Felipe Franco – Complete Profile: Biography, Training and Diet

If you think of the most well popular and well-respected bodybuilder of Brazil, the name that comes to mind is that of Felipe Franco. Felipe Franco is a Brazilian fitness icon, IFBB Pro athlete, physical education professor, and a well-known entrepreneur. 

Felipe Franco also has his own YouTube channel, on which he posts videos of his training routine. He also uses YouTube to motivate his fans and share excerpts from his personal life. With a sculpted physique that he had to work on through relentless commitment, he has participated in some of the leading competitions for bodybuilding. These consisted of competitions like the IFBB Men’s Physique, Europa Dallas, Los Angeles Grand Prix, and many more. 

In the following sections, we will cover his complete profile, including early life, accomplishments, training regime, nutrition, and more.

Felipe Franco – Athlete Statistics

Early Life

Felipe Franco was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 17, 1982. He spent most of his childhood in the city with his parents, Paula and Angelo Franco, and completed his schooling at a private school.  After graduating from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with a physical education degree, he made the decision to pursue bodybuilding full time and work towards competing in bodybuilding championships.

When he made his first foray into the world of bodybuilding, he was merely 17 years of age. Through his years in college and even afterward, Felipe Franco kept the mindset of a student when approaching physical training and nutrition. The Brazilian bodybuilder put in years of effort and learned the craft through the process of trial and error.  He broadened his knowledge of the art of bodybuilding and applied the concepts to every aspect of his training.  

His patience and willingness to persevere eventually led to him being recognized as one of the top bodybuilders in not only Brazil but around the world. Felipe Franco has set an example for many Brazilian bodybuilders who wish to make a mark in the industry. He also motivates people to set better fitness goals through his YouTube channel, which features videos of workouts, fitness, and fun.

Bodybuilding Career

Felipe Franco developed an interest in bodybuilding and weightlifting when he was just 17 years of age. He pursued a physical education degree during college and then turned towards gaining experience to become a professional bodybuilder. With his determination and relentless hard work, Felipe Franco was able to build on his knowledge of the craft. This was evident through improved results in the gym. By this time, he was very well regarded for having a chiseled physique.

He made his debut in competitive bodybuilding in 2013, when he participated in the Arnold Classic South America (Amateur) bodybuilding competition. In his first attempt, he acquired the first position in the Men’s Physique category. In the following year, he participated in the Mr. Olympia contest, which is widely considered to be the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world. He won 15th place in the IFBB Men’s Physique category. This win allowed him to make his mark on the international stage. Felipe Franco has competed in many professional bodybuilding contests since then. Over the years, he has collected many accolades, which include gold medals at the Europa Dallas (2016), Los Angeles Grand Prix (2018) in IFBB Men’s Physique category. His continued dedication to the craft earned him the Pro Card, through which he gained recognition and respect internationally.

Competition History

Felipe Franco stepped into the world of bodybuilding championships in 2013. In the first few contests, the Brazilian bodybuilder tested the waters to assess his standing. Thereafter, he worked tirelessly to build his repertoire and won many trophies in the process. He has participated in numerous competitions and bodybuilding shows over the years. 

Here is a timeline of Felipe Franco’s professional bodybuilding career, from 2013 to the present.

2013:

• Arnold Classic South America (Amateur): 1st place in IFBB (Amateur) Men’s Physique
• Arnold Classic Europe (Amateur): 2nd place in IFBB (Amateur) Men’s Physique – over 178cm

2014:

• Prestige Crystal Cup Pro: 2nd place in IFBB Men’s Physique Class
• Dallas Pro & Wheelchair Pro: 4th place in Men’s Physique Class
• Mr. Olympia: 15th place in IFBB Men’s Physique

2015:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival – Arnold Classic, USA (PRO): 11th place in IFBB Mens Physique
• San Jose Pro: 5th place in IFBB Men’s Physique

2016:

• IFBB New York Pro: 10th place in Men’s Physique
• Puerto Rico Pro: 2nd place in IFBB Men’s Physique
• Europa Dallas: 1st place in IFBB Men’s Physique
• Mr. Olympia: 15th place in IFBB Men’s Physique

2017:

• Europa Dallas: 8th place in IFBB Men’s Physique

2018:

• Los Angeles Grand Prix: 1st in IFBB Men’s Physique

2019:

• 2019 IFBB Monterrey Pro: Men’s Physique (2nd)
• 2019 NPC Worldwide Amateur Olympia Brazil: Men’s Physique Novice Class C(2nd)
• 2019 NPC Worldwide Amateur Olympia Brazil: Men’s Physique Class F(3rd)

2020:

• 2020 NPC Worldwide MUSCLECONTEST: Men’s Physique Novice Class F(1st)
• 2020 NPC Worldwide MUSCLECONTEST: Men’s Physique Class F(4th)

2021: 

• 2021 IFBB Mr. Big Evolution Pro: 1st place in IFBB Men’s Physique

Throughout his career, Felipe Franco has participated in many events, emerging as the winner in the men’s physique category in competitions like Arnold Classic Brazil and Arnold Classic, Ohio. Besides this,  he was also the runner-up in the Best of All categories of Arnold Classic, Madrid. He went on to compete in many Arnold Classics and other competitions, all of which were associated with the IFBB Pro League. IFBB stands for International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, which is responsible for overseeing professional sports events.

The latest win for Felipe Franco was in the Mr. Big Evolution Pro Portugal competition. This championship was held in Estoril, Portugal, from July 16 to 18, 2021. The results of this contest indicated which athletes were to be invited to the Mr. Olympia contest, which was also held in October this year. The Mr. Big Evolution Pro was one of the most exciting contests in this event.  It also saw massive participation of women, who competed in the Women’s Physique, Fitness, Figure, Bikini and other such categories. 

Felipe Franco emerged as the winner in the category of Men’s Physique. This win was indicative of his continued commitment to his craft. Even after winning many championships, Felipe has always remained hungry for more success. Felipe Franco’s dedication and work ethic has inspired many of his fellow athletes and fans, who find in him their fitness idol.

Felipe Franco’s Passion for Bodybuilding

Felipe Franco developed a passion for bodybuilding because his father, Angelo Franco, was himself a bodybuilder.  He gained inspiration from his father, which motivated him to put in a large amount of effort in the gym. 

Before starting his bodybuilding career, he was quite thin and lean. However, he eventually took control of his diet and continued to work out religiously. Although he started going to the gym as a hobby initially, his interest grew, and weightlifting and bodybuilding went on to become his profession. After completing his Physical Education degree, he also pursued specialized courses which strengthened his knowledge. When he first participated in a fitness competition, he was just 20 years of age.

Presently, Felipe Franco is a celebrated bodybuilder who has earned the respect and admiration of his fans through years of hard work and dedication. Even after gaining a meteoric rise in the bodybuilding world, he has continued to participate in the biggest competitions around the world. At the same time, he has also been working as a physical education teacher and a personal trainer. Franco continuously tries to set the bar higher for himself and for others. He applies this mindset to all aspects of his career, whether it is bodybuilding or entrepreneurship.

Training Regime

Given his impressive physique, which has won many awards, Felipe Franco’s followers are always curious to know about his workout routine. Ever since he started lifting weights at the age of 17, he has dedicated himself to honing his craft and expanding his knowledge about physical fitness. This reflects in his regime, which is quite comprehensive and dynamic.

Felipe Franco trains his body five days a week. However, his training routine is rather dynamic. He does not stick to a similar kind of routine for too long like other pro bodybuilders. His training routine is ever-changing, as he likes to go by his ‘feeling.’ He changes his series and sets and applies the same approach to his weights too. For Felipe Franco, this approach helps in keeping his body in a state of confusion so that his muscles don’t adapt to a particular pattern. In this way, his muscles are forced to grow stronger.

His perfect physique and conditioning are a testament to the fact that this approach works excellently if executed correctly. He keeps the weekend as rest days. However, he often adds a workout on a Saturday for focusing on those muscle groups which are weaker.

A typical week of training in Felipe Franco’s schedule consists of –  

• Monday: Chest, Abs, Triceps, and Shoulders
• Tuesday: Calves, Legs
• Wednesday: Biceps, Rear Delts, Back
• Thursday: Triceps and Chest
• Friday: Legs
• Saturday: Customized routine, focusing on any particular muscle group
• Sunday: Rest Day

Here is a comprehensive look at the exercises in the workout routine, focusing on particular muscle groups.

1. Chest, Triceps, and Front Shoulder

• Incline Bench Press or Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 15-12-12-10 reps, 4 sets
• Crucifix: 15 reps, 4 sets
• Crossover with flexed elbows: 15-12-12-10 reps, 4 sets
• Supine with straight bar: 15-12-12-10 reps, 4 sets
• Pullover: 15 reps, 3 sets
• Fly 35 degrees: 8 to 10 reps, 3 sets
• Sitting and lifting with dumbbells laterally: 10 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Triceps in the Pulley, with straight bar: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Triceps with forehead W bar: 8 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Unilateral triceps with dumbbell/Unilateral triceps (French): 12 to 15 reps, 3 sets
• Crush in the Pulley using dumbbells: 12 to 15 reps, 3 sets
• Pendulum (using shin guard and bar): 12 to 15 reps, 5 sets
• Abdominals
• Cardio Exercise: 30 minutes

2. Back, Back of Shoulders, and Biceps Exercises

• Fixed Bar: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Paddle with curved bar: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Front Pulley: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Back Pulley: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Paddle low using drop triangle: 6-8-10 reps, 3 sets
• Open row (machine): 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Reversed Crucifix using dumbbells: 12 reps, 4 sets
• Inverse crucifix (machine): 8 to 12 reps, 3 sets
• Direct thread: 8 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Scott thread (machine): 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Simultaneous thread using dumbbells: 8 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Hammer thread with dumbbells: 12 to 15 sets 4 sets
• Abdominals with lumbar hypertension: 20 reps, 4 sets
• Side abdominals using low cross: 20 reps, 4 reps
• Cardio Exercise: 30 minutes

3. Leg Exercises

• Free Squats with bar: 8 to 12 reps, 5 sets
• Leg press, 45 degrees: 8 to 12 reps, 5 sets
• Extender chair: 12 to 15 reps, 4 sets
• Past: 20 reps, 4 sets
• Stiff: 8 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Flexora table, while lying down: 8 to 12 reps, 4 sets
• Standing and on horse calf exercise: 20 reps, 4 sets

4. Active Rest

• Cardio Exercise: 30 minutes, incorporating treadmill if possible.

If you are looking for inspiration to start your bodybuilding career, then this Felipe Franco workout routine will definitely put you on the right track. Felipe Franco believes in putting in the hard work consistently. If you follow this training regime with dedication, nothing can stop you from gaining popularity and success in the world of bodybuilding.

In addition to following this workout routine, Felipe Franco also takes special care of his diet and nutrition. The result,  the physique that we see now, which has enabled him to compete in many international competitions.

Nutrition and Diet

According to Felipe Franco, the most important aspects of increasing muscle mass are eating and sleeping well. He takes special care of his nutrition and diet to maintain his chiseled physique. He does so by creating and maintaining a calorie deficit and ensuring that he consciously eats healthy foods. To do this, you have to ensure the calories you consume are lesser than the amount your body needs throughout the day. However, that does not mean cutting down the fats and carbohydrates from your diet. 

Felipe Franco takes special care to stay away from cheeseburgers, fries, and anything with refined sugar. He advises replacing this food with healthier alternatives like nuts, avocados, and olive oil. He also ensures that the carbohydrates he incorporates in his diet have a low glycemic index.   Felipe Franco’s diet consists of eight meals, which include all food groups. His protein consumption consists of either eggs, fish, or chicken. Besides this, he consumes around 150g of complex carbs.

Here is a comprehensive look at his diet plan:

• 8 AM – Meal 1: 4 whole eggs, 7 egg albumen, and 3 tablespoons of oats.
• 12 PM – Meal 2: Salad with greens, 250g of roasted, grilled, or cooked protein (chicken breast), 500mg primrose oil, 80g brazil nuts.
• 3 PM – Meal 3: Salad with leafy greens, 350g of protein, 250g of carbs.
• 6 PM – Meal 4: Salad leaves with broccoli, 300g of roasted, grilled, or cooked protein (chicken breast), 200g carbs.
• Supper: Meal 5: 2 whole eggs, 9 egg’s albumen, 120g avocado soup.

Supplements:

Felipe Franco also takes a pre-workout supplement, besides BCAA, whey protein shake, and coconut oil.

Try Calorie/Meal Calculators:

• How Many Calories To Eat Per Day Calculator
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Personal Life

Family

Felipe Franco is known to keep his personal life private. Except for information about his father, who was also a bodybuilder, not much is known about the rest of his family, including siblings. He is presently divorced and is presumably dating volleyball player Key Alvees.

He was previously married to a Brazilian model, reporter, and businesswoman, Juju Salimeni. The two had reportedly dated each other for over 12 years before getting married on September 25, 2015.

The former couple had made many public appearances, a famous one being at the Sao Paulo fitness fair. However, the couple went through a rough patch, which led to their brief split in 2017. They resumed their marriage, however, after two years. Juju Salimeni and Felipe Franco eventually ended up filing for a divorce in 2019.

YouTube and other social media platforms

Although Felipe Franco rose to become one of the leading bodybuilders of Brazil by winning many championships, his popularity grew exponentially when he joined social media. He is known to have a very large following on all major social media platforms, with over 3.7 million followers on Instagram. On Facebook, he has more than 985,000 followers, while his Twitter follower count stands at 42,000.

Felipe Franco is widely popular on YouTube, where he posts videos giving advice on bodybuilding and workouts. He joined the platform in August 2014. He also posts motivational videos on his channel. Given his popularity in the bodybuilding community, it is no surprise that he has a massive following on YouTube as well. As of December 2021, his channel has around 2.04 million subscribers.

Felipe Franco movie

Among Felipe Franco’s latest projects is a documentary-form film which is based on his life story. The movie is titled Felipe Franco: The Chosen One,  directed by Russian filmmaker Vlad Yudin. The film follows the story of Felipe Franco’s meteoric rise to becoming the fitness icon of Brazil and eventually an international pro bodybuilder. The story explores the ups and downs of his life.

The film shows Felipe Franco experiencing his career-high, being featured on magazine covers and emerging as a bodybuilding star. Then, his life comes to a halt after his divorce from his partner, Juju Salimeni. The film then explores how he struggled with depression and failed to find motivation in his life, which affected his bodybuilding career as well.

Felipe Franco: The Chosen One explores how the bodybuilder finds motivation and inspiration in his fans to return to the bodybuilding career.

Health Issues

In November 2021, news emerged that Felipe Franco was admitted to the Sao Camilo hospital in Portugal for emergency surgery. The bodybuilder shared a photo on his Instagram profile and said that he was recovering from the surgery, which turned out to be successful.

He also shared that he suffered from acute pain in the abdomen, after which he was rushed to the hospital. It was later revealed through the CT scan that he was suffering from acute inflammation of the appendix. The surgery was conducted to avoid further damage.

Felipe Franco – An Inspiration to Many

For Felipe Franco, weightlifting and bodybuilding are not tasks. He enjoys the process of waking up early, eating healthy and nutritious food, and training like a beast. This is his lifestyle. He worked hard not only to participate in bodybuilding competitions but to emerge as the winner. Felipe Franco epitomizes why it is important to incorporate discipline in your life and put in the required effort. He truly is an inspiration to his fans and fellow athletes.

Felipe Franco believes that dedication and determination is the key to everything. By keeping the same approach towards life, budding bodybuilders around the world can achieve their goals too. There is no doubt that Felipe Franco is an inspiration to many aspiring bodybuilders. As he continues to make his mark in the bodybuilding industry, all his fans will continue to follow his career with great interest.

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