Strength & Conditioning camp provides a varied and interesting summer training regimem in the framework of a traditional summer camp. Campers get morning and afternoon training sessions mixed in with traditional camp activity options such as swimming, windsurfing, and capture the flag.
The program is directed by Dave Slovenski, AKA Tarzan, a former strength & conditioning specialist, who was the captain of the Princeton Track team and an Ivy League record setter in the pole vault. Day to day coaching will be led by collegiate athletes & fitness enthusiasts with a variety of backgrounds. This unique setup offers campers many perspectives and approaches to conditioning that will serve them well for summer training.
The Rocky Gym is our weight room with a full rack, half rack, bench & inclined bench, full set of dumbbells, exercise bands, medicine ballsvariety We also make use of the Colosseum, with a large padded floor for all sorts of exercises. The camp peninsula has a large field, good trails and hills, a sandy beach for sprints, and a lake for swimming.
The training regimen is flexible depending on the individual and group preferences. Generally the program targets a different type of training each period of the day, such as sprint speed, strength, HIIT, explosivity, or aerobic endurance, but the coaches will tailor the workouts to the preferences of the individuals for their sports. We will encourage campers to try some training outside of their normal routines to grow and strengthen different muscles. Individuals may also practice their sport specific skills one or two periods, so long as it works (e.g. hockey players could do stick work, but not skate) safely at camp. Each day can include a period or two in the weight room with traditional lifting if desired. Our coaches are big fans of cross training to prevent injury, so there will be an emphasis on different and new excercises outside of basic and boring lifting & running.
Some of our favorite workouts include
- Hill Sprints, Up & Down
- Beach sprints, shallow water sprints, and sand plyometrics
- Kayak & swimming intervals
- Intense treading water
- Rope Climbing and Gymnastic Rings
- Chopping Wood
- Punching bag boxing circuit
- Plyometric Pushups
- Olympic Lifting
- Paddleboard Yoga
The daily schedule follows the framework of the other programs at camp, with most periods lasting 45 - 60 minutes. The morning will usually consist of one or two periods of strength & conditioning and one or two period of activity options with the other camp programs. Those options vary day to day, but include games like archery tag, gel blasters, dodgeball, basketball, and volleyball; watersports like swimming, windsurfing, and sailing; and other activities like arts & crafts, nature walks, and board games. The afternoon similarly has one or two periods of strength & conditioning, one or two activity periods, and one cabin activity period. After dinner there is a full camp activity period where all the programs join together for some big games like capture the flag, manhunt, or war games. Overall there are about 2 - 4 training periods per day, plus 4 - 6 activity periods. Some athletes may be ready for a high training load, and they will usually choose to do more periods; Other athletes may need a lighter volume of training, and our schedule accommodates that as well.
Slovenski camps is a coed campground. Girls' cabins are separate from boys' cabins, but most activities, free time, and meals are coed.
Check out our "experience camp" page to see what a day in the life of a camper can look like or to go on a virtual tour of our beautiful campus and rustic accommodations. The FAQ page has a wealth of commonly sought answers. If you still have questions, you can get in touch with us using the contact info at the bottom of each page, or chat with a counselor instantly using the chat box in the bottom right. We'd love to hear from you!
Camp also has a paintball add-on program that may be of interest to strength & conditioning campers aged 13 and older. Campers who choose that play paintball in the morning and participate in strength & conditioning camp in the afternoon (or vice versa). For information on that, see Paintball Add-On.