The term swimming training camp is used a lot — but exactly what it involves varies enormously by organiser. In this article we explain what a good swimming training camp really is, which swimmers it's worthwhile for, and what to look out for when choosing one.
What is a swimming training camp?
A swimming training camp is a multi-day period in which swimmers, often away from their own club, train intensively under a specialised coaching team. The three core differences from normal club training:
- Volume: 2 sessions per day instead of 4 per week — often a doubling of training hours in a single week.
- Specific focus: usually on one or two technical themes (for example turns, or building out the second half of a 100m).
- Coach attention: 1 coach per 6 swimmers at most — impossible in an ordinary training group of 25.
Which swimmers is it worthwhile for?
A swimming training camp is not a 'nice day out' — it's an investment. It mainly pays off when:
- The swimmer does at least 4 sessions per week at a club
- There is a technical challenge the club coach can't address in enough depth (time, group size)
- The swimmer has a specific competition they want to peak for
For grassroots swimmers or beginning competitive swimmers a training camp is often counterproductive — too much volume in too short a time without the right foundation can cause injuries.
What should you look out for when choosing?
Here are the 5 things we advise parents to ask before booking:
- What is the coach-to-swimmer ratio in the water? Below 1-to-6 is good; 1-to-12 is a holiday with some swimming on the side.
- 50m pool or 25m pool? For competitive swimmers who race long course, a 50m pool is a serious advantage.
- Who exactly are the coaches? Ask for names and backgrounds. Olympic experience, national-championship coaching, an international staff role — these are signals of quality.
- Video analysis included? A good camp records every swimmer and discusses the footage one-on-one.
- What do you take home afterwards? An end report with areas for improvement = important; just a 'nice week' = not enough.
What does a swimming training camp cost?
Price ranges vary widely. In the Netherlands a weekend camp is usually around €350-€500. A week abroad with flight, hotel and all meals falls in the €1,500-€2,500 range. ZwemExpert camps sit in the upper segment — not because we want to be expensive, but because we reserve a lot of coach time per swimmer and train exclusively in 50m pools.
How often per year is it worthwhile?
For most serious competitive swimmers: one training camp of 5-7 days per year, scheduled 6-10 weeks before an important competition. Twice is possible, but then the rest of the season needs enough rest and recovery time. Our ZwemExpert Competitive Swimming Summer Camp 2026 is set up for exactly that — the May half-term as a build-up block towards summer competitions.
Next step
Want to know whether a training camp fits your situation? Try our free 3-day Parent Challenge, in which we explain how to get serious without it taking over your family life — or go straight to the full camp overview.