Mark Rippetoe

Mark Rippetoe is an American strength training coach, author, and former competitive powerlifter renowned for developing the Starting Strength methodology, a linear progression program emphasizing basic barbell exercises to build foundational strength in novices. Born February 12, 1956, in Wichita Falls, Texas , he has influenced the fitness industry through his emphasis on efficient, evidence-based barbell training principles that prioritize progressive overload and proper technique.

Rippetoe entered the fitness industry in 1978 and competed as a powerlifter for a decade, retiring in 1988 after achieving notable success in regional competitions. He subsequently coached powerlifting meets in North Texas for ten years and acquired ownership of the Wichita Falls Athletic Club in 1984, where he continues to train clients daily. Shifting focus to Olympic weightlifting in 1997, Rippetoe earned certifications including USWF Level I in 1988 and USAW Senior Coach in 1999; he was also among the first to receive NSCA CSCS certification in 1985, which he relinquished in 2009 due to philosophical differences with the organization. From 1999 to 2006, he coached national and international athletes at his gym, and until 2010, he led the strength team at Midwestern State University . His international recognition includes an invitation to the Olympic Solidarity coaching course in 2000 and teaching USA Weightlifting courses from 1999 to 2005.

Rippetoe's seminal work, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training , was first published in 2005 and has since gone through multiple editions, with the third edition released in 2011, establishing core programming for squat, deadlift , bench press , overhead press , and power clean exercises. He co-authored Practical Programming for Strength Training in 2006, providing frameworks for intermediate and advanced trainees. Other notable books include Strong Enough? Thoughts from Thirty Years of Barbell Training (2007), a collection of essays on training philosophy, and Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity (2009), compiling forum discussions on strength topics.

In 2012, Rippetoe founded the Starting Strength Coaches Association to certify instructors in his methodology, promoting standardized teaching of barbell training worldwide through seminars and online resources. His contributions extend to numerous articles in fitness publications and podcasts, advocating for strength as a fundamental aspect of health and performance across ages and athletic levels. Through the Starting Strength network, he has trained thousands, emphasizing that effective strength gains require consistent, heavy lifting over complex routines.

Mark Rippetoe was born in 1956 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

He spent his childhood in Wichita Falls, where he developed an early interest in physical activities through general exposure to sports in the local environment. Rippetoe's father owned a café in Wichita Falls, and his mother was Judy Rippetoe. These formative years laid the groundwork for his lifelong engagement with athletics before he transitioned to formal education at Midwestern State University.

Mark Rippetoe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and a minor in anthropology from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas , in 1983, where he began his formal academic pursuits in the sciences during the late 1970s. Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Rippetoe's choice of the local institution aligned with his family's roots in the area.

During his time at the university, Rippetoe started training in the campus weight room in 1976, initially under informal guidance that sparked his interest in physical conditioning. In 1979, he met Bill Starr, a prominent weightlifter and coach, at the Midwestern State University weight room while Starr was visiting town; this encounter marked a pivotal influence, introducing Rippetoe to foundational concepts of strength training and powerlifting .