Past Clinic: 2023 Autumn Swim Camp
New Tampa Family YMCA
16221 Compton Dr,
Tampa,
FL 33647
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Tampa, FL.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Fitter & Faster is returning to the New Tampa Family YMCA to produce a 2-day swim camp in Tampa, Florida on October 7 & 8, 2023!
2023 AUTUMN SWIM CAMPS: Tampa, FL
-> Ages 9 to 11: Essentials of Sprinting
-> Ages 12 & over: Race Strategy and Execution for IM's & 200's
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details about each swim camp
-> Availability in each swim camp is limited to 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer's age group
Select a curriculum below
ESSENTIALS OF SPRINTING (AGES 9 to 11)
Swimming fast requires good technique, efficiency, power, and a hard working athlete. Participants in this session will advance their skills that apply to fast swimming in every stroke. Young competitive swimmers need to establish and cultivate habits to swim their shorter races as fast as possible with good technique that will position them for success as they mature.
- Day 1: ESTABLISHING SPEED (Saturday, Oct 7): At this session your swimmer will practice the essential components to set up the optimal technique for swimming at top speed.
- Body Position: A competitive swimmer’s body position is the key to fast swimming. Most swimmers are NOT hydrodynamic in the water - and that has a big effect on how fast they “allow” themselves to swim - especially as they get older. Let’s find the right body position for your swimmer.
- Stroke Length: Lengthening their stroke will enable your swimmer to “catch” and hold onto more water to propel them as they swim. Whereas a short stroke is inefficient and not sustainable for very long. The clinicians will work with participants on this important skill for fast swimming.
- Tempo: When sprinting short races young swimmers often tend to take too many strokes (“spin their wheels”) and not “hold onto the water”. At this camp we will find the appropriate tempo to maximize their own personal speed.
- Day 2: SPRINTING SKILLS (Sunday, Oct 8): On Day 2, your swimmer will apply the skills that we practiced on the first day of this camp to important segments of every sprint race, including the moment your swimmer pushes off the wall; breakouts; finishes and all out sprinting!
- Sprinting: On Day 1 your swimmer worked on body position, tempo and length of stroke. Today we are going to apply those skills to swimming “all out” on top of the water with efficiency and power.
- Walls, Walls, Walls!: Approaching the wall at top speed in preparation for the fastest turn is vital. Swimmers will work on techniques to get in and out of every wall faster!
- Breakouts: Many swimmers add movement within their breakout that creates drag and destroys all of the power created during their underwaters. Participants will work on timing their breakouts to accelerate to explode into each lap.
- Finishes: Dropping time and even winning or moving up a few spots in the results can all come down to the last stroke! A well-timed finish at full speed, with full-arm extension and head down can make a difference of up to a full second in a race! Your swimmer is going to learn how to take advantage of the finish to drop time!
- Sprinting Application: Swimmers at this session will work on applying their newly developed skills during racing scenarios. As with all the other segments of this camp, the clinicians will provide feedback for your swimmer to take home and apply at upcoming practices and meets.
RACE STRATEGY & EXECUTION: IM's & 200's (AGES 12 & OVER)
“How should I swim this race?” How many times have you heard this? Swimmers of all ages and abilities have the same question. There are many different ways to swim fast races. During this camp, our clinicians will work with the participants to understand different ways to execute a race and seeing what works for them! On Day 1 of this camp the focus will be exclusively on Individual Medleys. On Day 2 the focus will be on 200 strategies and execution in applicable in every stroke!
- DAY 1: IM RACE STRATEGY & EXECUTION (Saturday, Oct 7): Which IM leg should be pushed harder? Our clinicians will help participants understand different types of pacing and strategies for IM events to race smarter AND faster!
- IM Strategy: Every IM swimmer has a different strategy that they have developed over years of practice and racing. At this session, our Elite Clinicians will work with swimmers to develop a deeper understanding of utilizing their own unique strengths and weaknesses to build a customized race plan that will help them swim faster!
- Stroke Pacing: There are many ways for a swimmer to adjust their strokes to maximize efficiency or speed. Lengthening distance per stroke at critical times in an IM can help conserve energy. Swimmers can also prioritize tempo in their stroke to try to accelerate or finish strong! Elite athletes know themselves and how they need to adjust their strokes. Participants will learn how to seamlessly change these elements within their strokes to maximize the effectiveness of their strategy.
- IM Racing: Many swimmers have different strategies while racing, especially when in the IM’s! Swimmers will need to adjust their racing strategy based on how they stack up among their competitors during the race. Swimmers will work with their elite clinicians on balancing energy expenditure while competing against others to find the ideal combination for IM races!
- Strategy Reinforcement: Swimmers will work with our clinicians on finessing different IM racing techniques learned during the session. They will also go through a training set developed by our clinicians and the Fitter and Faster coaching team to help swimmers maintain their strategy and technique through fatigue!
- DAY 2: 200's RACE STRATEGY & EXECUTION (Sunday, Oct 8): There are many different ways to swim a fast 200 in every stroke. The name of the game is understanding all the different ways to execute the race and seeing what works for you!
- Strategy: At this camp your swimmer will learn various strategies that elite swimmers have executed with top results. Before your camp you will be emailed links to several elite level races of 200 yards/meters across all strokes. At the camp we will discuss and practice those strategies.
- "Easy Speed": Establishing stroke length with the proper tempo after the breakout is essential to setting up a strong 200 in any stroke. Going as fast as we can with ease is the key to “easy speed”. We don’t want to kick or pull too hard on the first 50 in the 200. This will cause early fatigue. Swimmers will work on techniques to swim as fast as they can in all strokes with “easy speed”.
- Control: Your elite clinician will teach participants how to manipulate their speed and energy at different points in a race.
- Front & Back - End Speed: The first half (front-end) and second half (back-end) of the 200 can be “broken up” to ensure an effective plan. Some swimmers go out really fast and hang on, while others control the first part of their race, then try to “back-end” the race at full speed. Testing new strategies at this camp will give your swimmer confidence in their next race.
- Underwater Kick Count: Underwater Kick Count: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall is essential to a fast 200. A swimmer wants to spend only the absolute necessary amount of time underwater to establish speed with each length. We want to avoid losing our breath and/or taking weak kicks.
- Breathing Pattern: Establishing a breathing pattern will help the swimmer stay focused and relaxed on their own swim. It will also help them finish the race with enough oxygen to close the race at full speed.
- Establishing a Plan: A racer should have a plan for the race before it is swum! What’s your plan for front-end and back-end speed? How much time will you spend underwater before your first breath? How often will you breath each length?
- Test the Plan In Practice: Now we test it! Swimmers will do a complete short set at the end of the session to practice racing the plan and stroke under race conditions. We’ll get off the blocks and practice some front end swims, push some back end swims, and race some straight 200’s depending on the sessions.
- Confidence: One of the essential elements to dropping time and swimming fast is being willing to try new strategies when swimming a race. It’s ok to feel nervous and a little bit uncomfortable before your race! Entering a race with a strategy will help your swimmer with their confidence… and that confidence will help propel them to the results they aim to achieve.
START TIMES FOR BOTH DAYS:
- Ages 9 to 11: Check in 10 AM. Camp: 10:15-12:45 PM
- Ages 12 & over: Check in 1:15 PM. Camp: 1:30-4:30 PM
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask the clinicians questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe clinicians swim at full speed and demonstrate a progression of perfectly executed drills to achieve powerful, efficient and fast swimming.
PUT YOUR SKILLS TO THE TEST
Swimmers will get to practice what they've learned by taking their stroke to your top speed with some of the best swimmers and coaches in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.
Take a photo, get autographs, and chat with your clinicians!
Matthew Abeysinghe
Matthew Abeysinghe is a 2x Olympian, 2x Worlds Competitor, Sri Lankan Record Holder, and South Asian Games' most decorated swimmer! Matthew brings a broad range of knowledge, experience, and skills to his camps and incredible energy and attitude. You don't want to miss the opportunity to work with Matthew!
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