It is not typically breaking news when an NFL team hires a new coach. However, the Chicago Bears announced in early 2025 that they brought on Mark Philippi as their new strength and conditioning coach for the upcoming 2025 season.
The Bears’ executives may have been surprised at how much attention their choice received, since Philippi is more than a trainer or coach. He is a strength icon who has thrived in powerlifting and strongman for many years.
Philippi’s Early Life and Powerlifting Career
Philippi was born on March 21, 1963, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. He grew up playing football. He was an offensive lineman for Montana Tech from 1983 to 1987.
Philippi committed to training after his football career ended and focused on powerlifting. His impact was swift; he won the 1990 USPF Natural Nationals in the Pure 125KG category with only one attempt on each lift. His 859.8-kilogram total was the 11th best out of over 250 competitors across all categories and classes.
Philippi peaked in the sport in 1996 when he won the World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation (WDFPF) world championship in the +140KG division with a 367.5-kilogram squat, 235-kilogram bench press, and 365-kilogram deadlift for a total of 967.5 kilograms. Again, he only took one attempt out of each lift to amass that total, according to Open Powerlifting. His career meet summary is below:
- 1990 USPF Natural Nationals — 1st, Pure 125KG
- 1990 ADFPA Nationals — Disqualified, 125KG
- 1991 ADFPA Nationals — 5th, 125+KG
- 1992 ADFPA Nationals — 3rd, 125KG
- 1992 NASA Grand Nationals/Worlds — 1st, Pure 125KG
- 1994 ADFPA Nationals — 1st, 140+KG
- 1995 ADFPA Nationals — 6th, 140+KG
- 1996 ADFPA Nationals — 1st, 140KG
- 1996 WDFPF World Championships — 1st, 140+KG
Strongman
Philippi found a new challenge in strongman. He competed for 11 years and appeared on the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) stage seven times. His best finish was seventh in his debut WSM in 1997.
Philippi won multiple strongman titles, including the 1997 America’s Strongest Man and the 1998 Beauty and the Beast competitions. He made history as one of the inaugural Arnold Strongman Classic contestants in 2002. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry won that title, but Philippi placed fourth.
The exposure of strongman on ESPN made Philippi a renowned celebrity of that era. His last competition was in 2008. In over 30 competitions, he has one victory and six podiums. His career record is below, per Strongman Archives.
- 1997 World Muscle Power Classic — 2nd
- 1997 World’s Strongest Man — 7th
- 1998 World Muscle Power Classic — 3rd
- 1998 Atlantic Giant — 4th
- 1998 World Strongman Challenge — 2nd
- 1998 Beauty and the Beast — 1st
- 1998 IFSA German Grand Prix — 6th
- 1998 World’s Strongest Man — 8th
- 1999 World Muscle Power Classic — 2nd
- 1999 World’s Strongest Man — Did Not Reach Final
- 2000 IFSA Finland Grand Prix — 9th
- 2000 Beauty and the Beast — 5th
- 2000 IFSA Poland Grand Prix — 5th
- 2000 World’s Strongest Man — Did Not Reach Final
- 2001 America’s Strongest Man — 4th
- 2001 World’s Strongest Man — Did Not Reach Final
- 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic — 4th
- 2002 America’s Strongest Man — 8th
- 2003 America’s Strongest Man — 3rd
- 2003 World’s Strongest Man — Did Not Reach Final
- 2003 X-Treme Strongman Championships — 4th
- 2004 Arnold Strongman Classic — 4th
- 2004 World Muscle Power Classic — 10th
- 2004 Moscow Grand Prix — 9th
- 2004 America’s Strongest Man — 4th
- 2005 Arnold Strongman Classic — 4th
- 2005 World’s Strongest Man — Did Not Reach Final
- 2006 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix — 10th
- 2007 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix — 6th
- 2007 Venice Beach Grand Prix — 5th
- 2007 North America’s Strongest Man — 4th
- 2008 Madison Square Garden Grand Prix — 9th
Other Contributions
Philippi is no stranger to helping other athletes. He opened the Philippi Sports Institute in Las Vegas, NV, where he and his team helped young athletes develop the strength and skills needed in their respective sports. His efforts have assisted athletes from college through the Olympic Games.
Philippi wrote articles and was featured in publications, including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, Sports Illustrated, Las Vegas Life, Ironmind, Powerlifting USA, and the New York Daily News.
The 62-year-old’s sights are now on the Windy City, where he will help the Bears prepare for the 2025 season. Chicago aims to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-2021 season. They finished the 2024-2025 campaign 5-12, last in the NFC North division.
World’s Strongest Man
The 2025 WSM contest begins on May 15, 2025, in Sacramento, CA. Twenty-four athletes will attempt to dethrone three-time reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman in the arena where he won his first and second titles.
BarBend is on the ground in Sacramento, covering the competition live.
More Strongman News
- The Legend of O.D. Wilson — the Uncrowned World’s Strongest Man
- Exclusive Interview: Martins Licis on the 2025 Santa Monica Classic and His Return to Competitive Strongman
- The World’s Strongest Man’s Q&A Before Defending the Title
Featured Images: @markphilippi on Instagram
