In this four-session swim camp, your swimmer will receive top-notch guidance from elite clinicians at Fitter & Faster, focusing on key elements essential for enhancing overall racing performance! We understand that achieving peak performance demands ongoing refinement, which is why even the most elite swimmers are dedicated to perfecting the very skills we'll be honing with your athlete.

Session 1: 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, underwater dolphin kicks & breakouts. 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.

Session 2: FAST STARTS

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 during session 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 during session 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 relays, reaction time is crucial! At this camp your swimmer will learn skills that the best swimmers in the world use to time the “exchange” just right! If we react too quickly, we’ll start before the other swimmer finishes - and we’ll get disqualified. If we start too slow, we can lose our positioning in a race! Learning the proper technique for a well-timed start and an explosive relay dive will make your swimmer a valuable teammate.

Session 3: DRYLAND, MENTAL PREPARATION & NUTRITION

In this session, swimmers work with our elite clinicians to refine crucial elements such as tailored dryland exercises, effective mental preparation techniques, and the importance of optimal nutrition, aiming to become well-rounded athletes ready for competitive swimming success.

• DYNAMIC WARMUP, FLEXIBILITY & MOBILITY: In this classroom session, we will focus on dynamic warm-up exercises, flexibility training, and mobility exercises. These activities are designed to prepare your body for physical activity, improve your range of motion, and enhance your overall performance. Please bring athletic shoes, a t-shirt, and shorts.
• HOW & WHEN TO DO IT: We will focus on dynamic warm-up exercises, flexibility training, and mobility exercises to enhance your performance. Prepare for this class by bringing athletic shoes, a t-shirt, and shorts.
• SWIMMER SPECIFIC FLEXIBILITY: Improve your swimming performance by increasing your range of motion in key joints. Learn simple exercises that can be done daily to enhance flexibility in your ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. These exercises can be easily incorporated into your routine, allowing you to maximize your efforts in the water.
• SWIMMER SPECIFIC MOBILITY: Improve your swimming performance by increasing your range of motion in key joints. Learn simple exercises that can be done daily to enhance flexibility in your ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. These exercises can be easily incorporated into your routine, allowing you to maximize your efforts in the water.
• MENTAL RACE PREPARATION: It's common for even the most accomplished athletes to experience pre-race nerves. The key is to learn effective strategies for managing these nerves and preparing yourself to swim your best race. Discover proven techniques to eliminate distractions and optimize your performance in the water.
• WHY AM I NERVOUS?: Learn why even the most skilled athletes experience nerves before competitions and learn effective strategies to harness that energy and perform at your best.
• FOCUS: Boost your pre-race confidence by shifting your focus to things you can control. We will discuss effective strategies to eliminate distractions and optimize your performance in the water.
• ROUTINE: Developing a pre-race routine is essential for maximizing your performance and achieving success. Learn effective strategies and techniques to create a personalized routine that will help you prepare mentally and physically for your races.
• NUTRITION & HYDRATION: Fueling and your body is crucial for elite performance. The key is knowing not just what to eat and drink, but also when. Learn situational nutrition and hydration strategies for times surrounding practice and competition.
• WHAT TO EAT: Improving your nutrition habits involves making healthier choices when it comes to food and drinks. Discover which foods and beverages can enhance your performance and learn how to make the optimal selections.
• TIMING: Understanding the timing of nutrition and hydration is crucial for optimizing performance. Explore strategies for fueling your body before, during, and after practice and competition to enhance your athletic performance
• HOW MUCH TO EAT & DRINK: A swimmer's nutritional requirements vary depending on their training and competition level. Discover how to assess and adapt your food & drink intake to effectively fuel your body for success!

Session 4: 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. During session 4, 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 during session 1.
• 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.