For age group swimmers, the ability to excel across various race distances, from the explosive 50 to the endurance-demanding 500, is essential for skill development. This versatility not only enhances competitiveness but also cultivates a nuanced understanding of pacing and strategy. Day 1 will focus on the 200 and 500 Freestyle. On day 2, swimmers will work on the essential components to faster sprinting.

DAY 1 (Friday, June 14): Fast 200 & 500 Freestyle

Each elite swimmer has a way to break down their mid-distance events so that their race plan enhances their strengths and minimizes their weaknesses. Some swimmers will take the race out fast and hope to hang on at the finish; some will save their energy and finish strong, while others will hit consistent splits to balance those two strategies. This session is designed to help answer that question by developing YOUR specific 200 and 500 race strategies.

• DISTANCE PER STROKE: One way to increase a swimmer's efficiency is to take fewer strokes. Counting the number of strokes and improving technique to decrease that number will save energy. However, taking more strokes per length may be faster, especially in "shorter" events. Participants will work with our elite clinicians to find the appropriate distance per stroke for their 200's & 500's.
• TEMPO: A swimmer's tempo is how fast or slow a stroke is completed. Having a slower tempo allows swimmers to conserve energy by taking fewer strokes, while a faster tempo is more tiring but much faster. Altering tempo based on event distance and fatigue level will help participants swim as fast as possible in their 200 & 500 events!
• PACING: Every swimmer strategizes their 200 & 500-yard races differently! Our clinicians will demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of the main pace approaches. Our elite clinicians will present different strategies for swimming mid-distance events: some swimmers focus on each 100, balancing "front end speed" and "back end speed." Experimenting and learning new techniques will allow swimmers to improve their 200's & 500's and swim confidently!
• MID-DISTANCE WALLS: Flip turns offer a strategic advantage for middle-distance swimmers to enhance momentum during races. Precise execution of flip turns is critical as any slowdown or mechanical movement can diminish speed upon resurfacing. By refining your swimmer's technique, we aim to ensure fast flip turns, enabling them to explode off the walls with maximum speed and maintaining momentum.
• UTILIZING SPLITS, INTERVALS & SETS: Swimmers will work with our clinicians on using splits, intervals, and sets to their advantage while training. Swimmers can take their ideal race times and break them down into splits, guiding them on what times they should be hitting in practices. As they progress, swimmers can hold those times during different intervals during their sets! If you don't do it in practice, it won't happen in a meet!
• MENTAL TOUGHNESS: The 200 & 500 both require mental toughness, unlike any of the other events. You have to have the ability to push through the fatigue that will inevitably hit and maintain the focus required to finish strong. The clinician will give your swimmer tools to achieve and maintain a strong mindset for 200's in any event & the 500 free.
• VIDEO RACE REFERENCE: Before you arrive at the camp, you will receive videos of world-class swimmers racing the SAME race with VERY different strategies to visually compare different tactics!

DAY 2 (Saturday, June 15): Essentials of Sprinting

Swimming fast requires good technique, efficiency, power, and a hard working athlete. Participants in this session will advance their skills that apply to fast swimming in every stroke. 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.
• STROKE LENGTH: 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.
• SPRINTING WALLS: For sprinters, achieving fast, precise, and explosive starts is paramount. As they approach the wall at peak velocity, executing the fastest turn becomes crucial. This session will focus on refining turn techniques that enable swimmers to seamlessly transition in and out of each wall with greater speed and efficiency.
• 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.
• FINISHES: 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 about 10 yards from the wall. A well-timed finish is also a valuable attribute for swimmers competing on relays so that the next person can time their start with precision.
• SPRINTING: Earlier in the session, your swimmer worked on body position, tempo and length of stroke. Now, we are going to apply those skills to swimming “all out” on top of the water with efficiency and power.
• SPRINTING & PACING 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.