It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since M&F sat down with Mike “The Miz” Mizanin ahead of the release of his WWE 24 documentary back in 2025. But time moves fast when you’re busy balancing a Hall of Fame worthy pro wrestling career with a burgeoning television presence. Fortunately, M&F managed to slow The Miz down just long enough to catch up with the fighting fit 45-year-old, and we soon found out how he leans into longevity, and how he’s able to stay in peak shape while juggling WWE and American Gladiators.
While The Miz currently has his hands full with Danhausen in WWE, there’s one accolade that cannot be taken away from his stellar in-ring career. The Miz is the only pro wrestler ever to defend a world title against John Cena at WrestleMania, and with the “You Can’t See Me Star” now retired, that feat can never be repeated. In terms of hanging up his own boots, however, The Miz has much more to do.
“When I was coming up, I learned from the best,” he tells M&F. “The best of the best; the John Cenas, the Randy Ortons. I got taught by Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Now, Cena’s retired, Shawn Michaels retired, Triple H doesn’t wrestle anymore, so I want to basically show the newer wrestlers what I learned from them.”
How The Miz Stays in Shape at 45 While Wrestling Full-Time
“I don’t like working out,” admits The Miz. “A lot of people say they are always in the gym, but I have better things on my mind that I can think of doing. So, I’m always a big person as far as finding the tools you can utilize, that’ll allow you to be the best version of yourself.” Take this interview for example, The Miz has hopped on to a Zoom call moments after checking into a hotel, and once we’re done, he’ll be straight out to his next commitment, shooting American Gladiators. For busy people, the efficiency of balancing calories in versus calories out becomes paramount, rather than spending hours at the side of a barbell.
When he’s locked in, The Miz explains that his diet consists of around 2,600 calories. Weighing in at approximately 221 pounds, he opts for one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. And, for cardio, the gifted grappler likes to hit the incline treadmill for 30 to 40 minutes. That’s a sensible move, since most hotel gyms have one on hand.
Why The Miz Uses Floss Bands Before Leg Workouts
“It’s basically a rubber band, and you wrap it around your leg really tight, and then stretch,” explains the former WWE Champion. For the uninitiated, Floss Bands compress muscles and joints and are believed to increase the body’s range of motion while boosting performance.
“I do squats in them,” shares The Miz, “And that gets my legs ready to go. I do flossing before and after my workouts, and I’ve found this has helped a lot with recovery, too.”
The Recovery Routine Keeping The Miz Healthy in WWE
The Miz is still known as one of the most consistent performers in WWE because he rarely misses time through injury. “I would always recommend cold plunges, you’re gonna need it, and maybe get into the sauna right after,” he advises aspiring wrestlers who want to become as durable as he is. The Miz tells M&F that he likes to go back and forth between the cold plunge and the sauna because each has its own benefits.
When you take a cold plunge, the heart pumps blood more efficiently to conserve body temperature while endorphins are released, acting like natural painkillers. Hopping into the sauna then opens the blood vessels, increasing flow to injured areas. Plus, as you sweat, toxins are removed from the body and muscles become more relaxed. “That is the biggest recovery tool that I’ve been using, as a WWE superstar,” shares the charismatic talent.
The Miz Wants to Mentor WWE’s Next Generation
Away from the ring, The Miz has two children with the beautiful Maryse, and being on the road all these years has taught him a lot about valuing those personal relationships. “Put the phone down,” advises the doting husband. “Have a conversation with your wife. If she’s talking, you need to be listening,” he explains.
Still, The Miz has unfinished business in the wrestling ring, and he means what he says about showing younger wrestlers the ropes. “So that, then, they can come up and pass it down as well,” he explains. “That’s, one thing in WWE that we should always do, as Superstars… Pass it down to the next generation.”
The Miz can be seen on WWE SmackDown on the USA Network in the U.S, and on Netflix internationally, while American Gladiators can be streamed via Prime Video.
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