Past Clinic: 3-day Underwaters, Starts, Turns & More Swim Camp

Tournament Capital Centre
910 McGill Rd, Kamloops, BC V2C 6N6

A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.

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Within 250 miles of Kamloops, BC.

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Past Clinic

Introduction

Fitter & Faster is producing a 3-day swim camp at the Tournament Capital Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia on March 22-24, 2024!

FAST UNDERWATERS, STARTS, TURNS & MORE SWIM CAMP
DAY 1 (Friday, March 22): The Fifth Stroke - Underwaters
DAY 2 (Saturday, March 23): Explosive Starts & Breakouts
DAY 3 (Sunday, March 24): Fast Flip Turns, Open Turns & Finishes

Scroll down for details on the curriculum!
-> Availability in each session is limited to 22 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer's age group.

SESSION START TIMES FOR ALL THREE DAYS:
Ages 9 to 12: Check in 9 AM, Camp 9:15-11:45 AM
Ages 13 & over: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 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 to 12 and 13 & 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 the younger sessions of this camp, please complete this questionnaire.

Curriculum

Day 1 (Friday, March 22): THE FIFTH STROKE - UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING

In the first session, our Elite Clinicians will work with participants to enhance the fastest sequence for each race lap: streamlines and underwater dolphin kicks. Finessing these techniques not only reduces drag and enhances efficiency but also contributes significantly to overall speed and performance in the water!

  • STREAMLINE: The streamline - when done properly - is the fastest a swimmer travels while in the water. Proper streamlines are even faster than underwater dolphin kicking. Even the most elite swimmers in the world are constantly working on improving their streamline. Your swimmer will get tips to improve their streamline and a better appreciation of what they need to do on every single wall in practice and in races.
  • INITIATING UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: Top age group and elite swimmers maximize their streamline on every single lap. They don’t start their underwater dolphin kicking while they’re still achieving maximum speed in their streamline! They also don’t want to start the underwater dolphin kicking after their streamline has begun to slow. Your swimmer is going to learn how to time when to begin their underwater dolphin kicking.
  • POWERFUL UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: There are a few different techniques that swimmers use when underwater dolphin kicking. The common theme of these techniques is that the best swimmers kick up and down with equal power. We will show your swimmer the different techniques that elite swimmers use and teach them how to implement.
  • NUMBER OF UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKS: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall, for each race, is essential to fast swimming. Elite swimmers want to spend only the absolute necessary amount of time underwater to establish speed with each length. They want to avoid losing their breath and taking weak kicks.
DAY 2 (Saturday, March 23): FAST STARTS & BREAKOUTS

In this session, swimmers will work on executing fast starts and carrying momentum through their breakouts. The skill of generating explosive power at the start while effortlessly integrating the skills developed on day 1 will give swimmers a distinct competitive edge!

  • BLOCK STARTS: To ensure an explosive start, a swimmer needs to set themselves up properly on the block. The elite clinicians will work with participants on the optimal positioning of your swimmer’s entire body to allow for a quick reaction time and optimal speed.
  • WATER ENTRY: Starting the race with a smooth entry into the water will boost your swimmer's speed and carry the momentum generated off the block or wall. Becoming skilled at the water entry is crucial for any start and significantly contributes to your swimmers' overall race!
  • UNDERWATERS REINFORCEMENT: Since fast underwaters are crucial for every start and turn, our clinicians will work with your swimmer on reinforcing the key skills learned on day 1!
  • BREAKOUTS: Many swimmers add movement within their breakout that creates drag and destroys all of the speed created during their underwaters. Participants will work on timing their breakouts to explode into each lap.
  • BACKSTROKE STARTS: During this session, swimmers will work closely with elite clinicians to actively learn and practice high-performance backstroke starts. Participants will refine their foot, arm, and body positions, focusing on the technique of powering off the wall with an arched form to seamlessly slice through the water with maximum efficiency.
  • RELAY EXCHANGES: In relay events, precise reaction time is paramount! During this camp, your swimmer will acquire skills employed by the world's top athletes to precisely time the relay exchange. Reacting too quickly may result in starting before the other swimmer finishes, leading to disqualification. Conversely, starting too slowly can jeopardize our position in the race. Learning the proper technique for a well-timed start and executing an explosive relay dive will undoubtedly elevate your swimmer into a valuable teammate.
Day 3 (Sunday, March 24): FASTER FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES

Quick, powerful turns and finishes are crucial to fast times and winning close races. The top age group and elite swimmers aren't using walls just for turning around - they are used to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Elite swimmers are constantly working their turns and looking for areas to improve them. Today, we're going to work with your swimmer on taking this crucial part of every race (and practice) to the next level!

  • MOMENTUM: The fastest swimmers use walls to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Outside of the elite ranks, many swimmers stop or slow down while going into the wall, which kills their momentum! We will work with participants on the intricacies of approaching every wall at top speed and seamlessly initiating their “turn”.
  • FLIP TURNS: Flip turns are an opportunity for your swimmers to increase momentum in the middle of a race! Flip turns in which the athletes slow down or have “mechanical” movements negatively impact the speed at which a swimmer comes off the wall. We will work with your swimmer to produce fast flip turns so that they can explode off the walls at maximum speed.
  • OPEN TURNS: Elite butterflyers and breaststrokers utilize speed from their last lap to create momentum and even more speed at the beginning of the next lap. Their open turns are actually not “turns”, but more like high-speed pivots. Participants in this session will work on these techniques to have much faster open turns!
  • STREAMLINE, UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING, BREAKOUT PROGRESSION: At this session participants will continue to work on the progression covered on Days 1 & 2.
  • FINISHES: Setting yourself up for a fast finish is very similar to setting yourself up for a strong turn in any race. Races are won and lost by hundredths-of-a-second at every swim meet. Many races come down to the last few strokes. At this camp, your swimmer will learn techniques to set themselves up for a well-timed finish when they are still about 10 yards from the wall.

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

Throughout the camp, swimmers will practice what they've learned with some of the world's most elite Swimmer Clinicians and coaches!

Take a photo, get autographs, and chat with your clinicians!

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