Rock star turned bodybuilder is an identity that Michael Wittig could own and commit to. His band Pillar sold hundreds of thousands of albums and won multiple Dove awards. And – as of the release of this Faith & Fitness Magazine cover Story in May 2023 Michael just became a 10 time Natural Pro Champion with the USBF. But, Wittig has found that what really works in his life is when his training, nutrition, time management and career are balanced with prioritizing family and prayer and being committed to God. That’s when Wittig Works!
Since it was 2013 when we first did the story A Pillar Of Fired-Up Muscle Ready To Help You Feel The Burn and 2017 when contributor Martin Johnson talked with Michael in Play Hard Rock – Workout Hardcore, we thought it was high time to put this guy on the cover and catch up with him. We’re glad we did because while building muscle, training people and good music may be some of the most visible and obvious aspects of his life, it is Christ at the center of his daily lifestyle that leads him and his family into greater works.
GOD WORKS HOPE
One of the most powerful things I’ve learned in my 46+ years of life is that there is always HOPE with Jesus. I went through a dark time about 12 years ago, but I see now I’ve been able to use that experience to share the gift of hope. God didn’t create that dark time, but He used it for good so that I could help others.
My wife and I separated for a short time and back then I really believed our marriage was beyond repair. I remember thinking it was utterly ‘hopeless’. A good friend of mine sat down with me and told me there is always hope with God. At that moment I didn’t believe that was true.
Oh, I believed in God, but failed to see how my marriage could be repaired at that point. I am here to tell you all that in Christ ALL things are possible. My marriage was restored. I have been able to share my story with many men through the years and encourage them that there is always hope with God.
GOD WORKS PASSION, CONSISTENCY AND BALANCE
When I list my fitness credentials it almost sounds like I’m bragging, but I’m not. I just really love helping others being their best, and I’ve really jumped into all things fitness with a singular focus.
I am an ISSA internationally recognized trainer, 10x Natural Pro Fitness Champion, Master World Champion, Natural Olympia Master Champion, 9x cover model [Make that 10 now with Faith & Fitness Magazine!], published articles featured in 50+ magazines, and published over 12 books.
My passion for fitness started back when I was 15 years old when I was so skinny I was embarrassed to go swimming with my friends or change in a locker room. My dad bought me a gray Weider bench with red pinstripes, and these gold plated weights along with Arnold Schwarzeneger’s Encyclopedia.
While I’ve had periods of inactivity through the many years since, I have never really turned back on fitness. There has always been something about the art of discipline and consistency that I connect with in my soul.
During my 20’s my friends and I started touring the world in our Christian rock band Pillar. Even then we carried a bench and weights under the bus to workout before shows. Our bus eventually had a permanent lean to one side because of all the extra weights.
Once we stopped touring, because of all the kids we had, I leaned into my longtime passion of fitness and started building a new career in my mid-thirties. I haven’t missed a workout since and have had the honor to help thousands of people world-wide get healthy.
I have never been the strongest or have I had the best physique, but what I am extremely good at is being consistent. Consistency over the years has helped me make exercise and healthy eating a lifestyle. What I hope to help people with the most when it comes to their health is making it a consistent lifestyle. When they learn to make it a lifestyle they can be their best selves.
A healthy person can be a better partner, parent, worker, and friend. Individuals will often feel selfish taking out 30-60 minutes to do exercise when their loved ones need their attention, but I am here to tell you that taking that hour will make you better and more productive at everything else in life.
I am also a big believer in balance. While I am a recognized health coach and certified nutritionist, I also love donuts and pizza among other tasty things. If you are exercising and eating healthy most of the time you can also enjoy your favorites. But balance to me is also not allowing health and fitness to completely consume one’s life. We need to make ourselves available and flexible to be available and attentive to our family and friends.
Motivation will come and go. Understand this from the start. There will be some days you absolutely don’t feel like moving. This is when being consistent is the most important. Do what is necessary especially when you don’t feel like it. Do the right thing. You can see how fitness greatly parallels our spiritual life.
FATHER, SON AND FAMILY FUN
Tap to expand and read how Michael’s kids workout with him.
I’ve been training with my kids for many years now. Back in 2019 my kids and I developed the “Family Home Workout Series”. It is a collection of fun, short workouts for families of all ages. At the time my twin girls were 8 and my boys 12 and 15. Not only did my family have fun working out together I wanted to share with the world that getting healthier doesn’t have to mean hours of time in a gym. More importantly I wanted my kids to start experiencing working out and having fun doing it with me.
This program I made available for free on my WittigWorks.com. Some of the highlights included using household items and letting the kids invent their own exercise that we all did together.
Now my sons are 16 and 19 and really into working out. Not only do they follow a program I designed specifically for them, but they hit the gym with me whenever they can. My family is one of the reasons I jumped into health and fitness so much. My father passed away when I was only 16 in high school because of a heart attack. I’ve missed him terribly through the years and it makes me sad that he never saw me get married, have success with Pillar, and watch my fitness and acting careers unfold. I take health seriously because I want to be around for my children for many years to come and be able to be involved and active. I also realize that my kids watch and learn from my lifestyle. What I do today could have a huge impact on not only my kids, but generations of my family.
All this very much parallels our spiritual health. Our kids are watching if we pray, go to church, how we treat others, and our giving practices. Our spiritual walk today can also affect generations of our families starting with our kids.
After a few months of serious lifting my sons, Kyler and Kaden, are starting to get strong and build some serious muscle. They are understanding that committing to a program and being consistent is very important. There are days they are tired, have work, or friends who want to hang out, but they have been planning and finding a way to get it done regardless.
I’ve been able to use this principle of consistency with exercise to teach them the importance of consistency with prayer. If we allow, life can be crazy and hectic making it easy to skip a workout, or a prayer. Just how they plan their workouts I’ve been trying to teach them to plan their prayer time so it doesn’t get skipped.
GOD WORKS IN US THROUGH FAITHFULNESS AND PRAYER
I personally feel that my life is a gift. I was spared death at an early age to do great things for God and to help other people. Because of this I also feel it’s my duty to stay healthy so I can continue to be there for my family and do the work God has planned for me. Being a father of four children (Kaden 18, Kyler 16, and twins Kinely and Kennedie both 12) I also want to lead by example and leave a legacy of health for generations of my family.
My kids watch what I do and hopefully they will take some of what I do into their adulthood. Then their kids will learn from them. What we do now can affect generations of our family to come. The same is true about our walk with God. Our children will benefit their entire lives going to church with us and praying together.
I also take my exercise and healthy eating seriously because I want to be around for my children for many years to come. I was raised by my grandparents and my grandpa (dad) passed away when I was only 16 and my grandma (mom) passed about 12 years ago both from heart disease. I know we are all eventually going to die and oftentimes that time is out of our control, but if I can work now to be around for my family longer I am going to do it.
I don’t just want to be present, but be active and have fun with my family as I age. These are my main driving forces, my personal ‘whys’.
While I am very regimented with my exercise and meal planning, being as intentional with my spiritual life is something I am always working to improve. Just like I don’t like missing a workout, my family and I try not to miss church. This is the same with my personal prayer life. It’s too easy to get so busy we forget to take out even 5 minutes daily to pray. This is something I am always working to do better.
Recently we went through a very tough time with a family member. I am going to keep the details private, but it was very painful. During this time my wife and I prayed and pleaded with God daily. During this time I had the thought of how well we pray when there is trouble, but when things are going great how easy it is to let the practice slip. Daily prayer is no different than daily exercise, you just do it. When I hit a workout I almost skipped, I feel great afterwards. It’s the same when you take the time to talk with God.
WHAT WORKS FOR WITTIG AND HOW HE WORKS HARD AT IT
- Training Consistently: While I always give every workout my best, there are days I’m tired or just don’t feel like it. During those times I am a believer of doing what is necessary especially when I don’t feel like it. Doing your best and being consistent is way more important than being perfect.
- Nutrition Planning: I always know what I will eat the next day before going to bed. Backing up, this all starts with my family having an ongoing shopping list so I never run out of my healthy essentials. If my schedule is different one day because of acting or travel I plan ahead and bring what I need. Do today what will help you tomorrow.
- My Prayer Life: I realized it’s too easy for us to slow down our praying when everything is going smoothly. I’ve allowed this to happen. So nowadays I’ve been working to build the new habit of praying the second I get into my car and drive to the gym. Even if there is a great song on the radio I turn that volume down and talk with God.
- Managing My Time: I started getting extremely early in the mornings around 4 years ago. I’m talking 4am early! I did this to carve out new unused time to work on a specific program for 1 hour each morning before the family woke up. I sacrificed and did this so I wouldn’t have to cut into family time to pursue this new program which was writing for fitness magazines. Currently I wake up to go to the gym at 4am for the same reason. My goal is to get back right before the kids get up to make them breakfast and get them out the door for schedule.
- Career Building: I have been blessed to have successful careers in music, fitness, modeling and acting. Some of the principles that have helped me in all these careers include: Being kind to others, doing more than is asked of me, doing everything with excellence, and helping others succeed.
- Being the Best Dad I Can Be: I am where I am today because of the amazing support my parents gave me when I was younger. They helped me pursue music which ended up working out very well. I try to be as supportive and helpful to my kids as possible when it comes to their dreams. My son Kaden wants to be a film director so I got into acting to help him navigate that world and make contacts. But one of the things I realized I was terrible at was being on my phone too much. It’s a work in progress, but now I try to make a point of putting my phone down when my kids are talking to me. These are moments I will not want to miss. I hear such great stories especially from my younger twin girls.
MUSIC THAT WORKS FOR MICHAEL
Here is one of Michael’s favorite songs from his band Pillar that he listens to during his workout. We thought you might like to take it to your gym the next time you lift.
