Backstroke Technique & Foundational IM Skills Swim Camp (Ages 13 & Over)
Gordon JCC
801 Percy Warner Blvd,
Nashville,
TN 37205
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Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing a 2-day swim camp for competitive swimmers ages 13 & Over at The Gordon JCC in Nashville, Tennessee on September 27 & 28, 2025! Please click here for the swim camp page for ages 10 to 12.
BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE & FOUNDATIONAL IM SKILLS SWIM CAMP (Ages 13 & Over)
DAY 1 (Saturday, September 27): Backstroke Technique
DAY 2 (Sunday, September 28): Foundational IM Skills
Scroll down for details on the curriculum!
-> Availability in each session is limited to 22 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer.
SESSION START TIMES FOR BOTH DAYS: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:15-3:45 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 13 & older. 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 13, CLICK HERE!
Curriculum
Well-rounded athletes continue to grow and find ways to improve throughout their entire careers. An IM-focused approach supports long-term development by building strength and skill across all four strokes. This camp puts a spotlight on backstroke—often overlooked from a technique standpoint—and how it fits into strong IM performance. Swimmers will sharpen their backstroke and IM skills, laying a more complete foundation for steady, long-term improvement.
DAY 1 (Saturday, September 27): BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE
To excel in the backstroke, refining essential techniques like body line, catch, kick, and pull is essential. Swimmers will work with our Elite Clinicians during this session to finesse their skills, ensuring faster and more efficient performances in backstroke races!
- BODY LINE: A competitive swimmer’s bodyline is the key to fast swimming. The name of the game is to eliminate all extra movement of the body including even the slightest bobbing, wiggling. 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 backstroke.
- ROTATION: Backstroke is fastest and most efficient when a swimmer’s body is “rotating” around their spine with each stroke. This part of swimming Backstroke 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 - resulting in faster backstroke!
- KICK: A swimmer’s kick is the motor behind their Backstroke! There are obviously proper and improper ways to kick which we will review at the 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: Just like in freestyle, the pull in backstroke keeps a swimmer balanced and accelerating forward. Essentially the best swimmers are creating a paddle with every stroke. The clinicians will work with participants to establish an early vertical forearm “the catch”, enabling the swimmer to put immediate pressure back on the water. Properly completing the stroke keeps the swimmer moving forward efficiently and fast.
DAY 2 (Sunday, September 28): FOUNDATIONAL IM SKILLS
Being successful in Individual Medley (IM) events takes more than just being good at each stroke. Great IM’ers know how to connect the pieces—using transitions, turns, and strategy to gain momentum and separate from the competition. At this camp, your swimmer will work on building IM races that are greater than the sum of their parts.
- STROKE TRANSITIONS: Each stroke uses different muscle groups and movement patterns, so switching from one to the next isn’t as simple as it seems. Transitions take practice, awareness, and good technique. Our clinicians will work with your swimmer on drills and technical tips that help them move more smoothly and efficiently between strokes—saving time and energy every time they race.
- IM TURNS: Turns in IM races are their own skill set. They can be tricky—especially the back-to-breast turn, which is completely different from other transitions. We’ll break down each IM transition turn and give swimmers the coaching they need to feel confident and consistent.
- OVERCOMING A WEAK STROKE: Almost every swimmer has a stroke that lags behind the others—but top athletes find ways to minimize its impact. Whether it’s adjusting technique or maximizing strengths like underwater pullouts, our clinicians will give your swimmer tools to be more effective in their least comfortable stroke.
- IM STRATEGY: Racing IM well means having a plan for how to pace and distribute effort across all four strokes. That plan looks different for every swimmer. Our experienced clinicians will help your swimmer understand how to manage energy, play to their strengths, and adjust strategy as needed. Sometimes that even means holding back a bit on a strong stroke to save energy for a weaker one. Your swimmer will leave with a greater understanding of how to approach their IM races.
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!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
