Past Clinic: 2022 Ashland, OH Swim Camp
Ashland YMCA
207 Miller St,
Ashland,
OH 44805
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Ashland, OH.
Past Clinic
Introduction
We're coming back to Ashland, OH on January 8 & 9, 2022 to produce two different swim camps. One camp is for swimmers ages 12 & over and the other is for those who are 11 & Under! SAVE when you purchase a 2-day “Bundle” for your swimmer's age group!
Freestyle Technique & SPRINTING! - Ages 11 & under
-> DAY 1: High Performance Freestyle Technique
-> DAY 2: Faster turns & Sprinting
Race Strategy & Execution: 200's and 100's of all strokes - Ages 12 & up
-> DAY 1: Fast 200;s
-> DAY 2: Fast 100's
Click the "Curriculum Menu" below for more details on each camp! Session sizes are limited to 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!
Select a curriculum below
RACE STRATEGY AND EXECUTION: 200's & 100's (12 & Over) - January 8 & 9
“How should I swim this race?” How many times have you heard this? Swimmers of all ages and abilities have the same question. There are many different ways to swim a fast 100 and 200 in every stroke. The name of the game is understanding all the different ways to execute the race and seeing what works for you! On Day 1 of this camp the focus will be exclusively on 200’s. On Day 2 the focus will be on the 100's.
- STRATEGIES: At this camp your swimmer will learn various strategies that elite swimmers have executed with top results. Before your camp you will be emailed links to several elite level races of 100 and/or 200 yards/meters across all strokes, along with a brief summary of each. At the camp we will discuss and practice those strategies.
- "EASY SPEED": Establishing stroke length with the proper tempo after the breakout is essential to setting up a strong 100 and 200 in any stroke. Going as fast as we can with ease is the key to “easy speed”. We don’t want to kick or pull too hard on the first 25 in the 100 or the first 50 in the 200. This will cause early fatigue. Swimmers will work on techniques to swim as fast as they can in all strokes with “easy speed”.
- CONTROL: Your elite clinician will teach participants how to manipulate their speed and energy at different points in a race.
- FRONT-END & BACK-END SPEED: The first half (front-end) and second half (back-end) of the 100 and 200 can be “broken up” to ensure an effective plan. Some swimmers go out really fast and hang on, while others control the first part of their race, then try to “back-end” the race at full speed. Testing new strategies at this camp will give your swimmer confidence in their next race.
- UNDERWATER KICK COUNT: Underwater Kick Count: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall is essential to a fast 100 and 200. Your underwater strategy is likely to be different in the 100's versus 200’s. A swimmer wants to spend only the absolute necessary amount of time underwater to establish speed with each length. We want to avoid losing our breath and/or taking weak kicks.
- BREATHING PATTERN: Establishing a breathing pattern will help the swimmer stay focused and relaxed on their own swim. It will also help them finish the race with enough oxygen to close the race at full speed.
- ESTABLISHING A PLAN: A racer should have a plan for the race before it is swum! What’s your plan for front-end and back-end speed? How much time will you spend underwater before your first breath? How often will you breath each length?
- TEST THE PLAN IN PRACTICE: Now we test it! Swimmers will do a complete short set at the end of the session to practice racing the plan and stroke under race conditions. We’ll get off the blocks and practice some front end swims, push some back end swims, and race some straight 100’s or 200’s depending on the sessions.
- CONFIDENCE: One of the essential elements to dropping time and swimming fast is being willing to try new strategies when swimming a race. It’s ok to feel nervous and a little bit uncomfortable before your race! Entering a race with a strategy will help your swimmer with their confidence… and that confidence will help propel them to the results they aim to achieve.
HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE, TURNS & SPRINTING (11 & Under) - January 8 & 9
This camp is all about getting faster at Freestyle, Turns, & Sprinting! Day 1 will focus on freestyle technique. Day 2 will with focus on sprinting, flipturns, underwater dolphin kicking and breakouts!
- DAY 1: HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE (Jan 8): Cultivating good habits to swim freestyle at a high level 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 engagement of their core 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: FASTER TURNS & SPRINTING (Jan 9): Focusing on having faster turns is a crucial way to drop time and win close races. Most swimmers stop or slow down while going into the wall, which kills their momentum! At this clinic, we will teach swimmers to BUILD their speed into the wall, execute a fast turn, and use their momentum to power into a dominating underwater dolphin kick. No slowdowns into the wall & proper turn technique means having FASTER turns and races!
- Sprinting: Sprinting is all about swimming with “controlled aggression!” Our clinicians will demonstrate how to swim with power, while also being relaxed - having too much tension will make your swimmer slip in the water and slow down. Swimmers will observe how to tweak their stroke to make them quick yet efficient - increasing tempo, shortening the breath, and a strong connected kick will lead to an explosive race!
- Flip Turns: Swimmers will work on what techniques carry their momentum through the turn to get in and out of every wall faster. Participants will also practice accelerating into the wall, using their core and arms to get through the turn, and planting the feet on the wall for a powerful push-off in the perfect streamline.
- Underwater Dolphin Kicking: Many swimmers go through the motions of dolphin kicking without creating much power. At this session, the clinicians will work with each swimmer to learn the proper muscle activations, size, and frequency of their underwater dolphin so that they can accelerate through the breakout!
- Breakouts: Many swimmers add movement within their breakout that creates drag and destroys all of the power developed during their underwaters. Participants will work on timing their breakouts to accelerate and carry momentum into the lap.
Session times for each age group: 11 & Under: Jan 8: Check in 10 AM, Clinic 10:15-12:45 PM Jan 9: Check in 9 AM, Clinic 9:15-11:45 AM 12 & Over: Jan 8: Check in 1:15 PM, Clinic 1:30-4:30 PM Jan 9: Check in 12:15 PM, Clinic 12:30-3:30 PM Suggested Participants: These camps are designed for swimmers with a minimum of one-year of competitive swimming experience all the way up to AAAA times and faster. Swimmers younger than 9 years old are not invited without submitting their times or swimming history to Fitter and Faster.
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
Swimmers will get to practice what they've learned by taking their stroke to your top speed with some of the best swimmers and coaches in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.
Take a photo with the clinicians, get autographs, and ALL PARTICIPANTS receive a FREE Fitter and Faster swim cap!
Joao De Lucca
Joao Delucca is one of our most experienced top level clinicians as a two time Olympian, having competed in London in 2012 and his hometown of Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Winning a Gold Medal on a world stage in the sport of swimming requires the utmost discipline, attention to detail, work ethic, and passion for being the best. Joao Delucca brings all of these skills to the table as a Fitter and Faster clinician and gives his all to the swimmers he coaches.
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