Dr. Michael Hartle spends his days treating patients from babies to senior citizens as a full-time chiropractic physician. He has been practicing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for nearly 3 decades.
He travels around the United States and the world teaching barbell and kettlebell certification and workshops. One of the elite group of master instructors at StrongFirst, The School of Strength, he instructs the SFG and SFL Certifications. He coauthored with Pavel Tsatsouline the exercise technique section of the StrongFirst Lifter instructor manual, the most precise and detail-intensive manual in the industry, and continues to helps refine the curricula.
Always a student, he pursues advanced education degrees and credentials to enhance his knowledge and expertise in the health, strength, and fitness industry. He is a certified nutritionist (DACBN), chiropractic sports physician (CCSP), and strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS).
Currently, he is working toward his PhD in exercise science at Concordia University Chicago. In the midst of his PhD studies, the opportunity to write a book about kettlebells and anatomy came his way. Human Kinetics reached out and the culmination of many late nights resulted in his premier book: Kettlebell Strength Training Anatomy.
A former nationally ranked powerlifter who has won several national titles with USA Powerlifting (USAPL), Dr. Hartle was the USAPL vice president for two years in addition to being the drug testing chairperson for five years. He was also the chairperson of their Sports Medicine Committee for over 20 years, a committee he created in 1994. Starting in 1998, he was the head coach of the USAPL world bench press team for eight years, coaching the U.S. team to the 2004 International Powerlifting Federation World Championship team title. His best competition lifts are 705-pound squat, 535-pound bench press, and 635-pound deadlift, with a best combined total of the three lifts of 1,840 pounds in the former 275-pound weight class.
Changing directions from powerlifting, in 2006 at 38, he started playing semi-pro football with guys 20 years younger but despite the age difference was the strongest guy in the league. Over the next 10 years, he played as a defensive tackle, and loved every minute. His football team, the Adams County Patriots, won the National AA Semi-Pro Football Championship in 2008 and were undefeated for two years straight.
Dr. Hartle trains and advises athletes of all levels, from youth athletes to NCAA student-athletes and professional athletes. For 16 years, he volunteered his time coaching junior high football and track and field.
Raised in the frozen tundra known as Minnesota, he once lived in Hawaii while his father was stationed at Pearl Harbor during Vietnam. He has three sons and three grandchildren who keep him busy with their personal endeavors, including crawling, hockey, football, lacrosse, track and field, and, of course, academics.