Mark Rippetoe

Charles Mark Rippetoe (born February 12, 1956) is an American strength training coach, author, former powerlifter, and gym owner. He is best known for his barbell training program, the subject of his book Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training.

Early life and education Rippetoe was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, the son of Charles and Judy Rippetoe. Charles, a former U.S. Army paratrooper who parachuted into Normandy in World War II, owned a diner in Wichita Falls. Rippetoe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum geology from Midwestern State University, where he met his mentor, weightlifter Bill Starr, in 1979. In collaboration with Glenn Pendlay and Kilgore, Rippetoe also established the USA Weightlifting Regional Development Center in Wichita Falls. Rippetoe was also formerly associated with the CrossFit community as a subject-matter expert in barbell training. He authored many training articles for the CrossFit Journal and created, with Lon Kilgore, the Basic Barbell Certification course, which they conducted from 2006 to 2009. After he ended his formal association with CrossFit in 2009, he expanded this course into a three-day Starting Strength Seminar produced through the Aasgaard Company.

Beginning in 2018, the Aasgaard Company established a national franchise gym chain of Starting Strength branded gyms which feature the use of basic barbell equipment and the Starting Strength method.

Authored works Rippetoe has authored several books, peer-reviewed articles, online and DVD instructional videos, and internet posts concerned with strength training. Strong Enough? Thoughts on Thirty Years of Barbell Training Mean Ol’ Mr. Gravity

DVDs Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training

Journal articles "Strength and conditioning for fencing", Strength and Conditioning Journal "Let's Learn How to Coach the Squat", Strength and Conditioning Journal "Redefining Fitness for Health and Fitness Professionals", Journal of Exercise Physiology "Going Deep", CrossFit Journal