Snohomish, WA Swim Camp Series for Ages 13 & Over
Snohomish Aquatic Center
516 Maple Ave,
Snohomish,
WA 98290
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Introduction
Fitter & Faster is producing five swim camps for swimmers ages 13 & over at the Snohomish Aquatic Center in Snohomish, Washington between December 2024 and November 2025. We are also holding two special video filming and analysis sessions for all ages in December 2024 and September 2025. Please see below for additional swim camps in Snohomish, WA.
SNOHOMISH SWIM CAMP SERIES (Ages 13 & over)
-> Comprehensive Freestyle Racing Swim Camp (December 14 & 15, 2024)
-> Comprehensive Butterfly Racing Swim Camp (December 28 & 29, 2025)
-> Championship Preparation Swim Camp (January 18-20, 2025)
-> Comprehensive Breaststroke Racing Swim Camp (May 3 & 4, 2025)
-> Comprehensive Freestyle Racing Swim Camp (September 20 & 21, 2025)
-> Comprehensive Backstroke Racing Swim Camp (November 29 & 30, 2025)
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS
December 14, 2024 and September 20, 2025: Provide your swimmer with the chance to receive professional video analysis of their stroke, just like the pros. Choose to have one stroke filmed and analyzed, or save by opting to have all four strokes filmed and analyzed. These sessions are independent of the swim camps.
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details about each swim camp and video filming & analysis sessions.
-> 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 SNOHOMISH:
-> Ages 10 to 12
-> Ages 7 to 10
Select a curriculum below
COMPREHENSIVE FREESTYLE RACING SWIM CAMP: December 14 & December 15, 2024
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS: December 14, 2024
COMPREHENSIVE BUTTERFLY RACING SWIM CAMP: December 28 & December 29, 2024
CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION SWIM CAMP: January 18 - January 20, 2025
COMPREHENSIVE BREASTSTROKE RACING SWIM CAMP: May 3 & May 4, 2025
COMPREHENSIVE FREESTYLE RACING SWIM CAMP: September 20 & September 21, 2025
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS: September 20, 2025
COMPREHENSIVE BACKSTROKE RACING SWIM CAMP: November 29 & November 30, 2025
Curriculum
Session TimesSession Times & Groups
COMPREHENSIVE FREESTYLE RACING SWIM CAMP: December 14 & December 15, 2024
Freestyle is the first stroke we learn. It’s the stroke we swim the most at practice. There are more freestyle races and relays at meets...and it is the fastest stroke to move through the water. As with any other stroke, the more efficient and powerful your technique, the more success you will experience with your practices and freestyle races as your career progresses. Over two days, your swimmer, no matter their level, will improve their freestyle technique, as well as their racing and training skills!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, December 14): FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE: Cultivating good habits to swim high-level freestyle 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, pull, and breathing pattern.
- Bodyline: A freestyle race is going to be fastest with the 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 often bad habits are created. Participants will learn and practice proper posture and core engagement to have a strong foundation for better technique, creating a full-body connection for more hydrodynamic and efficient strokes.
- Rotation: Freestyle is fastest and most efficient when a swimmer’s body is “rotating” around their spine with each stroke. This part of swimming freestyle 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 freestyle.
- Kicking: A swimmer’s kick is the motor behind their freestyle! 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: The pull in freestyle 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, December 15): FREESTYLE RACING AND TRAINING SKILLS: The technique for swimming a fast freestyle race changes depending on the distance. Learning to prioritize tempo and stroke length, while also maintaining efficiency, has a huge impact on maximizing speed for sprints or increasing endurance for distance races.
- 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 session, we will explore different tempos that suit your swimmer for different distances.
- Pacing/Control: A swimmer’s tempo will change depending on the 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”.
- Breathing Pattern: Establishing a breathing pattern will help the swimmer stay focused and relaxed during their swim. It will also help them finish the race with enough oxygen to close the race at full speed.
- 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.
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS: December 14, 2024
Since so much of the stroke happens underwater, it is incredibly important to see what’s going on below the surface! Small adjustments to your stroke can lead to big time drops! This is your opportunity to get beautiful footage of your stroke and get analysis from an expert… and you can review with your coach as well!
- ANALYSIS: Our Fitter and Faster expert will use a video analysis application to record their comments on your technique. They will use slow motion, pause the video at specific points, and draw on the swimmer's video, all while explaining where opportunities for improvement are. Each stroke will have approximately 3 to 5 minutes of expert commentary that you can review with your coaches at home!
- DRILL RECOMMENDATIONS: You will receive recommendations for drills to correct the technique of each swimmer.
- SIGN UP: Select to have one stroke filmed. Or, SAVE by choosing to have all four strokes filmed. The "multi-stroke options" are for individual swimmers and cannot be split.
- ARRIVING AT THE POOL (Retain your order number): You will receive an e-mail approximately one week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed. Please retain your order number - this is how swimmers will be identified on that schedule. When you arrive at the pool, you will be greeted by Fitter & Faster staff who will provide you instructions on the filming process.
- WARM UP: Participants will have an opportunity to warm up before filming.
- FILMING: Our camera operator will have you swim two 25s at a strong pace of each stroke purchased (1 stroke or all 4 strokes). The filming of each stroke will take about three minutes. The video will capture a side angle and a front angle below the water to get an accurate view of your technique.
- SESSION LEGNTH: Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- TIMELINE: All videos will be analyzed and returned within 14 days of the camp. The analyzed videos along with the original video will be sent via email for you to keep!
COMPREHENSIVE BUTTERFLY RACING SWIM CAMP: December 28 & December 29, 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!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, December 28): 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 core engagement 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 session, 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, December 29): 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 session, 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.
CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION SWIM CAMP: January 18 - January 20, 2025
This swim camp is designed to prepare swimmers for championship season by honing the skills that can make all the difference in their race times. Explosive starts, underwaters, and turns generate the highest speeds achieved by top age-group and elite swimmers, allowing them to maximize distance and maintain momentum before taking their first stroke. The more efficient, powerful, and hydrodynamic your swimmer becomes, the better they’re set up for success in every race.
- DAY 1 (Saturday, January 18): 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 gain 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, January 19): FAST STARTS: In this session, swimmers will work on executing fast starts and carrying momentum through their breakouts. The skill of generating explosive power at the start, while effortlessly integrating the skills developed on day 1, will give swimmers a distinct competitive edge!
- Block Starts: To ensure an explosive start, a swimmer needs to set themselves up properly on the block. The elite clinicians will work with participants on the optimal positioning of your swimmer’s entire body, to allow for a quick reaction time and optimal speed.
- 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 block or wall. Becoming skilled at the water entry is crucial for any start, and significantly contributes to your swimmer's overall race!
- Streamline, Underwater Dolphin Kicking, Breakout Progression: At this session, participants will continue to work on the progression covered on Day 1.
- 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.
- Relay Exchanges: Relay exchanges have two advantages over traditional starts. First, you can generate greater momentum by stepping forward with a strong arm swing. Second, reaction time can be almost eliminated with a well-timed relay "exchange". At this session, your swimmer will learn skills that the best swimmers in the world use to both leave the block with great momentum, and to time the exchange just right while avoiding disqualification!
- DAY 3 (Monday, January 20): FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES: Quick, powerful turns and finishes are crucial to fast times and winning close races. The top age group and elite swimmers aren't using walls just for turning around - they are used to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Elite swimmers are constantly working their turns and looking for areas to improve them. Today, we're going to work with your swimmer on taking this crucial part of every race (and practice) to the next level!
- Momentum: The fastest swimmers use walls to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Outside of the elite ranks, many swimmers stop or slow down while going into the wall, which kills their momentum! We will work with participants on the intricacies of approaching every wall at top speed and seamlessly initiating their “turn”.
- Flip Turns: Flip turns are an opportunity for your swimmers to increase momentum in the middle of a race! Flip turns in which the athletes slow down or have “mechanical” movements negatively impact the speed at which a swimmer comes off the wall. We will work with your swimmer to produce fast flip turns so that they can explode off the walls at maximum speed.
- Open Turns: Elite butterflyers and breaststrokers utilize speed from their last lap to create momentum and even more speed at the beginning of the next lap. Their open turns are not actually “turns”, but more like high-speed pivots. Participants in this session will work on these techniques to have much faster open turns!
- Streamline, Underwater Dolphin Kicking, Breakout Progression: At this session, participants will continue to work on the progression covered on Day 1.
- Finishes: Setting yourself up for a fast finish is very similar to setting yourself up for a strong turn in any race. 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 session, your swimmer will learn techniques to set themselves up for a well-timed finish when they are still about 10 yards from the wall.
COMPREHENSIVE BREASTSTROKE RACING SWIM CAMP: May 3 & May 4, 2025
At the highest level of swimming, breaststroke has the most varied technique. Out of the eight finalists at the Olympic Games, you might see eight different styles of breaststroke! A swimmer's timing and ability to eliminate resistance are hallmarks of an efficient and powerful breaststroker. No matter your swimmer’s level, this 2-day camp will strengthen their technique, as well as their racing and training skills, which will lead to faster and more efficient breaststroke races… and faster IMs!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, May 3): BREASTSTROKE TECHNIQUE: We want your swimmer to establish a well-timed breaststroke. Today, we will practice various drills and skills that will enable your swimmer to have flowing hips, a powerful kick, and a long, flowing stroke.
- Bodyline: A breaststroke 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. Elite breaststrokers focus on minimizing drag by “catching water” on their hands and feet as quickly as possible, so they can shoot back into a “straight bodyline” where they can glide at top speed.
- Kick: The kick creates a lot of the power in breaststroke. Swimmers need to keep their knees high in the water and snap their feet quickly around and back to create a powerful kick. Our clinicians will work with participants to strengthen their kick for the ultimate propulsion forward!
- Pull: The name of the game in breaststroke is to create as much propulsion as possible in the pull while minimizing resistance…and then quickly getting back into a straight bodyline to establish a high-speed glide. Participants at this session will focus on setting up a proper "catch" and keeping their hands and elbows high on the water throughout the entire pull. The techniques your swimmer will practice will minimize resistance and enable them to maintain forward momentum for the fastest breaststroke.
- Timing: Fast, flowing breaststroke is the result of proper timing between a swimmer’s hands and feet. Establishing proper timing in your swimmer’s breaststroke will allow for more fluidity, power, and speed. Participants in this session will learn how elite swimmers time their breaststroke for ultimate efficiency and the fastest races.
- DAY 2 (Sunday, May 4): BREASTSTROKE RACING TRAINING AND SKILLS: On the first day of this camp, swimmers worked on techniques to implement an efficient breaststroke. On Day 2, we will work on applying speed to their breaststroke! Our objective is to get your swimmer to maintain their technique with distance per stroke, tempo, and flowing speed.
- Tempo: Tempo in breaststroke is the rate at which a swimmer can get back into the proper bodyline to establish a high-speed glide. When swimming breaststroke races, many athletes tend to take too many strokes without ever getting into the proper bodyline. At this session, we will explore different tempos that are sustainable for any distance and allow for the proper glide between strokes.
- Distance Per Stroke: One way to increase efficiency is to take fewer strokes. Counting the number of strokes a swimmer takes per lap, while improving technique to decrease that number, will enable them to be more efficient and even conserve energy. At this session, participants will discover how changing speeds might change their stroke count, but should not change the effectiveness of each stroke.
- Pacing: A breaststroker’s pace is going to change during a race and from distance to distance. When swimming breaststroke, your swimmer can learn to measure their pace using tempo and distance per stroke. At this session, we will practice race strategy pacing for all breaststroke events.
- Breaststroke Pullouts: The breaststroke pullout is an important and unique part of every breaststroke race. We will work with participants on minimizing resistance in their pull-outs and establishing maximum speed. The pullout can be used strategically, depending on the distance of the race, to cover more ground before breaking out.
- Training Breaststroke: 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 FREESTYLE RACING SWIM CAMP: September 20 & September 21, 2025
Freestyle is the first stroke we learn. It’s the stroke we swim the most at practice. There are more freestyle races and relays at meets...and it is the fastest stroke to move through the water. As with any other stroke, the more efficient and powerful your technique, the more success you will experience with your practices and freestyle races as your career progresses. Over two days, your swimmer, no matter their level, will improve their freestyle technique, as well as their racing and training skills!
- DAY 1 (Saturday, September 20): FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE: Cultivating good habits to swim high-level freestyle 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, pull, and breathing pattern.
- Bodyline: A freestyle race is going to be fastest with the 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 often bad habits are created. Participants will learn and practice proper posture and core engagement to have a strong foundation for better technique, creating a full-body connection for more hydrodynamic and efficient strokes.
- Rotation: Freestyle is fastest and most efficient when a swimmer’s body is “rotating” around their spine with each stroke. This part of swimming freestyle 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 freestyle.
- Kicking: A swimmer’s kick is the motor behind their freestyle! 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: The pull in freestyle 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 21): FREESTYLE RACING AND TRAINING SKILLS: The technique for swimming a fast freestyle race changes depending on the distance. Learning to prioritize tempo and stroke length, while also maintaining efficiency, has a huge impact on maximizing speed for sprints or increasing endurance for distance races.
- 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 session, we will explore different tempos that suit your swimmer for different distances.
- Pacing/Control: A swimmer’s tempo will change depending on the 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”.
- Breathing Pattern: Establishing a breathing pattern will help the swimmer stay focused and relaxed during their swim. It will also help them finish the race with enough oxygen to close the race at full speed.
- 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.
VIDEO FILMING & ANALYSIS: September 20, 2025
Since so much of the stroke happens underwater, it is incredibly important to see what’s going on below the surface! Small adjustments to your stroke can lead to big time drops! This is your opportunity to get beautiful footage of your stroke and get analysis from an expert… and you can review with your coach as well!
- ANALYSIS: Our Fitter and Faster expert will use a video analysis application to record their comments on your technique. They will use slow motion, pause the video at specific points, and draw on the swimmer's video, all while explaining where opportunities for improvement are. Each stroke will have approximately 3 to 5 minutes of expert commentary that you can review with your coaches at home!
- DRILL RECOMMENDATIONS: You will receive recommendations for drills to correct the technique of each swimmer.
- SIGN UP: Select to have one stroke filmed. Or, SAVE by choosing to have all four strokes filmed. The "multi-stroke options" are for individual swimmers and cannot be split.
- ARRIVING AT THE POOL (Retain your order number): You will receive an e-mail approximately one week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed. Please retain your order number - this is how swimmers will be identified on that schedule. When you arrive at the pool, you will be greeted by Fitter & Faster staff who will provide you instructions on the filming process.
- WARM UP: Participants will have an opportunity to warm up before filming.
- FILMING: Our camera operator will have you swim two 25s at a strong pace of each stroke purchased (1 stroke or all 4 strokes). The filming of each stroke will take about three minutes. The video will capture a side angle and a front angle below the water to get an accurate view of your technique.
- SESSION LEGNTH: Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- TIMELINE: All videos will be analyzed and returned within 14 days of the camp. The analyzed videos along with the original video will be sent via email for you to keep!
COMPREHENSIVE BACKSTROKE RACING SWIM CAMP: November 29 & November 30, 2025
Over two days, your swimmer will work with Fitter & Faster's world-class clinicians to elevate their backstroke. They'll focus on refining bodyline, catch, kick, and pull for improved efficiency. They'll then explore strategies for tempo, stroke length, and efficiency to enhance their racing performance. Whether your swimmer is new to backstroke or looking to refine their technique, this camp offers valuable insights to help them progress in the pool.
- DAY 1 (Saturday, November 29): 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 or wiggling. Participants will learn and practice proper posture and core engagement 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, November 30): 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 stroke length, while also 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 session, 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.
SWIM CAMP START TIMES:
- December 14 & 15, 2024: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- December 28 & 29, 2024: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- January 18-20, 2025:
- DAY 1: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- DAY 2: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- DAY 3: Check in 11:30 AM, Camp 11:45-2:45 PM
- May 3 & 4, 2025: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- September 20 & 21, 2025: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- November 29 & 30, 2025: Check in 12:30 PM, Camp 12:45-3:45 PM
- Depending on the number of strokes you are getting recorded, your session time will run between 5 and 15 minutes.
- You will receive an email a week before the filming session with the specific time for your swimmer to check in, warm up, and be filmed.
- These sessions are separate from our swim camps.
- DECEMBER 2024: Swimmer's scheduled time will be between 4:30-7:30 PM.
- SEPTEMBER 2025: Swimmer's scheduled time will be between 4:30-6:30 PM.
- Elite Video Filming & Analysis is for ALL swimmers ages 7 & Over, including adults!
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!
Jordan Schrotenboer
Attention to detail is something Jordan emphasizes with Fitter and Faster camp participants. Those details include an athlete’s approach to racing, and training in a way that prepares them for how they want to execute their races. If Jordan can impart one piece of wisdom on Fitter and Faster camp participants, it is to “race how you train”. Sign up for a camp with Jordan today!
Kim Vandenberg
Olympic medalist Kim Vandenberg has a lot of passion for helping swimmers learn techniques to race faster! After many years of traveling the world with the best swimmers and coaches, she has picked up tricks that help swimmers unlock their hidden potential. Kim is known for her positive and encouraging attitude. Her motto is "Never Stop Believing". Sign up your swimmer for this camp with Kim and you'll be amazed at the progress they are able to make each session!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
