Starting Strength Boise

[Dave Fox]

Greetings Starting Strength Brethren,

Just wanted to announce out here in Boise we are gearing up to open our first location in the Idaho Treasure Valley in May, with a second location to follow soon after. We just broke ground on construction--so more updates to follow!

We were lucky enough to grab Paul Horn as our head coach with some strong (literally) contenders for our second coach position, and a handful of sharp apprentices--of which is still all being ironed out. I myself have been a fitness coach for about 20 years--and am a recovering kettlebell enthusiast and former peddler of functional training nonsense and have been clean and sober for about 4 years--coaching my clients with our model into a stronger existence exclusively with barbells ever since. Nothing works better in my experience and is a better bang for your buck than what we do and how we do it. Full Stop.

Thanks to Rip & Co., and Ray and his team for cultivating the culture and providing us with the best coaching model and access to talent we could hope for in our space in "The New Fitness Industry." It's going to be well worth the price of admission--for myself and our new members here in Boise!

[Dave Fox]

Boise has a new Opening Date! July 12 is locked in, and we are rolling through construction at a good clip. Coaches are in place, equipment is ordered, now to plan some grand opening event. For those of you that follow us and live in the area, we are located in the McMillan's Corner shopping center next to Albertsons and across the street from Lowell Middle School. Hope to see you guys there!

[Paul Horn]

Hi Everyone,

It has been a minute since I've been active on this forum, but as I gear up to take the reigns as head coach at the first official Starting Strength Gym in Boise, ID, I thought it would be a good time to "reach out," "touch base," and "circle back" with the good folks in this community. For those that don't know me, this is a good place to start.

The short bio is as follows:

• Spent 10 years in sleeveless t-shirts doing bro-stuff in the gym
• Found Starting Strength in 2010 after tearing my labrum and trying to figure out how to NOT do that again (spoiler alert: I did it again)
• Became an SSC in January 2012
• Got fat and stronger
• Worked on the seminar staff for a few years
• Started coaching out of my garage in 2013
• Opened Horn Strength & Conditioning — the first Starting Strength Affiliate Gym on the West Coast — in 2014
• Got less fat
• Sold HS&C in 2020 after repeatedly getting shut down by the powers that be in California
• Moved up to Boise, ID with my dog in 2021 to work with Dave Fox at Starting Strength Boise

For more from me, you can check out some of the YouTube videos on my channel (featuring various levels of fatness) or connect with me at @Horn_Strength and @StartingStrengthBoise on Instagram.

I'll be checking this thread regularly, so feel free to shoot over questions about training, programming, running a gym, coaching, nutrition, or anything else on your mind.

I'm glad to be back on the forum, and I look forward to connecting with you guys.


See you under the bar (or online)!

— Paul

[Avery Martz]

Hello everyone,

My name is Avery Martz and I relocated from Iowa a few weeks ago to apprentice under Paul Horn here at Starting Strength Boise so if anyone has questions about the apprenticeship process feel free to post here and I'll let you know what I know. I'll also be keeping this thread up to date with information about the gym and the progress of our members as we work up to our grand opening and beyond.

SS Boise had its soft opening 4 weeks ago and business has been booming. We have a great location at the corner of Eagle Rd. and McMillan right on the edge of Boise, Meridian and Eagle. Our next door neighbors, a Korean BBQ joint, opened the same weekend we did and the foot traffic has been phenomenal. As well as the food.

In addition to the interest we've received from locals who know about the program we have had consistent walk-ins from people who have little or no experience with barbells. They tend to compliment the design of the gym and talk about how their doctor told them to start strength training. I love working with this demographic because this program can make such a difference in their quality of life so fast. In the 4 weeks we have been open we have already had members come in and report feeling stronger and more confident in their daily life.

A bit about me. Less than 10 weeks ago I was a city bus driver in Iowa. I had been following the SS method on my own for about two years so I decided to attend the April Seminar in Wichita Falls to find out all the ways I had messed up the program. Instead I met David Fox and, after a conversation with Rip and Ray, Inna put me in contact with several coaches at SS Gyms all around the country including the phenomenal staff at SS Cincinnati who have just signed a lease and begun renovation. Very exciting to see things moving along there! David offered an apprenticeship to me in Boise and I promptly put in my two weeks notice at the city transit company, used the rest of my vacation time up and drove an outrageously expensive moving truck out to Boise.

Stay tuned for gym news and updates as we get things fired up. Need a coach? We are available. Never been to see a coach? Come in for an intro session. Need a tune up? Drop in on one of our classes and find out if YNDTP!

[Avery Martz]

Hello Everyone,

SS Boise continues to grow with our noon class consistently being our busiest class. One of our first members has been doing some recruiting for us on her women's football team and our membership is about 60% women at this point. We've also picked up a few CrossFit converts who all come with the same complaints, "I was sore most the time, I was hurt the rest of the time, and I hate cardio anyways." Good for you folks for getting out before Uncle Rhabdo got you.

Gretchen, our assistant coach who will be working in Memphis when they get opened up, has been generating a lot of interest from the neighboring businesses with her dead lifts. She has the loudest 300 lb dead lift of any person I have ever met. One of the hair dressers in the Cost Cutters next door told me they've been doing a lot of advertising for us by explaining to their clients what all the noise is and asked if all that free advertising would get her a discount on a membership. They're just happy to be rid of the restaurant with the leaky plumbing that used to occupy our space.

Come visit us this Saturday at our open house from 10:00-2:00 to see the gym and get some free coaching. Got friends or family in the area than need to lift? They're invited too. Or you can visit our website at Starting Strength Gym in Boise, ID | Get Strong – Guaranteed and give the gift of strength by getting them an intro session plus a week of coaching, then leave the rest to us.

[Avery Martz]

Head Coach Paul Horn dropping some knowledge here at SS Boise.

[Avery Martz]

Starting Strength Boise has been open for 10 weeks now and our clients are making amazing progress. While some of our members, like Eric and Paul, have made phenomenal progress by adding 100 lbs to their squat and bench under the expert guidance of Coach Paul Horn, the most life changing gains have been made by our older clients, some of whom have been able to double their lifts in their time with us, gaining strength and confidence in their own movement. On the topic of life changing events, meet the newest coach at Starting Strength Boise, Nick Huth, and listen to his amazing story about addiction, recovery and Starting Strength.

[Avery Martz]

Gather your friends and family to join us at the gym this Saturday, October 2nd, to celebrate Starting Strength Boise's Grand Opening! Rsvp at our Eventbrite link or drop in to enjoy the food and music.

Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram to be notified of future events for members and non-members alike.

[Avery Martz]

With our Grand Opening behind us we are planning a memebers' event at the end of October to help welcome the new members: The Day of the Deadlift. Come get some actual coaching at Starting Strength Boise and have some fun lifting with the coaches at the end of October.




Gretchen working with Denise on her first ever set of 5 deadlifts with one whole plate on the bar.

[Avery Martz]

Day of the Deadlift will be held at Starting Strength Boise on October 30th from 10-2. Sign up here at our Eventbrite. Prizes for best lifts and best costume! Members compete in this informal competition for free, nonmembers are welcome to join for a $40 entry fee.