Connie Sciolino – Building Stronger & Tougher Outdoor Athletes

Connie Sciolino

Connie Sciolino is the owner and head coach at The Alpine Training Center in Boulder, Colorado.  The ATC is a no-frills gym on the outskirts of town that helps outdoor athletes become better skiers, climbers, runners, and bikers through strength training.  Connie trains everyone from professional athletes to weekend warriors, including one of the climbers in the hit mountaineering documentary, Meru.

The workouts are grueling, both physically and mentally.  But her clients’ results speak for themselves—committed athletes leave the gym stronger, tougher, more resistant to injury, and better equipped to tackle the challenges of the high mountains.  Thanks to her diverse collection of educational, professional, athletic, and outdoor experiences, Connie is setting a new standard for training for mountain-focused sports.


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Episode Notes

Topics Covered

6:25 – Connie explains her work
7:00 – History of the Alpine Training Center
9:55 – How is ATC different than Crossfit
11:25 – “Special” ATC exercises (i.e. “sandbag getups” and “Curtis Ps”)
14:15 – Connie’s athletic, educational, and professional background
18:15 – Early days of experimenting with ski-focused weight training
23:10 – Connie’s athletic experiences in Jackson Hole and the West
26:00 – How Connie built ATC’s unique culture
30:20 – How Connie builds programs for such a wide range of abilities
33:15 – How Connie trains mental toughness
36:55 – The coaching team at ATC
49:25 – Gym Jones
53:00 – Meru and training Renan Ozturk
1:02:30 – Advice for ATC-like training if you don’t live in Boulder
1:05:40 – Connie’s 1-hour body weight challenge: As many push-ups, air squats, and sit-ups. Equal reps across. [Ed’s note: You may want to start with 100-100-100 before trying the hour. You will be destroyed.]
1:08:20 – One of Connie’s favorite success stories
1:12:50 – Favorite books
1:15:15 – Connie’s favorite place in the West
1:18:30 – Connie’s request of listeners
1:21:50 – Find the ATC online