Mike Torchia (fitness)

Michael Torchia is a nationally-known media commentator on fitness issues and a well-regarded celebrity fitness trainer for over 20 years. His clients have included a who's who of Hollywood including Keith Urban, Kim Catrall, Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon, Kevin Spacey, Joe Mantegna, Sylvester Stallone and Al Pacino. A native of White Plains, New York, Mike Torchia launched his fitness career in the late 1970's when he won the Mr. Teenage New York and Mr. Teenage America competitions. Torchia moved to California in 1980 and established himself among the Venice Beach bodybuilding scene at the original Gold's Gym where he encountered Arnold Schwarzenneggar and Franco Columbo along with other top bodybuilders of that era. Mike began his fitness training career while preparing for the 1981 Mr. California bodybuilding competition, where he won The Title.

Torchia has appeared on national news programs over the years to give his expert opinion on controversies surrounding fad diets and dangerous weight loss drugs such as Fen-Phen. Torchia's appearances have including ABC News, CBS Morning News, Dateline, Fox News, and the NBC Today Show. Torchia also has appeared as an on-air personality for such shows as Extra! and Inside EDition where he reported on stories dealing with celebrity fitness. Torchia has also authored numerous articles for the fitness-centered press, his work having appeared in Muscle & Fitness and Ironman Magazine.

In the world of celebrity fitness training, Torchia is best known as the on-set trainer who worked with actor Kevin Spacey on the set of American Beauty, transforming Spacey into the muscle man title character that later won Spacey several acting awards.