MARINA TKALČIĆ
Strength & Fitness Coach
Founder of Strength Studio Marina
I am Marina Tkalčić, a strength and fitness coach and founder of Strength Studio Marina, based in Rijeka, Croatia. I specialise in evidence-based strength training for women, working with kettlebells, barbells and bodyweight through private, online and at-home coaching.
As a StrongFirst Elite Instructor with a background in cultural anthropology, I approach coaching as both a physical and educational process—helping women understand not only how to train, but why.
Why I built Strength Studio Marina
I didn't become a coach only because I loved fitness.
I became a coach because strength changed the way I understood myself, and I wanted other women to experience that same transformation.
My story
Chapter 1 - Before coaching
Before becoming a coach, I spent years studying people.
My academic background is in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, together with Museology and Cultural Sciences. During those years, I was fascinated by the way culture, beliefs and everyday experiences shape how we think, behave and make decisions. Looking back, I realise those questions never disappeared—they simply found a different context.
Today, I ask similar questions through coaching. Why are so many women intimidated by weights? Why do we often believe strength is "for someone else"? Why do some people stay active for decades while others struggle to begin?
That perspective has shaped the way I coach. I don't see training as a collection of exercises. I see it as part of a person's story, habits, confidence and relationship with their own body.
Chapter 2 - Discovering strength
My introduction to strength training happened almost by chance, when a friend invited me to my first kettlebell session.
At first, I thought I had simply found a different way to exercise. Instead, I discovered something that would completely change my perspective.
The more I trained, the more curious I became. Strength wasn't only about lifting heavier weights—it was about learning. Every movement had a purpose. Small technical details mattered. Progress came through patience, consistency and paying attention, not through shortcuts.
Over time, I realised that the lessons I was learning in training extended far beyond the gym. Strength became a way of developing confidence, resilience and trust in my own abilities. It wasn't only changing my body; it was changing the way I approached challenges in everyday life.
Chapter 3 - What i believe about strength
People often ask why I care so much about strength training.
For me, strength has never been only a fitness goal. It is a practical skill that supports everyday life.
Building muscle, moving well and becoming physically capable are important, but what continues to inspire me is what happens alongside those changes. I have seen how learning a new skill, overcoming uncertainty and becoming more comfortable with your own body can gradually change the way you see yourself.
That experience is what inspired me to create Strength Studio Marina. Not simply to help women exercise, but to help them discover that strength is something they are capable of learning, regardless of their previous experience.
One thing I have learned over the years is that strength is not reserved for naturally athletic people. It is a skill that can be learned, developed and carried into every part of life. My role is simply to guide that process.
I enjoy training, but what I enjoy even more is teaching.
One of the most rewarding moments in coaching is not watching someone lift a heavier weight. It is seeing the moment when something suddenly makes sense—when fear becomes curiosity, when uncertainty becomes confidence, and when someone realises they are capable of far more than they believed.
That is why education is such an important part of my coaching.
I don't want you to simply follow a programme. I want you to understand why you're doing what you're doing, so that training becomes something you can carry with you for the rest of your life.
Strength Studio Marina was created to be a place where women can learn strength without intimidation, ask questions without feeling uncomfortable and build confidence through understanding—not just through repetition.
Chapter 4 - Why I coach
My approach
Every coach has a training system.
For me, the individual always comes before the method.
My goal is not simply to prescribe exercises, but to understand the person standing in front of me and build a process that fits her goals, experience and life.
My coaching is guided by four principles:
Education before instruction
I want you to understand why you're doing something, not simply repeat it.The individual before the method
Training should adapt to you—not the other way around.Strength for life
The purpose of training is to support your health, confidence and quality of life, both inside and outside the gym.Never stop learning
Continuing my own education isn't about collecting certifications. It's about becoming a better coach for every person I work with.
Education & experience
2022
StrongFirst Kettlebell Certified Instructor, SFG 1
2023
StrongFirst Barbell Certified Instructor, SFL
2024
StrongFirst Bodyweight Certified Instructor, SFB
2024
The Empowered Performance Program, by Katie StClair
2025
StrongFirst Kettlebell Certified Instructor Lev 2, SFG2
2025
StrongFirst Certified Elite Instructor
Ongoing education in biomechanics, breathing, movement and strength training
2022
Fitness University, Rijeka
2014
Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology / Museology and Heritage Management, @ Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb
2012
Croatian Cultural Studies, @ University for Croatian Studies, Zagreb
Perhaps this is where your story begins.
Every woman arrives with a different story, different experiences and different goals.
If something in my approach resonated with you, I'd be happy to hear yours.
Together, we'll explore where you are now, what you want to achieve and which coaching approach is the right fit for you.
