Our Story
Fitness should help you live a great life. Fitness shouldn’t be your life.
It's a statement we've heard more than once when we ask people to come to our gym. It's the furthest thing from the truth but we understand why people respond that way. We opened Timber and Steel in Downtown Nampa, Idaho to show people another way.
If you've heard anything about our kind of training, it probably has to do with how intense the workouts are. Intensity delivers results but it’s also relative. Not everyone’s intensity is the same.
We began this journey in our early thirties, overweight and displaying symptoms of declining health. We knew almost nothing about what we were getting into but we knew we needed a change.
In January of 2012, we began doing functional fitness in a cold barn at 5:30 am with a few other early morning crazies. The workouts were intense, to say the least. We were constantly sore but we chose to wear that soreness as a badge of honor. We leaned into it and fought through to the other side.
We changed our diet and quickly lost body fat and increased muscle. We were pulling ourselves out of the poor health we'd developed and it felt good.
Other people would come and go. People wanted to make a change but just weren't ready for the intensity asked of them on the first day. As time went on we realized that the early adopters of this type of training embraced the pain and loved it, but that most people need a different approach.
The methodology changes lives but only if people stay consistent. So we set out to create a safe place for regular people to improve their lives without all the intimidation of super high intensity.
Yes, we ask people to push themselves, but that looks different for each individual. We want you to be better. We want people to be healthy and live longer, but we know that it's a journey, and hitting the ground running at 100 miles an hour will leave you not wanting or being able to come back.
Timber and Steel was born out of our desire to make Nampa a healthy community. We are here first and foremost to guide people towards a better life.
That's why we start people with some personal training sessions. Working with a personal trainer sets you up for success and makes doing a workout at an appropriate level so much easier.
It is our goal to help you live adventure-ready. That means you have the health and fitness required to do whatever you want to do and live a life full of fun adventures.
We're not here to make you overly sore or make you puke we truly are different. Down to the very core of why we do this.
“You’ll kill me.
Our History
2014
In 2014, Clayton and Bridgett Borah pursued their dream of opening a gym. It all started with Clayton training a small group in their backyard. From there, their vision grew, and Timber and Steel was born. Today, it's a welcoming space where you can uncover your true potential.
2015
In 2015, Clayton and Bridgett Borah took the exciting step of officially establishing Timber & Steel in the heart of downtown Nampa. Starting with a small group of dedicated members, the gym didn't have its own building yet. Fortunately, they found a generous gym that allowed them to share its space. In April 2015, Timber & Steel began holding classes in a cozy corner of Gym State Strength and Conditioning. It was the humble beginning of a thriving fitness community.
2016
After a year of sharing space with Gym State Strength and Conditioning, it was time for us to embark on a new chapter and find a new home for our gym. We searched high and low, feeling the pressure to secure a place. Fortunately, we received some great news—the Church renting the building next door to Gym State was open to subleasing their space. Just as our time at Gym State was coming to an end, we successfully negotiated an agreement with the Church.
Although this new location wasn't initially designed as a gym, we saw the potential and eagerly got to work. We rolled up our sleeves, building a wall, reinforcing the wood floor, and expanding our equipment. It was an exciting and challenging process, but we were determined to create a welcoming and functional space for our growing community.
2018
After two years of sharing the space with the church, they made the decision to move out, and we were presented with a wonderful opportunity to take over the entire facility. This meant expanding our gym into a spacious 3000-square-foot facility while ensuring that our existing training sessions continued without interruption. The transformation process was no small feat—we had to roll up our sleeves and tackle various tasks. From removing walls and painting to insulating and covering bare walls, as well as installing electrical systems and much more, there was plenty of work to be done. But with determination and teamwork, we turned the space into a vibrant and welcoming environment for our members.
2020
During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, our gym faced temporary closure for a couple of months. When we finally reopened, our top priority was ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone who walked through our doors. To achieve this, we implemented a class cap of 7 people, allowing each individual to have their own defined workout space. We also made adjustments to our squat and pull-up rig to create more distance between members, further enhancing safety measures.
Surprisingly, this unique situation brought about some positive changes. We discovered the benefits of smaller classes and witnessed how much our members appreciated having their own designated workout area. In light of this, we made the decision to maintain the class cap going forward. We are fully committed to upholding the best athlete-to-coach ratio in Nampa, which allows us to provide personalized attention, guidance, and ample space for our members to exercise safely. Your well-being is our priority, and we'll continue to adapt and ensure a comfortable and secure environment for your fitness journey.
2023
In the summer of 2023 we purchased our building at 1411 2nd Street South in Downtown Nampa. The building was formerly a lawn equipment sales and repair shop. We spent July through September working to get the building remodeled and ready for our training.
It turned out amazing and we’re so excited to have a building of our own to use to make Nampa a fantastic place to live.
