Comprehensive Breaststroke Racing Swim Camp & Video Filming/Analysis (Ages 13 & over)
Bridgewater YMCA
601 Garretson Rd,
Bridgewater,
NJ 08807
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Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing a 2-day swim camp for competitive swimmers ages 13 & over at the Bridgewater YMCA in Bridgewater, New Jersey on December 28 & 29, 2024! We are also producing an exclusive video filming & analysis session on December 28th. Click here for the swim camp page for ages 10 to 12!
COMPREHENSIVE BREASTSTROKE TECHNIQUE SWIM CAMP (Ages 13 & over)
DAY 1 (Saturday, December 28): Breaststroke Technique
DAY 2 (Sunday, December 29): Breaststroke Racing & Training Skills
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS
SATURDAY, December 28 (4:30-6:30 PM): Swimmers who register for the Breaststroke Swim Camp are also able to purchase video analysis of their strokes. Sign up for 1, 2, or 3 strokes, or SAVE when you attend both days AND have 4 strokes analyzed!
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details on the swim camp and video analysis session.
-> Availability in each session of the swim camp is limited to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase an "Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer.
Select a curriculum below
COMPREHENSIVE BREASTSTROKE RACING SWIM CAMP: December 28 & December 29, 2024
At the highest level of swimming, breaststroke has the most varied technique. Out of the eight finalists at the Olympic Games, you might see eight different styles of breaststroke! A swimmer's timing and ability to eliminate resistance are hallmarks of an efficient and powerful breaststroker. No matter your swimmer’s level, this 2-day camp will strengthen their technique, as well as their racing and training skills, leading to faster and more efficient breaststroke races… and faster IMs!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, December 28): BREASTSTROKE TECHNIQUE: We want your swimmer to establish a well-timed breaststroke. Today we will practice various drills and skills that will enable your swimmer to have flowing hips, a powerful kick, and a long, flowing stroke.
- Bodyline: A breaststroke 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. Elite breaststrokers focus on minimizing drag by “catching water” on their hands and feet as quickly as possible, so they can shoot back into a “straight bodyline” where they can glide at top speed.
- Kick: The kick creates a lot of the power in breaststroke. Swimmers need to keep their knees high in the water and snap their feet quickly around and back to create a powerful kick. Our clinicians will work with participants to strengthen their kick for the ultimate propulsion forward!
- Pull: The name of the game in breaststroke is to create as much propulsion as possible in the pull while minimizing resistance… and then quickly getting back into a straight bodyline to establish a high-speed glide. Participants at this session will focus on setting up a proper "catch" and keeping their hands and elbows high on the water throughout the entire pull. The techniques your swimmer will practice will minimize resistance and enable them to maintain forward momentum for the fastest breaststroke.
- Timing: Fast, flowing breaststroke is the result of proper timing between a swimmer’s hands and feet. Establishing proper timing in your swimmer’s breaststroke will allow for more fluidity, power, and speed. Participants in this session will learn how elite swimmers time their breaststroke for ultimate efficiency and the fastest races.
- DAY 2 (Sunday, December 29): BREASTSTROKE RACING & TRAINING SKILLS: On the first day of this camp, swimmers worked on techniques to implement an efficient breaststroke. On Day 2, we will work on applying speed to their breaststroke! Our objective is to get your swimmer to maintain their technique with distance per stroke, tempo, and flowing speed.
- Tempo: Tempo in breaststroke is the rate at which a swimmer can get back into the proper bodyline to establish a high-speed glide. When swimming breaststroke races, many athletes tend to take too many strokes without ever getting into the proper bodyline. At this session, we will explore different tempos that are sustainable for any distance, and allow for the proper glide between strokes.
- Distance Per Stroke: One way to increase efficiency is to take fewer strokes. Counting the number of strokes a swimmer takes per lap, while improving technique to decrease that number, will enable them to be more efficient and even conserve energy. At this session, participants will discover how changing speeds might change their stroke count, but should not change the effectiveness of each stroke.
- Pacing: A breaststroker’s pace is going to change during a race and from distance to distance. When swimming breaststroke, your swimmer can learn to measure their pace using tempo and distance per stroke. At this session, we will practice race strategy pacing for all breaststroke events.
- Breaststroke Pullouts: The breaststroke pullout is an important and unique part of every breaststroke race. We will work with participants on minimizing resistance in their pull-outs and establishing maximum speed. The pullout can be used strategically, depending on the distance of the race, to cover more ground before breaking out.
- Training Breaststroke: At the end of this session, your swimmer will do a short and fast swim set to practice everything they have learned over the past two days.
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS
Since so much of the stroke happens underwater, it is incredibly important to see what’s going on below the surface! Small adjustments to your stroke can lead to big time drops! This is your opportunity to get beautiful footage of your stroke and get analysis from an expert… and you can review with your coach as well!
- ANALYSIS: Our Fitter and Faster expert will use a video analysis application to record their comments on your technique. They will use slow motion, pause the video at specific points, and draw on the swimmer's video, all while explaining where opportunities for improvement are. Each stroke will have approximately 3 to 5 minutes of expert commentary that you can review with your coaches at home!
- DRILL RECOMMENDATIONS: You will receive recommendations for drills to correct the technique of each swimmer.
- SIGN UP: Select to have one stroke filmed. Or, SAVE by choosing to have all four strokes filmed. The "multi-stroke options" are for individual swimmers and cannot be split.
- ARRIVING AT THE POOL (Retain your order number): You will receive an e-mail approximately one week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed. Please retain your order number - this is how swimmers will be identified on that schedule. When you arrive at the pool, you will be greeted by Fitter & Faster staff who will provide you instructions on the filming process.
- WARM UP: Participants will have an opportunity to warm up before filming.
- FILMING: Our camera operator will have you swim two 25s at a strong pace of each stroke purchased (1 stroke or all 4 strokes). The filming of each stroke will take about three minutes. The video will capture a side angle and a front angle below the water to get an accurate view of your technique.
- SESSION LEGNTH: Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- TIMELINE: All videos will be analyzed and returned within 14 days of the camp. The analyzed videos along with the original video will be sent via email for you to keep!
SWIM CAMP SESSION START TIMES:
- 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- The Video Filming & Analysis session is separate from the swim camp. Camp registration does not include this session.
- You will receive an email a week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed.
- Swimmer's scheduled time will be between 4:30-6:30 PM.
- Elite Video Filming & Analysis is for ALL swimmers ages 8 & Over, including adults!
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!
Sam Hokestra
Sam Hoekstra is known for his role as an important member of some fast relays! He is a two-time All Big-East performer from the University of Louisville. Sam is now a coach with a big personality that swimmers of all ages and abilities can benefit from. Sign up to learn from Sam at this swim camp!
Scott Colby
Scott Colby is a former Performance Development Advisor for USA Swimming, where he spent thirteen years interacting with athletes and coaches at USA Swimming Championship meets providing feedback and detailed video analysis of strokes and races. He says, “A lot of times it’s not obvious what problem a swimmer may be having until you analyze video of their stroke. Given that opportunity, you may be able to see and fix something that makes the athlete more efficient in the water.” He goes on to say that video analysis is not about training volume over time, but about “one or two things you can do tomorrow to get faster.”
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
