October 9 (Saturday): Maximizing Your Catch

The catch is one of the most essential elements in every single stroke within the sport of swimming. A catch is responsible for strong propulsion forward and helps swimmers increase distance per stroke. Though it may seem simple, a catch can be broken down in many aspects to maximize the stroke's arm motion! Swimmers will work with Roland and Patrick on the catch of all four strokes to become faster and more efficient in the water!

• ELBOW POSITION: One of the most common mistakes in young swimmers is dropping the elbow during the high catch. Regardless of what stroke a swimmer specializes in; elbow position is key to a strong catch! Roland will work with swimmers to practice this position.
• USING CORRECT MUSCLE GROUPS: Often times swimmers only use their biceps or forearms when using their arms. Participants will practice using larger muscle groups like lats, shoulders, triceps and back muscles to really drive them forward in each stroke!
• ACCELERATION: After learning how to set up the perfect catch, swimmers will practice accelerating the motion to really generate power! They will have the chance to push their momentum forward by adding and practicing with power behind the best technique!

October 10 (Sunday): Maximizing Your Kick

The kick in every swimmer's stroke is what keeps driving their momentum forward and accelerating them through each stroke! Roland and Patrick will help swimmers break down all four strokes' kicks through progressions that helps them learn each movement through the water and how to avoid drag when focusing on their legs!

• TEMPO: A swimmers tempo is how fast or slow they complete each stroke., but can be referenced with kicking as well! Changing tempo based on event distance and fatigue level will help swimmers swim as fast as possible.
• AVOIDING DRAG: It's easy to increase drag in your lower body position when fatigued during a race! Swimmers will learn the best way to minimize drag through learning the best technique for a kick!
• EFFICIENCY: How hard or soft a swimmer kicks has a huge impact on how fast a swimmer kicks and how much water they are actually moving!

While strength training helps swimmers get stronger, working on power exercises in the water helps to strengthen swimming specific movements. Developing power will help participants be more efficient and stronger in the water!

• IMPROVING POWER IN STROKE TECHNIQUE: Swimmers are taught drag is bad! However, ADDING resistance as a training tool causes swimmers to alter their technique and highlight any deficiencies. Removing that resistance then allows swimmers to feel those differences in technique and build power in their stroke technique. Roland and Patrick will take the swimmers through some resistance training techniques during this camp!
• RESISTANCE TRAINING: Resistance not only helps expose places to strengthen technique but also is a huge way to build power. Hand paddles, rubber tubing with a belt, even swimming with a T-shirt and shoes in the water can help add resistance and develop power!
• DYNAMIC WARM UP: Get ready for every practice and competition with a short dynamic warm up routine! Roland and Patrick will take participants through a combination of light cardio exercises and dynamic stretches. This is an excellent way to get the blood flowing to the muscles and loosen joints to prepare for training and racing. Being properly warmed up will also help prevent injuries.

Swimmers can significantly change their race strategy by adjusting just two aspects of their stroke - distance per stroke and tempo. Roland and Patrick will coach swimmers to help their tempo and speed, as well as review, changes dryland exercises designed specifically for developing strength and power in swimmers as well as techniques for recovery from dryland and swimming workouts.

• DISTANCE PER STROKE: One way to increase efficiency is to take fewer strokes. Counting the number of strokes and improving technique to decrease that number will save energy. On the other side, it may be faster to take more strokes per length, especially in shorter events.
• TEMPO: A swimmers tempo is how fast or slow they complete each stroke. Changing tempo based on event distance and fatigue level will help swimmers swim as fast as possible.
• DRYLAND FOR SWIMMING: Dryland training is designed to build strength, increase flexibility and become a more well-rounded and agile athlete. Swimmers will learn age-appropriate, simple bodyweight exercises that will strengthen their core and major muscle groups to complement the training done in the pool.
• MAINTAINING TECHNIQUE THROUGH FATIGUE: When swimmers get tired, it’s an easy choice to revert to sloppy technique in order to make the interval and finish the set. Choosing to focus on technique through fatigue is a difficult decision, but more beneficial in the long run. Participants will learn from Roland how to handle fatigue in practice and races.
• RECOVERY: While training is important for swimming faster and gaining strength, recovery is just as essential to continue training at a high level. While you can buy expensive products to help you recover, Roland will walk through some of the most important things to get your body ready for the next session.