Frequently Asked Questions

Membership at Starting Strength Memphis is $405 a month for three coached sessions a week (recommended), $365 a month for two, or $275 a month for one. Online coaching is $275 a month. There is no contract and no paid intro session; your first session is free. See our Membership page for more info.

The Starting Strength Gym model revolves around small group training sessions to ensure each trainee receives dedicated coaching and customized programming. By signing up for a consistent timeslot, you get a guaranteed platform at your designated training time. Just show up, and your coach will guide you through your entire workout. During your set the coach is on the platform with you. While you are resting the coach is working with others in the group.

To get the best results, our members choose a default timeslot either two or three times a week. It guarantees your equipment is reserved for you and builds a powerful layer of routine and accountability. However, if something comes up, you can easily reschedule into any open spot using our app. And if you have an unpredictable work schedule that makes a set routine impossible, you can simply manage your own week and book available slots on the fly.

While three sessions a week is the ideal for the fastest strength gains, we completely customize the program to fit your life. We also offer a two-day-a-week option, which is perfect if you have a hectic schedule or want to balance lifting with other physical activities. Ultimately, our goal is simply to make you strong so you can live a better, more capable life.

Just wear comfortable exercise clothing that you can easily move in. We recommend wearing a full T-shirt (rather than a tank top or open-back shirt) since the barbell will rest directly on your back during squats. While most of our members eventually invest in a pair of hard-soled weightlifting shoes, you absolutely do not need them to get started.

Our small group training sessions are on a fixed schedule, but please let us know if you prefer another time slot. If we get enough inquiries, we may add more availability. You may also want to consider Starting Strength Online Coaching, where you can train at a local gym on a schedule that works for you. See our Online Coaching page for more info.

Review the Become a Coach page and then use the form there to tell us about your experience and goals.

Our training process is rigorous, and everyone goes through the same process of learning the Starting Strength Method. Your experience may serve you well, but have a look at “The Process” on the Become a Coach page.

This method allows you to make the single largest impact on the people you work with. Because the Starting Strength system produces the fastest, most profound results of any program, you get to watch your trainees experience a rapid, undeniable transformation as they become stronger, more capable, and better equipped to live their lives.

Our coaches are the best trained and best paid in the industry. We maintain strict standards and constantly reexamine them, ensuring you are always coaching the most effective training program in existence.

Starting Strength is truly for everyone. There are absolutely no expectations for you to come to us with a certain level of strength, fitness, or experience. We simply meet you exactly where you are today, and help you get stronger from there. If you are working through a specific injury or limitation, we can easily modify the movements to fit your needs. Fill out our contact form and tell us about yourself so we can discuss a plan tailored to you!

Starting weights are established by your coach during your introductory session. Older or sedentary trainees may start by squatting something as light as a broomstick. Athletic trainees, or those with barbell experience, may squat hundreds of pounds on their first day. The goal is to find a starting point where you can safely perform the exercises, and progress from there.

On day one of your regular group sessions your coach will greet you and show you to your reserved lifting platform. Your coach will talk through the customized workout they have planned for you. You will then be guided through your entire workout. While you are exercising the coach will be on the platform with you. While you are resting they will be working with other members of your group. During your session you will be introduced to the other members of your cohort.

Think of exercise as physical activity for today, while training is a planned journey for tomorrow.

Exercising is just moving your body to burn calories or get a sweat on. It is unplanned, has no long-term goal, and usually leaves you doing the same thing month after month without much change.

Training is a structured, step-by-step process where every single workout builds directly on the last one to achieve a specific result.

Because your time is valuable, training is a much better investment. Instead of just guessing and spinning your wheels, training ensures that every time you walk into the gym, you are following a proven roadmap to get measurably stronger.

The Starting Strength program works by focusing on the most effective barbell exercises (the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift), organized into a highly efficient schedule.

Here is exactly how a beginner starts:

The Workouts: You alternate between two basic sessions.
Workout A: Squat, Press, Deadlift.
Workout B: Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift.

Sets and Reps: After your warm-ups, you perform 3 sets of 5 reps for the squat, press, and bench press. The deadlift is performed for 1 heavy set of 5 reps. This simple, full-body organization ensures every major muscle group is worked without wasting time.

The Progress: The primary variable we change is the weight on the bar. You will add a small amount of weight as often as reasonably possible. Depending on the person this might be 1 pound or 5 pounds.

As you grow stronger, your needs change. Your coach will adapt the programming to match your progress, meaning your workouts on Month 6 will look different than Day 1.