The Rivalry Between Arnold and Franco

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu were said to be rivals, but the truth is that they were working to improve each other long before they ever fought in the Olympia. They met in 1965, worked out every day together, and really wanted each other to do well. Arnold beat Franco three times in the Olympia, but Arnold won all three times. Franco won the title in 1976.

How Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu First Met​

In 1965, Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't expect to meet someone who would become a lasting friend at the Junior Mr. Europe competition in Germany. But that's exactly what happened when he met Franco Columbu, a short but strong athlete from Sardinia who shared his desire to make a bodybuilder career that people would remember.
It wasn't long before they became friends. It's possible for two driven young guys to see something in each other that they like. Arnold's huge frame and Franco's dense, strong build made them a natural pair for training together, as each man's strengths pushed the other further.
Arnold helped Columbu move to California with him when he finally did. It began as a bodybuilding rivalry between training partners, but it quickly turned into something much bigger than competition. It turned into one of the truest bonds in sports.

Why They Trained Together Instead of Against Each Other​

Most people think that if two players are competing for the same title, they will keep their methods secret and keep their distance from each other. Arnold and Franco said that was not at all true. Arnold and Franco knew something that most rivals don't: training with someone better or equally matched to you pushes you harder than training by yourself ever could. Arnold and Franco's rivalry in bodybuilding didn't get easier when they became friends; it got worse. In the gym, they pushed each other to do better. They made a life together in California afterward. If you've seen Pumping Iron, you already know how they worked together: two guys competed in bodybuilding every day and really wanted each other to get better. It meant more to win if the person you beat had also helped you get better.

Who Won When They Competed on the Same Olympia Stage​

Arnold beat Franco five times in a row on the Olympia stage, meaning Arnold won all five fights. That's how the rivalry between Arnold and Franco really is if you only look at the scorecards. But the numbers don't always show how they felt about each other during the golden age of bodybuilding.
Arnold quit after Franco won the 1976 title without his friend in the lineup. This was Arnold's last major title win. In their past fights, you can really see two very different body types being rated next to each other. Arnold's huge body compared to Franco's dense, compact muscle made for an interesting contrast for both judges and fans. Frank and Arnold were really competing with each other, but that didn't hurt their relationship.

Why Everyone Wanted Arnold and Franco to Be Rivals​

There needed to be a rivalry story in the bodybuilding world, and Arnold and Franco were the best choices. It's easy to see everything as a fight when two bodybuilding legends from the golden age are competing for the same titles. The contrast was clear: Arnold Schwarzenegger was much taller than Franco Columbu, and the two were both chasing the same stage.
We buy rivalry. It takes complicated connections and makes them easier for people to understand without any extraneous details. But narrowing their relationship to competition doesn't take into account what was really going on. You'd miss having a training partner, working on business projects together, and having a real friendship that lasted through every competition they competed in together. The way they talked about their rivalry was always better for marketing than for telling the truth about their story.

What Arnold and Franco's Bond Says About Competing Without Ego​

Arnold and Franco showed something that doesn't happen very often in competitive situations: two people who really wanted to win without wanting the other person to lose. They stayed friends even when they were competing because neither of them saw a rival's success as a threat to them. You can work hard for a title and still show respect for the person on stage next to you.
That's what most people miss when they try to picture Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu as rivals in the good old days. They both became smarter and less bitter because of their competition. They worked out together, built a business together, and were proud of each other's successes. Arnold and Franco's friendship didn't make either man less driven. It brought it in. You can still compete hard even if you don't have any ego. Knowing the difference between wanting to win and wanting someone else to lose is important.

 

[Amanda_R]

The Arnold and Franco rivalry is one of those bodybuilding stories that’s hard not to get interested in. They were obviously competitive, but the friendship behind it makes the whole thing more interesting than just two guys trying to outdo each other.

 

[Sarah_lifts]

Arnold and Franco’s story is one of my favorites from that period. 'What's wild is how competitive they were, but still such close friends off the stage.

I love Franco’s build. He was so much shorter than Arnold but still looked so thick and powerful. I'm still learning a lot of the history but the old rivalries definitely make bodybuilding more interesting than just comparing who won a show.

 

[mikefromwork]

We romanticize the rivalries, but the fact that Arnold and Franco trained together, built businesses together, and never let the stage turn into bad blood is honestly the more impressive story.

 

[SweatLovin]

I’ve always liked the idea of having a training partner who pushes you without making everything a competition. Arnold and Franco kinda proved that you can want to beat someone on stage while still wanting them to level up too.