Palatine, Illinois Swim Camp Series for Ages 12 & over
Buehler YMCA
1400 W Northwest Hwy,
Palatine,
IL 60067
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Introduction
Fitter & Faster is returning to the Buehler YMCA in Palatine, Illinois to produce two, 2-day swim camps for competitive swimmers ages 12 years old through June of 2024! CLICK HERE for the swim camp page for ages 9 to 11 years-old!
PALATINE, IL SWIM CAMP SERIES (Ages 12 & Over)
-> Comprehensive Backstroke Racing Swim Camp (May 4 & 5)
-> Comprehensive Butterfly Racing Swim Camp (June 8 & 9)
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details about each Swim Camp!
-> Availability in each session is limited to 24 participants to ensure the best learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase the “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer.
Select a curriculum below
COMPREHENSIVE BACKSTROKE RACING CAMP - May 4 & 5
Over 2 days, swimmers will work with Fitter and Faster’s world-class clinicians to strengthen their backstroke technique and apply racing and training tactics that will lead to better performances in their competitions! This swim camp will be led by Elite Clinician & Olympian Christopher Reid!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, May 4) BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE: Cultivating good habits to swim high level Backstroke begins as soon as you learn the stroke. Even if your swimmer is already in high school - it’s never too late to begin practicing techniques that will drastically improve their efficiency, power and times. Today, your swimmer will work on techniques to strengthen their bodyline, catch, kick, and pull - resulting in faster backstroke races.
- Bodyline: 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, May 5): BACKSTROKE RACING AND TRAINING SKILLS: On Day 1, participants practiced high performance backstroke techniques. Now, let’s leverage these skills to develop strong racing and training habits. Learning to prioritize tempo and length of stroke, while maintaining efficiency has a huge impact on maximizing speed in backstroke.
- Stroke Length: A long 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: Tempo is the rate at which a swimmer is moving their arms and legs. When sprinting short races many swimmers often tend to take too many strokes (“spin their wheels”) and not “hold onto the water”. At this camp we will explore different tempos that suit your swimmer for their backstroke races.
- Pacing/Control: A swimmer’s tempo will change depending on the backstroke race that they are swimming. It may also change at different points during the same race! Your elite clinician will teach participants how to manipulate their tempo, speed and energy at different points in a race. This is called Pacing or “Control”.
- Backstroke Starts: The fastest part of every single race is the start - that’s no different for backstroke! Your swimmer is going to learn and practice starting a high performance backstroke race. We’re going to work on a “clean”, fast water entry in which the athlete carries the momentum from the start into their streamline, underwater dolphin kicking and breakout.
- 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.
COMPREHENSIVE BUTTERFLY RACING CAMP - June 8 & 9
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, racing and training skills that will lead to faster and more efficient butterfly races!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, June 8): 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 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!
- Day 2 (Sunday, June 9): 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 clinicians 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 clinicians 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.
SESSION START TIMES FOR BOTH CAMPS: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 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 12 & 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 12, Click Here!
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!
Christopher Reid
Christopher Reid is a 2016 Olympian specializing in explosive racing in freestyle, backstroke, and the individual medley! Participants will learn all about generating power at key points of every race. Sign up your swimmer to maximize their speed by learning from Christopher!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
