Early Start Leads to Big Wins for VanSolkema

Playing varsity football as a freshman is tough to do anywhere.

Camren VanSolkema did it at South Christian High School which, at the start of his ninth grade year, had won three state championships and had made the playoffs in four straight seasons.

Not only was Cam starting for the varsity as a freshman, but he was prepared to make a major impact.

“Going in (freshman year) I was one of the strongest guys on the varsity team,” VanSolkema said.

____________________________________________________________________________

THE PROCESS

Cam came to PowerStrength Training Systems (PSTS) as a 7th grader, attending with his older brother, Chandler. Cam quickly ‘outgrew’ the ‘Little Beast’ 5-8th grade program…

“There aren’t too many athletic 180 lb 7th graders walking around.” PowerStrength Founder and CEO Mark Ehnis said. 

“When Cam first started in middle school, you could tell from his first session that he was just different. He made all our foundational movements look effortless – and definitely stood out among his peers. His raw strength was evident.” 

PowerStrength doesn’t intermix middle school and high school athletes so the optimal environment can be achieved for each age demographic. 

“We had to get him around older athletes to keep challenging him. With (his brother) Chandler helping to show him the ropes, he made a seamless transition to our high school sessions. And he never looked back. Not only did it help him athletically, but we knew he had to adapt to older athletes socially as there was a good chance he was going by-pass the freshmen and/or JV levels.”

PowerStrength offers customized small group personal training where one trainer only works with a handful of athletes at any given time. With this type of expertise and focus, the program has proven to give an athletic advantage over the competition.

“I started off doing the sessions with the older guys,” VanSolkema said. “I would do smaller lifts to get ready for actual barbell movements like benching and deadlift.”

Cam blossomed in the gym – building muscle, gaining strength, and getting faster and more explosive.

“I started off in seventh or eighth grade around 180-190 lbs, before last summer (as junior) I got up to 280,” VanSolkema said about his weight. “I’ve seen a ton of growth benching – from not even (benching) 200 lbs to over 375 lbs!”

____________________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS

Cam recently finished off an incredible high school career on the gridiron as he led the Sailors to 40 wins, two trips to Ford Field, and the first undefeated season in program history his junior year capped with a state championship.

He was a three-time all-conference performer in the OK Gold and was first team all-region twice.

After many years of dedication and training, Cam committed to play football at Grand Valley State University.

“I feel like the more I’m dialed into coming here and just working out as much as I can,” VanSolkema said about his PowerStrength sessions, “it has helped me overall be a better football player and just gain a ton of strength and athleticism.”

“Cam is a testament to consistency,” Ehnis says. “He loves the process and is always looking for ways to improve – even after 5+ years of organized training at PowerStrength. He’s earned the opportunity to play at the next level, but whatever happens with football, Cam has developed so many strong character traits through his dedication that we’re just excited to see where his future takes him.” 

Cam’s overall training results are off the charts as he’s logged over 300 training sessions at PowerStrength!

Some of his best all-time feats are bench pressing 355 lbs for 3 reps, squatting 525 lbs, and deadlift a monstrous 685 lbs.

What’s more impressive is that combined with his strength, “big Cam” can move. 

He’ll aim to drop below a 1.6-second fully-electric 10-yard sprint during this winter training cycle, and below a 5.1-second 40-yard dash. He has over a 30-inch vertical and can perform a standing broad jump over 9-feet – all while weighing 275lbs.

These results are very impressive and well-earned through countless hours dedicated to improving and always working towards the next goal.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

STILL GOING STRONG

Cam continues to train at PowerStrength, participating in the Premier Advanced Training Program for a third year. This program is designed and tailored for athletes who are serious about getting to the next level of performance. Premier is an invite-only program and is segmented into two 3-month training periods. It is designed for “big fish to compete with other big fish.”

“All the guys are really focused on getting better and it is just a super environment to get better in,” Cam says about being part of Premier.  

“You will for sure see results as long as you put the work in.” 

When asked what stands out the most after all these years, Cam said, “coaching is for sure the biggest thing I’ve noticed, helping out all my forms even though I’ve been here for so long, I still get corrected on everything I do – and I just focus on every single detail, which has helped me a ton.” 

In regards to his PowerStrength trainers,  “They do a great job of giving you a good workout,” VanSolkema said, “telling you how much you should be eating to get bigger and stronger, and what’s good and what’s bad to eat, it’s a smart move to come here.”

_________________________________________________________________________

*The winter Premier program was sold out. Spots are still available for the spring Premier session starting in March but act fast.

5th-12th grade athletes of all sports and abilities can sign-up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year – while spots remain. PowerStrength has 4 facilities in West Michigan – Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, and Plainfield. 

Multiple training sessions are offered after school and into the evening, specific training times vary by location. 

Visit https://powerstrengthpro.com/athletes to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started

_________________________________________________________________________