Author: Craig Marker
Craig Marker, Ph.D. CSCS, StrongFirst Certified Senior Instructor Emeritus, is a fitness enthusiast who has spent his life trying to help people improve their lives. As a professor, he works with students on how best to understand research and place it into context. He has published over fifty articles, chapters, and textbooks on psychology and research methods.
As a researcher, he understands the cutting edge of strength, sports performance, body composition, and nutrition. As a psychologist, he has focused on research and treatment of anxiety disorders, which positions him to understand the motivation and the fear of making life changes.
Craig’s upcoming book, the The Antifragile Self, takes on the topic of building a stronger person in the mental and physical domains.
As a StrongFirst Certified Elite Instructor, Craig views kettlebells as one tool in the trade of forging a better person.
Visit his intentional community in Atlanta: Strength.University.
The one-arm strict barbell press is a challenging press that will build strength and muscle stability. Pavel recommended the side press in Power to the People! and this stricter variation is a valuable addition to your strength training regimen. The prehabilitation and rehabilitation benefits of the strict barbell press are tremendous as the grip and […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #22 Summary Jon Engum, StrongFirst Master Instructor, joins your host, Craig Marker, to talk about martial arts, flexible steel drills, his new book Trembling Shock, and the Dome of Strength in Chicago. Jon and Craig will also discuss training people in different cultures. Show Notes 01:45 – Discussion of cold exposure […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #20 Summary Professor Carmen Bott is a strength and conditioning coach from Vancouver, British Columbia who specializes in physical preparation for combative and collision sports athletes. Show Notes 00:56 – Coach Bott talks about her history and how she got into the sports science space. 02:41 – Coach Bott’s thesis on […]
Why does exercise make us healthier? One of the most important linkages may be due to improving our mitochondrial functioning. Healthier mitochondria may be the route to living better, healthier lives, while also being better in our sport or work. This article is the first in a series breaking down current research and how you […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #17 Summary Dr. Stu McGill discusses optimal back health and its importance when strength training. Show Notes 00:55 — Craig introduces Dr. Stu McGill. 4:46 — Dr. McGill discusses animal models and how the cervical spine of a pig is similar to the human spine. 09:17 — Discussion of Pavel’s core […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #23 Summary Brett Jones, Director of Education for StrongFirst, joins the show a second time to talk about his use of Indian clubs, nail bending, and powerlifting. Brett talks to your host Craig Marker about his current training to achieve the sinister goal. Show Notes 01:35 – Brett talks about his […]
Dr. Stu McGill joins the show for a second time to talk about breathing and when to use what kind of breathing. Dr. McGill also talks to your host Craig Marker about picking up odd objects, wedging, and getting strong with power breathing.
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #19 Summary StrongFirst Master Instructor Peter Lakatos from Budapest, Hungary talks with your host Dr. Craig Marker about training that relates to hormesis. He discusses training related to Buteyko breathing, blood flow restriction, HRV training, fasting, and red light therapy. Show Notes 01:35 — Peter talks about handball and his background in […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #18 Summary Dr. Jimmy Yuan is a chiropractor balancing the world between medical rehabilitation and sports training. Dr. Yuan trains professional golfers, MLB, NFL, NBA, and college athletes. In addition to being a StrongFirst Team Leader, he is a Titleist Certified Golf Fitness Instructor and FMS Instructor. In this episode, Dr. Yuan […]
StrongFirst Podcast Episode #16 Summary Mira Kwon is the co-owner of Industrial Strength, an Accredited StrongFirst Gym in Portland, Oregon. She is an accomplished weightlifter. In this episode, she talks about the benefits of Olympic weight training and how it differs from kettlebell movements. Show Notes 01:16 — Mira talks about how she got […]
