More Than an Altitude Camp: Reflections from Nagano by Carl
Altitude Training Camp
Location: Nagano, Japan (1,750m)
Duration: 4–24 June (3 weeks)
Team: Singapore National Swimming Team – 12 athletes (7 female, 5 male)
Role: Strength & Conditioning Coach
As I reflect on the past three weeks in Nagano, Japan, I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Singapore National Swimming Team's altitude training camp.
With the team preparing for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Canada and the Asian Games in Japan, this camp represented an important phase of their performance journey. While altitude training is designed to create physiological adaptations that support endurance and performance, what I'll remember most isn't just the science—it's the people, the process, and the commitment shown every single day.
As the Strength & Conditioning Coach, my days started well before the first swim session.
Coach Carl supervising the athletes
At 6:30am, we began each morning with a 20-minute activation session before breakfast, preparing the athletes physically for another demanding day. During breakfast, we monitored each swimmer's oxygen saturation (SpOâ‚‚) and went through the Athlete Management System (AMS) to monitor each athletes well-being and recovery data.
Before entering the pool, I led dryland preparation sessions focusing on mobility, core stability, movement quality, and activation to ensure the athletes were ready to perform. Hydration monitoring was another key component of the daily routine, with pre- and post-swim weigh-ins allowing us to assess fluid loss and recovery needs.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the work continued beyond the pool with post-swim strength training sessions in the gym, while each afternoon began with another dryland and core session before the second swim practice. At the end of the day, recovery became the priority through guided stretching and mobility sessions to help the athletes prepare for the following day's workload.
Of course, no role in high-performance sport exists in isolation. Whenever required, I supported the coaching staff on pool deck by recording times, collecting lactate measurements, and assisting with video analysis alongside Chiya to provide technical feedback for the swimmers. It was a great example of how success in elite sport comes from collaboration, with every member of the performance team contributing towards a shared objective.
Watching these athletes embrace the demands of training was genuinely inspiring. Every early morning wake-up, every difficult training set, every gym session, and every recovery block reflected a group committed to becoming better each day. High performance isn't built on talent alone—it is built on discipline, resilience, consistency, and trust in the process.
Being immersed in this environment reminded me why I love working in elite sport. My role may happen largely behind the scenes, but there is immense satisfaction in helping athletes prepare to perform at their best. Whether it was managing physical readiness, monitoring recovery, supporting training, or simply being another person the athletes and coaches could rely on, every small contribution formed part of a much bigger picture.
Nagano itself provided the perfect backdrop for this experience. Surrounded by mountains and away from the distractions of everyday life, our routine became beautifully simple: prepare, train, recover, analyse, and repeat. Those shared experiences—long days, challenging sessions, and countless conversations—are what make training camps so memorable. They build not only stronger athletes but stronger teams.
I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to the coaching staff, fellow support staff, and especially the athletes for their trust, professionalism, and relentless commitment throughout the camp. It was a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated group of people, all striving towards the same goal.
The work completed over these three weeks may not be visible to spectators, but it forms the foundation upon which great performances are built.
Gallery
CARL de VRIES
Founder & Director
Performance Coach, BSc Sports Science
Strength & Conditioning Lead for Singapore Swimming National Training Centre
SPECIALISATIONS
1999 - 2007 - Bowling, Singapore National Team
Precision Nutrition: Nutrition Level 1 Certified (USA)
Certified Olympic Weightlifting Coach Level 1 (Australian Weightlifting Federation)
SURGE Swimming Strength & Conditioning Cert
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association Level 1
Fluent in English and Malay
ATHLETIC INC
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