Former Mr. Canada Offers Advice Based on 60 Years of Experience

Raymond Sansoucy has won bodybuilding competitions and even created his own line of exercise equipment. Here is his number one success rule.

Raymond Sansoucy won his first physique competition at the age of 17 in Montreal. He went on to win a number more championships before being named Mr. Canada. He has now created the Atlantis fitness brand and remains in fantastic form.

Sansoucy discusses his bodybuilding career and why he left the sport after winning Mr. Canada in 1979 in a recent Renaissance Periodization channel interview with Dr. Mike Israetel and professional bodybuilder Jared Feather.

“My dream was to be Mr. Universe, and since I won Mr. Canada, I was chosen to represent Canada at Mr. Universe.” But I realized that you need more than just training,” he continues, referring to the rise of PEDs in professional bodybuilding at the time. “So, you know, I was afraid of those things.” That is not something I am prepared to accomplish… So I came to a halt. “I started a gym.”

As the proprietor of a training facility, Sansoucy quickly discovered that he was dissatisfied with the limited range of motion that most workout equipment allowed for, so he began creating his own devices, beginning with a power rack, after a buddy showed him how to weld.

Sansoucy now keeps his workouts short—never more than 45 minutes per session—a lesson he claims he learned from his fellow bodybuilders in the 1970s after experiencing the dangers of over-training. “You don’t need to be two hours in the gym,” he said. “Good training, I can feel it.” He also warns against chasing outcomes too early.

“[They] want to grow fast,” he adds of some gym goers. “It took me about ten years to win Mr. Canada.” It can take some time… It’s almost like a way of life. I have several interests, but if I had to choose just one, it would be training.”

When asked for guidance on how to achieve success in the gym, at work, or in life in general, Sansoucy has only one word: tenacity.

“I went four times to win Mr. Canada, working out maybe nine times a week,” he goes on to remark. “But I wanted to win, so I had to keep going.” That is most likely the key to my success. Perseverance.”