegger, have even become actors.

• David Prowse: Before stepping in front of the camera himself as the iconic villain Darth Vader, British bodybuilder David Prowse trained Christopher Reeve for Superman (1978) and Cary Elwes for The Princess Bride (1987).
• Dave Rienzi: Bodybuilder turned strength coach, trained Henry Cavill for his role as Superman, and is known for frequently collaborating with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
• Don Saladino: He is a noted celebrity trainer who has trained David Harbour for Hellboy and Sebastian Stan for Marvel roles.

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil