Winter Swim Camp Series For Ages 10 to 12
Chelsea Piers Connecticut
1 Blachley Rd,
Stamford,
CT 06902
- days
- hours
- minutes
- seconds
Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing two, 2-day swim camps for competitive swimmers ages 10 to 12 at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Connecticut in November and December of 2024! See below for additional swim camps in Stamford.
WINTER SWIM CAMP SERIES: Stamford, CT (Ages 10 to 12)
-> Comprehensive Butterfly Racing Swim Camp (November 23 & 24, 2024)
-> Underwaters, Backstroke Starts, Turns & More Swim Camp (December 28 & 29, 2024)
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details about each swim camp!
-> Availability in each swim camp is limited to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase an "Entire Camp Bundle" for your swimmer.
ADDITIONAL SWIM CAMPS IN STAMFORD:
-> Ages 7 to 9
-> Ages 13 & Over
Select a curriculum below
COMPREHENSIVE BUTTERFLY RACING SWIM CAMP: November 23 & November 24, 2024
At the highest level of swimming, butterfly is the second fastest stroke and beautiful to watch because of its rhythmic and powerful strokes. There are some complexities to establishing a smooth, rhythmic fly, but with practice and attention to detail, your swimmer can master the stroke and begin swimming it for longer distances and at very fast speeds! No matter your swimmer’s level, this 2-day camp will strengthen their butterfly technique, as well as their racing and training skills, which will lead to faster and more efficient butterfly races! This swim camp will be led by Elite Clinician Makayla Sargent!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, November 23): BUTTERFLY TECHNIQUE: We want your swimmer to establish a rhythmic butterfly. Today, 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 clinician 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!
- Day 2 (Sunday, November 24): BUTTERFLY RACING AND TRAINING SKILLS: On the first day of this camp, swimmers worked on skills to implement a solid, efficient butterfly stroke. On Day 2, we will work on racing skills and apply speed to their butterfly. Your swimmer's elite clinician will work with participants on maintaining their technique by developing proper distance per stroke, appropriate race tempo, and training for a faster and stronger butterfly.
- Stroke Length: Lengthening your swimmer’s butterfly stroke will enable them to “catch” and hold onto more water to propel them as they swim. In butterfly, it is particularly important to establish a “rhythmic flow”. We will teach participants how to stay long, and avoid a short butterfly stroke that is inefficient and not sustainable for very long. The clinician will work with participants on this important skill for swimming fast butterfly.
- Tempo: Tempo in butterfly is the rate at which a swimmer is moving their arms and hips. When swimming butterfly races, many athletes tend to take too many short strokes (“spin their wheels”) and not “hold onto the water”. At this camp, we will explore different tempos that are sustainable for any distance your swimmer is racing.
- 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.
- Speed Set: At the end of this session, your swimmer will do a short and fast swim set to practice everything they have learned over the past two days.
UNDERWATERS, BACKSTROKE STARTS, TURNS & MORE SWIM CAMP: December 28 & December 29, 2024
Over the course of two days, swimmers will have the opportunity to work closely with our elite clinicians to refine their backstroke skills and underwater techniques. On Day 1, the focus will be on developing faster and more efficient underwater dolphin kicks, a critical skill for improving overall race times. Swimmers will engage in targeted drills and receive personalized feedback to enhance their underwater technique. On Day 2, attention will shift to backstroke starts, turns, and finishes, where swimmers will work on fine-tuning each phase for maximum speed and precision. By the end of the session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how to optimize their underwater and backstroke skills, giving them the tools to perform at their best.
- DAY 1 (Saturday, December 28): 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.
- 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.
- DAY 2 (Sunday, December 29): BACKSTROKE STARTS, TURNS & FINISHES: Backstroke starts, turns, and finishes are vital for maximizing speed and maintaining momentum throughout the race. A strong start, efficient turns, and a precise finish can significantly impact a swimmer's overall performance. In backstroke this is perhaps more true than any other strokes as they are unique to the stroke and often less practiced. This session is designed to help swimmers work directly with our world-class clinicians, who will provide expert guidance to fine-tune these essential skills. Through focused drills and personalized feedback, swimmers will gain the confidence and technique needed to enhance their backstroke performance.
- 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.
- 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 wall. Becoming skilled at the water entry is crucial for any start and significantly contributes to your swimmers' overall race!
- Flip Turns: Flip turns are an opportunity for your swimmers to increase momentum in the middle of a race! We will work on maintaining backstroke speed into the wall and teach your swimmer how to develop confidence in using the flags to time the initiation of the turn. Your swimmer will learn to get immediately into the flip, maintain a tight tuck, and exit the wall with a strong push off and great body position.
- Streamline, Underwater Dolphin Kicking, Breakouts Reinforcement: At this session participants will continue to work on the progression covered on Day 1.
- 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. Our clinicians will also work with your swimmer on how to lunge straight towards the wall, making use of a dolphin kick but minimizing any vertical motion which wastes time and energy.
START TIMES FOR BOTH CAMPS:
- DAY 1: Check in 11 AM, Camp 11:15-1:45 PM
- DAY 2: Check in 9 AM, Camp 9:15-11:45 AM
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!
Kristen Romano
Kristen understands the importance of connecting with age group swimmers and hopes to inspire a love and curiosity for the sport. By sharing her knowledge of the sport with participants, she hopes to inspire the next generation of swimmers to embrace the opportunities presented by swimming, and find gratitude along the way! Don't miss the opportunity to work with Kristen! Sign up now!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
