Past Clinic: 2023 Spring Swim Camp
Camp Lone Star
2016 Camp Lone Star Rd,
La Grange,
TX 78945
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of La Grange, TX.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing a 1-day swim camp at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, TX on May 29th, 2023! Sessions 1, 2 are for ages 9 & over. Session 3 is for ages 12 & over - so swimmers 12 & over can participate in all three sessions!
2023 SWIM CAMP SERIES: La Grange, TX
-> Session 1: Fast Freestyle Technique! (Ages 9 & up)
-> Session 2: Fast Butterfly Technique (Ages 9 & up)
-> Session 3: Race Pacing (Ages 12 & up)
Scroll down for details on the curriculum!
-> Availability in each session is limited to 24 participants to ensure the best learning experience!
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Full Camp Bundle” for your swimmer!
SESSION START TIMES:
-> Session 1: Check in 8 AM, Camp 8:15-10:45 AM
-> Session 2: Check in 11:15 AM, Camp 11:30-2 PM
-> Session 3: Check in 2:45 PM, Camp 3-5:30 PM
Suggested Participants
Our top priority is to provide a world-class learning experience for all participants at all of our camps. This camp has sessions for swimmers ages 9 & older. Participants will range from one-year of competitive swimming experience to AAAA times and faster. If you are the parent of a child under the age of 9 and would like for your child to be considered for Sessions 1 or 2 of this camp, please complete this questionnaire.
Curriculum
Session 1: FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE
Cultivating good habits to swim freestyle at a high level begins as soon as you learn the stroke. Even if your swimmer is already in high school - it’s never too late to begin practicing techniques that will drastically improve their efficiency, power and times. During session 2, your swimmer will work on techniques to strengthen their bodyline, catch, kick, pull, and breathing pattern.
- BODYLINE: A freestyle race is going to be fastest with the proper bodyline. Even the slightest adjustment of the chin, neck, and/or back can make a huge difference. As swimmers mature in the sport and grow physically, their body position shifts and often bad habits are created. Participants will learn and practice proper posture and engagement of their core to have a strong foundation for better technique - creating a full-body connection for more hydrodynamic and efficient strokes.
- ROTATION: Freestyle is fastest and most efficient when a swimmer’s body is “rotating” around their spine with each stroke. This part of swimming freestyle has a big effect on maintaining a proper bodyline. Participants will practice activating their core muscles to form a powerful connection from head to toe with every stroke - resulting in faster freestyle.
- KICKING: A swimmer’s kick is the motor behind their freestyle! There are obviously proper and improper ways to kick which we will review at the camp. Just as important, however, is practicing the complexities of how and when to “shift gears” in their legs to become stronger and faster racers.
- PULL: The pull in freestyle keeps a swimmer balanced and accelerating forward. Essentially the best swimmers are creating a paddle with every stroke. The clinicians will work with participants to establish an early vertical forearm “the catch”, enabling the swimmer to put immediate pressure back on the water. Properly completing the stroke keeps the swimmer moving forward efficiently and fast.
Session 2: BUTTERFLY TECHNIQUE
We want your swimmer to establish a rhythmic butterfly. During session 3, we will practice various drills and skills that will enable your swimmer to have flowing hips and a long, more powerful butterfly stroke.
- BODYLINE: A butterfly race is going to be fastest with a proper bodyline. Even the slightest adjustment of the chin, neck, and/or back can make a huge difference. As swimmers mature in the sport and grow physically, their body position shifts and bad habits can emerge. Participants will learn and practice proper posture and engagement of their core to have a strong foundation for better technique - creating a full-body connection for more hydrodynamic and efficient butterfly strokes.
- KICK: Each butterfly stroke has two kicks to propel the swimmer towards the other end of the pool! If the kicks are properly timed and equally strong, they can positively impact your swimmer’s efficiency and stroke timing! Your swimmer will work on how and when to kick in butterfly for maximum speed.
- PULL: Long and smooth strokes allow swimmers to have a more efficient and fluid butterfly. The pull in butterfly keeps a swimmer accelerating forward. Your clinicians will work with participants to establish an early vertical forearm, “the catch”, enabling the swimmers to put immediate pressure back on the water. Properly completing the stroke keeps the swimmer moving forward efficiently and fast.
- BREATH: The timing of the breath in butterfly has a direct relationship on a swimmer’s body position, pull, kick and TIMES! At this camp, we will work with participants on breathing with their chin low to the water... and WHEN to breathe in their stroke cycle so that they develop the most efficient stroke possible!
Session 3: Race Pacing
“How should I swim this race?” How many times have you heard this? Swimmers of all ages and abilities have the same question. The technique for swimming a fast race changes depending on the distance. Learning to prioritize tempo and length of stroke, while maintaining efficiency has a huge impact on maximizing speed for sprints or increasing endurance for distance races.
- Length of Stroke: 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.
- “Easy Speed”: Establishing stroke length with the proper tempo after the breakout is essential to setting up a strong 100 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 25 in the 100 or the first 50-100 in the 500. This will cause early fatigue. Swimmers will work on techniques to swim as fast as they can in all strokes with “easy speed”.
- 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.
- Pacing/Control: A swimmer’s tempo will change depending on the race that they are swimming. It may also change at different points during the same race! Your elite clinician will teach participants how to manipulate their tempo, speed and energy at different points in a race. This is called Pacing or “Control”.
- 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?
- Testing Your Plan: 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 execute some broken swims to learn what works best for you.
- 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.
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!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
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