MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY – Peter Rohleder

Peter Rohleder, the official state fitness consultant for the Miss Kansas America Pageant, an exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning specialist, fitness trainer, and adjunct professor at Wichita State University, lives out MC in his daily life. He is a firm believer that the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human are intimately connected, and that in order to improve oneself, you must address each of these aspects. Whether improving his health or strengthening his spiritual life, he believes takes a resilient perseverance and a strong commitment, quoting one of his favorites from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Not only does he implement this habit with his clientele, but he also practices what he preaches.

Fitness means wellness for Pete, and he states, “In today’s world, people accept being unhealthy and lethargic as normal. Taking responsibility for oneself and making the difficult choices to sacrifice in order to be better is one the most empowering and rewarding feelings in the world.” He calls to mind who he is strengthening himself for while working out to push himself to limits otherwise unreached – he pushes to be better for God, not for himself, and that is how he strengthens the body as well as the spirit.

When difficulties arise, he uses exercise to cope with them in order to stay energized and focused. He knows that staying active and healthy is a reminder of his purpose here, a purpose he works to fulfill each day. When struggles do come his way, he responds, “Failure is our best teacher. It is through our faults and failures that we learn to be better people, as well as it gives the choice to rely on Christ for guidance.” Along with having a supportive wife in whom he confides, he finds strength in these words from the Bible: “No difficulty has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the difficulty will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” He stresses trust in God’s timing in his life and the lives of those he works with; faith is a core aspect of his healthy lifestyle.