Rockin' the House - And Some Killer Abs [Interview]

Michael Wittig, bass player for the Christian rock band Pillar, knew that there was always something a little off about the tour bus his band traveled around the country in.

"It leaned to one side," Wittig said, "because we had our weights loaded underneath."

The band that played together and worshiped together also lifted together, truly a holy trinity as far as Wittig's passions are concerned.

"We were known as the band that worked out," Wittig said. "We had hundreds of pounds of plates and barbells loaded under the bus. And I always carried a set of resistance bands with me. I still advocate that everyone should have a set of bands, because you can do everything with them."

The band formed in 1999 when Wittig was attending college at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. After signing a record deal with a subsidiary of Sony, the band relocated to Tulsa, Okla. It has enjoyed international success, which included a Grammy nomination in 2008 in the category of Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.

Pillar is still together and making music, but the days of touring are over. While Wittig's faith and his love for making music remain strong, his career path has shifted heavily toward the fitness industry. As an ISSA certified fitness trainer, he operates Wittig Works in his adoptive hometown of Tulsa, where he offers nutrition and exercise coaching.

Wittig also competes as a professional bodybuilder, and took part in the International Pro Elite World Championships last year in Kansas City. The married father of four took on his new career in his mid-30s and is committed to having a major impact on the industry.

"Everybody has a different approach when it comes to training," Wittig said. "Some people just want to be a trainer, and that's awesome. Some people want to work with elite athletes. Some people like to work with people who have issues. Everyone has a different calling. My calling has always been that I like lifting weights and building muscle.

"And I want to have a global impact. I have always been one to think big and dream big. I like to have multiple streams of income. When I got my first certification I started working with clients as part of a new company called Elite Training Tulsa. Now I'm a manager and I handle all the sales. Then I started writing e-books to be able to reach more people, and I've sold thousands of them.

"The latest is the start of a series of free training videos. How that benefits me is that I have sponsors. So I have five different streams of revenue, all from fitness and all done through my ISSA certification."

Once he decided to pursue his certification six years ago, Wittig said he had no idea who was who. So he did his research.

"I looked at the top trainers that I liked, but I also talked to local trainers," Wittig said. "ISSA kept coming up. And I also liked the fact that ISSA was one of the first to offer certifications. I also liked that Dr. Squat (ISSA co-founder Fred Hatfield) is involved."

That love grew out of some awkward teenage years, when Wittig showed no signs of one day becoming a professional bodybuilder.

"I got tired of being a rail," Wittig said. "I was 6-foot, 130 pounds. "When I was 15 my dad bought me a weight set and "The Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," which I still have. Within a year I put on 30 pounds."

Thrilled with his success, Wittig wrote a short letter to Flex Magazine. The magazine published the letter, along with his picture.

"That lit the fire," Wittig said.

So the weights went where he went as he crossed the country making music. It's not the stereotypical lifestyle associated with touring rock bands, but it worked for the members of Pillar. For Wittig, that commitment has led to a new type of stage and performance.

After competing as an amateur bodybuilder for a few years, Wittig earned his pro card last year. He won a pro show in St. Louis and qualified him for the International Pro Elite World Championships in Kansas City.

"Being my first year I didn't expect to win it," Wittig said. "I finished somewhere in the middle. I was competing against the best natural athletes in the world. At 41, I was the oldest one competing. So just to be able to hold my own with them was awesome. This year I'll do a little more damage. My plan is to be bigger and better than I was last year."