Fitter & Faster is producing a 2-day Championship Preparation Swim Camp in Bloomington, IL on January 21 & 22, 2023. This camp will help your swimmer improve their performances at “last chance qualifier meets” and at their Championship Meets!

CHAMPIONSHIP PREP SWIM CAMP (Ages 10 & Over)
Day 1: Saturday, Jan 21:
Session 1: Essentials of Fast Butterfly
Session 2: Essentials of Fast Breaststroke

Day 2: Sunday, Jan 22:
Session 3: Fast Freestyle & Backstroke Technique
Session 4: Sprinting & Fast 50's

Scroll down for more details on the curriculum!
-> Availability is limited to 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Full Camp Bundle” for your swimmer!

SESSION TIMES:
Sessions 1 & 3: Check in 8:45 AM, Camp 9-11:30 AM
Sessions 2 & 4: Check in 12:15 PM, Camp 12:30-3 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 10 & Over. 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 10 and would like for your child to be considered for this camp, please complete this questionnaire.

Curriculum

Day 1: Saturday, Jan 21

Session 1: ESSENTIALS OF FAST BUTTERFLY

We want your swimmer to establish a rhythmic butterfly. During session 1, 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 2: ESSENTIALS OF FAST BREASTSTROKE

We want your swimmer to establish a well-timed breaststroke. During session 2, 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, Jan 22

Session 3: FAST FREESTYLE & BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE

Freestyle and backstroke utilize the same body position, posture, rotation, and an early “catch” to move down the pool with efficiency and speed. They are called the “long axis” strokes because swimmers rotate their hips and torso around their spine. During session 3, no matter their level, swimmers will improve their freestyle and backstroke technique, racing and training skills!

Bodyline: On each day of this camp, participants will learn and practice proper posture and engagement of their core for better technique in freestyle and backstroke. Participants will learn how even the slightest adjustment of the chin, neck, and/or back can make a huge difference in creating more hydrodynamic and efficient strokes - for faster swimming!
Rotation: Freestyle and backstroke are fastest and most efficient when a swimmer’s body is “rotating” around their spine with each stroke. This part of swimming both strokes 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 they take! On Day 1 we will work on rotation skills for Freestyle and on Day 2 rotation skills for backstroke.
Kicking: While similar, the kick is different in freestyle and backstroke. In both strokes the kick is the motor behind their races! There are obviously proper and improper ways to kick which we will review on each day of this camp. Just as important, however, is practicing the complexities of how and when swimmers need to “shift gears” in their legs to become stronger and faster racers.
Pull: The pull in both freestyle and backstroke keeps a swimmer balanced and accelerating forward. Essentially the best swimmers are creating a paddle with every stroke. On each day of this camp, your clinicians will work with participants to establish an early vertical forearm “the catch”, enabling your swimmer to put immediate pressure back on the water. Properly completing the freestyle and backstroke arm-pull keeps the swimmer moving forward efficiently and fast.

Session 4: SPRINTING & FAST 50's

Now is the time for swimmers 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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
Sprinting: We are going to apply skills learned earlier 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!
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.

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!

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