Who Is Mike Raso?
Mike Raso is a licensed nutritionist and competitive fitness athlete who was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario.
He participates in bodybuilding competitions throughout North America, where he has won several local championships.
Short Career of Mike Raso
Although Mike Raso now enjoys success as an athlete and has a fantastic physique, he didn’t always live this way. He didn’t start coming to the gym to grow a better-looking body and gain confidence until 2010 when he was 23 years old.
However, Mike claims that over time he came to understand that fitness encompassed much more than simply bulking up and looking beautiful. Over the years, it progressively grew on Mike, and these days, he says he can’t imagine his life without both exercise and a balanced diet.
Mike keeps leading by example, demonstrating to his followers that change is attainable with enough time and effort. Here is his account:
Body Measurements of Mike Raso
| Full Name: | Mike Raso |
| YEAR OF BIRTH: | 1987 |
| ERA: | 2010 |
| PROFESSION: | Fitness model and nutritionist |
| NATIONALITY: | Canadian |
| WEIGHT: | 215 to 225 pounds (93.0 to 102.1 kg) |
| HEIGHT: | 6’1″ (185.5cm) |
Accomplishments
- 1st Overall Men’s Physique Stratford Festival Championships OPA
- 1st Tall Class Men’s Physique Ontario Provincial Championships Toronto SuperShow
- Published Fitness Model
Biography
Getting Started with Weight Training
After completing high school, Mike Raso began lifting weights. As Mike put it, “I wanted to get fit and develop some confidence, as well as bring some structure to my life.”
Mike praises his cousin for teaching him the basics of weight training. He showed Mike the proper form for all of the workouts and moves.
Mike thinks the key to his success was studying the form before he added more weight. In the process, this assisted him in avoiding injuries.
Getting Serious About Your Fitness
After working out for a few months, Mike started to notice a noticeable improvement in his strength. As he mentioned, a 60 kg squat that was once challenging for him eventually became his “warm-up set.”
Soon after Mike’s strength increased, his muscle mass also rose; this is what “lit the fire” inside of him. Mike was immediately “sold” on the fitness lifestyle after noticing the changes in his body.
“I felt like I found something that pushed me physically and psychologically,” the author said. “This quickly became a passion.”
However, things didn’t start to get better for Mike until a few years later, when he decided to pursue fitness as a full-time career.
Photographers who were intrigued by his “shredded” figure then approached Mike and asked him to appear in stories for their fitness magazines.
Mike’s Record in Competition
Mike, who started as a fitness photographer, stated, “Once I started seeing myself featured in magazines, it kindled a fire inside of me to keep living out my goal.”
Mike’s dream included more than just fitness modeling, though, as he began to develop an interest in bodybuilding competitions.
It didn’t take him long to get rid of the remainder of his extra body fat and prepare for his first competition as he was already prepared for a photo session.
A few months after winning his first regional competition in Hamilton, Mike competed in the Men’s Physique Ontario Provincial Championships Toronto SuperShow, a considerably bigger bodybuilding competition.
He outperformed the opposition there, winning first place in the tall class.
Following his first huge accomplishment on the stage, Mike didn’t waste any time – he took part in another big fitness show just six weeks later, the Stratford Festival Championships OPA; being won once again.
Nutritionist
Since winning the Stanford Championships, Mike has excelled as a bodybuilder and earned his certification in nutrition.
These days, he uses coaching to assist his internet clients in changing their bodies.
Training
One body component per day, 4-6 times per week, is the basis of Mike’s workout regimen. He devotes one of those days to his weaker body parts.
“I am always changing my workouts—some days I’ll do 6 exercises with 4 sets each while other days I will go for 10 exercises of 3 sets per exercise.”
He mixes cardio into his weightlifting regimen by having brief rest intervals (10–30 seconds) between sets, which causes his heart rate to be elevated throughout the entire session.
By doing it this way, he can work on both his cardio and weight training at once, or as Mike would say, “kill two birds with one stone.”
Mike’s Lean Mass Building Routine V1
This is the first variation of Mike’s training regimen;
- Monday – Chest & Weighted ABS session
- Tuesday – Legs & Calves
- Wednesday – Shoulders & Light ABS session
- Thursday – Back & Calves
- Friday – Weak Point Training & Weighted ABS session
- Saturday – Triceps/Biceps/Forearms
- Sunday – Rest
Mike’s Alternative Training Plan
This is the second variation of Mike’s workout routine;
- Monday – Chest/Triceps/Abs
- Tuesday – Back/Abs
- Wednesday – Quads/Hams/Calves
- Thursday – Rest Day
- Friday – Shoulders
- Saturday -Abs
- Sunday – Rest Day
Alternative Cardio
Mike, who enjoys “mixing things up,” may occasionally make an exception and perform cardio in addition to his usual weight training regimen.
His preferred form of cardio is HIIT, which can include any hard exercise, such as quick sprints or kettlebell swings.
Top Lifts by Mike
Compound movements are Mike’s all-time favorite ways to build muscle. Bench presses, squats, deadlifts, Olympic bar curls for the biceps, incline dumbbell/barbell presses, and close-grip bench presses for the triceps are some of the exercises on this list.
Suggestions for Long-Term Success
These are Mike’s three suggestions for improving fitness and maintaining happiness along the way;
- “Make it a lifestyle.”
- “Be consistent with your training, diet, and sleep because they all play equal parts in the equation.”
- “Take your training seriously, but don’t let it take over other aspects of your life.
Enjoy life.”
Nutrition
Staying Lean
Mike doesn’t have time for lengthy bulking phases because he frequently participates in photo shoots and tournaments. That’s why he prefers to stay lean year-round; slowly building muscle throughout the whole year, with minimal fat gained.
This is his opinion on the topic of bulking and cutting; “I would not want to put my body through mental and physical highs and lows to obtain a certain look.
I feel to attain a beautiful look it is more than viable to go about it by boosting lean mass and limiting fat gain to a minimum.”
Cutting Fat, Preserving Muscle
A few weeks before the occasion, Mike will engage in the so-called “carb cycling” if he wants to shed a little extra fat for an approaching picture session.
By alternating the days each week, he does this by having three high-carb days, one low-carb day, and then three moderate-carb days.
Mike maintains his arduously acquired muscle mass while promoting fat loss.
Diet of Mike
- 1st Meal– 1 scoop Casein+ ½ cup oats + ½ banana + ½ cup egg whites
- 2nd Meal -1 cup egg whites + 2 tbsp. Almond Butter
- 3rd Meal – 1 Protein Source (chicken/fish/extra lean ground turkey)+ vegetable mixture
- 4th Meal-1 Apple + ¾ Scoop Protein Mix
- 5th Meal -1 Scoop Protein+ Blended Oats
- 6th Meal – 1 Cup Brown Rice Pasta + 1 Protein Source (chicken/fish/extra lean ground turkey)
- 7th Meal -1 Scoop Casein + ½ egg whites + 2 tbsp. Almond Butter
Cheating Food
Mike uses a flexible approach to dieting, which means that if his body demands it, he will eat something tasty but not necessarily nutritious.
For instance, Mike will eat a pizza if he feels like it. He will, however, include those calories and macronutrients in his daily allotment to keep things “under control.”
Every one should find balance in their lives, in Mike’s opinion, especially when it comes to dieting. He thinks that striking the perfect balance between what’s healthy and what isn’t is the key to long-term success in fitness.
As Mike puts it, “I find that if you plan on doing this long term, you need to have a healthy relationship with food. When compared to maintaining a lean, healthy physique all year long, dieting for 12 weeks is easy.
Mike Takes Supplements
- Probiotic
- Digestive enzymes
- Vitamin C and D
- Multivitamin
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Glutamine
- Calcium
- BCAAs
- Bulgarian Tribulus
- Creatine
Influences and Idols
Michael Jordan, Peter Forsberg, and Gianluigi Buffon are Mike’s three favorite athletes. He thinks they are all elite competitors who have an admirable commitment to their sport.
He finds inspiration in bodybuilders like Fernando Cipriani and TJ Hoban in the fitness and sports industries. Mike is impressed by the two athletes’ physiques and “winning mindset.”
What Could Mike Raso Teach Us?
Mike Raso began his fitness adventure as a bashful teen who wished to improve his physical appearance and self-esteem.
He was able to accomplish this and more with time. Mike Raso developed into a well-known fitness athlete, landing photo sessions for magazine covers across Canada.
His example has demonstrated to us that greatness and success do not require large-scale, “over-the-top” efforts, but rather, discipline and dedication to the task at hand.
You can eventually accomplish your goal by making tiny, daily progress and persevering in the face of challenges.