I think Tulsa is one of the more up-and-coming cities. It's trying to take its place as the arts
and entertainment center of Oklahoma you know, rock and roll concerts, plays,
museums. This is all starting to center in Tulsa. Most of the people i talk to that think about
moving here to Tulsa, start doing research and looking up rental properties and they're like
you got to be kidding me. This is half of what you know i'm paying here in Chicago or Boston or New
York for god's sakes. You can live just outside the city and have all the land you want you know.
Or you can live in the city and it's just like every other city but somewhat cheaper to live.
My name is David Heon i'm owner of Starting Strength Tulsa.
Strength was always something that just eluded me no matter how hard i tried or how hard i worked.
So i started looking for that and i came across Mark Rippetoe's youtube videos
and decided this stuff was, this stuff was something different than what i had
ever come across. So i started my novice linear progression in my basement
my basement gym. I'm a general surgeon. I was born and raised in Ohio. Moved out to Oklahoma. Oklahoma
is a much more friendly state for practicing as a surgeon. It's more business friendly,
lower cost of living. Oklahoma City opened up their gym their Starting Strength gym
and i've been going out there probably once a week. As i watched the success that these gyms had in
terms of making people stronger and i realized i wanted to own one of these gyms
you know. I'm kind of winding down in my surgical practice. I'm 60 years old now and retirement isn't
something for me, isn't something i want to do by sitting on a couch. As i watched what happened at
Oklahoma City with people that came in there just incredibly weak and detrained i guess. I watch them
get stronger. I watch them you know, their lives are changing because of what they're doing in the gym
and so i thought wow what a great way to help people. I spent close to 30 years as a surgeon
helping people. It's kind of in my nature to do that and this seems like a neat transition.
My name is Chase Lindley i've been a coach a starting strength coach for a little over two
years now. Started whenever i was 21. The best part about being an SSC is meeting new people.
The freedom that allows, the difference that you're making in people's lives from seeing someone who
can't really stumble through the door. Them getting to the point where they're self-sufficient.
They're able to do things that they thought were not possible and changing their lives
one pound at a time. Essentially meeting people like what i was saying earlier god damn it i
hate cameras Jon i hate it. Adding five pounds, one pound, two pounds to the bar
and over a course of three months seeing them change into a new person. That metamorphosis is
something that i love about this job. Well to be a Starting Strength Coach you want
to have a desire to help people and you have to have a lot of motivation to do that because
it's hard to become a Starting Strength Coach. The process is hard, but that's not going to change and
it doesn't need to change. Man in today's culture people are afraid to work i think. This process is
definitely a year long at the minimum. You putting your nose down on the grindstone and just working.
Whenever people realize that this job is more than just [ __ ] around with
barbells, it's more about impacting people's lives. What you actually thought you were supposed to do
as a PT or what you're supposed to do with this kinesiology degree i think that's going to help
change people's perspective. Starting Strength Coaches you know they're making anywhere from
what sixty to ninety thousand dollars some more than that. And you have a ninety thousand
dollar income in Tulsa, that's a great lifestyle. And once you get that certificate you're in
high demand. The Starting Strength Coaches are where the rubber hits the road essentially. If you can go
to Miami and get the exact same coaching that you get in Oklahoma City or in Chicago or in Boston
then the franchise works. This franchise wants to build 100 gyms you know in the next few years.
Now this gym right here under construction is number 17. So you're at a
cusp right now where you're going to need more Starting Strength Coaches than ever in history.
You got that certificate you can pick and choose where you want to go. With all these gyms opening up
there's different locations. Being a Starting Strength Coach, you're sought out. So
not only do you have that ability of just moving around to different locations, but you know online
programming. I have several people from around the world that i'm working with and i mean i'm
happy to say that. That's crazy to think you know at 12 or even 14 that i could do that.