Swim Tip

Presented by Greg Wriede, Camp Director

Nike Swim Camp Tip: Technique Before Training

The daily skill progressions and challenging swim sets are adjusted to reflect skill and performance levels.

Imagine the impact on a child who never learned how to read or write; the negative repercussions would haunt them for a lifetime. The same holds true for a swimmer who never learned the proper start, stroke and turn technique; the negative repercussions would haunt them for a swimming lifetime.

A practice common amongst many swim teams is to provide swimmers with a window of opportunity to learn proper start, stroke, and turn technique before transitioning to more intense training. The technical window can vary in length depending on the team’s overall philosophy. I know of some swim teams that transition swimmers by the age of 11 or 12 while others by 13 or 14. Regardless of the time frame given, the window of opportunity to learn proper start, stroke and turn technique eventually closes whether swimmers are technically ready or not. And those who are not suffer the consequences.

In my experience, the vast majority of swimmers lack essential technical skills and compensate by working physically harder. While hard work can mask a lack of technical expertise over the short term, in the end swimmers suffer failing to maximize their full potential. But what can parents do to address this pervasive problem? I recommend sending their swimmers to an elite swim camp like Nike Swim Camp that specializes in developing proper start, stroke and turn technique. Other options include moving to a team that places a greater emphasis on technique or arranging private lessons with a qualified professional.

Check out more swim training tips to help take your game to the next level!