Did you know that the fastest that your swimmer is ever moving through the water (other than the start) is during every turn? On Monday, the curriculum will focus on explosive flip turns, powerful underwater dolphin kicking, and powerful breakouts. On Tuesday, participants will work on accelerating through every open turn into a well-timed finish. The camp will end on Wednesday with swimmers working to develop and execute winning strategies for races 100 yards or meters in length - of any stroke! This camp will be led by Coley Stickles!

DAY 1: FLIP TURNS & UNDERWATERS (Dec 27)

On Day 1 of this camp, we will work with participants on approaching every wall in a freestyle and backstroke race at top speed and seamlessly executing their flip 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.
• STREAMLINE: Immediately following the flip turn, a swimmer needs to get into the most perfect, hydrodynamic streamline. Many people think a streamline is very simple, but it’s not! The streamline is the fastest an elite 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 get a better appreciation of what they need to do after every single turn in practice and in races.
• INITIATING UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: Elite swimmers want to maximize their streamline on every single lap. They don’t want to 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. We will teach your swimmer how to time when to begin their underwater dolphin kicking!
• BREAKOUTS: Transitioning from a full-speed underwater dolphin kick into a breakout is so important! Many swimmers start too soon; start too late; or add movements 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: OPEN TURNS & FINISHES (Dec 28)

On Day 2 of this camp, we will work with participants on approaching every wall in butterfly and breaststroke race at top speed and seamlessly executing their open turn.

• 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 actually not “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 KICKS, 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 camp, your swimmer will learn techniques to set themselves up for a well-timed finish when they are still about 10 yards from the wall.
• BREASTSTROKE PULLOUTS: The best breaststrokers are faster under the water than on the surface! With the proper body position and timing, a swimmer's pullout will take them very far, very quickly! Your swimmer will practice utilizing this skill to significantly improve all of their breaststroke races.

DAY 3: Race Strategy and Execution: 100's (Dec 29)

“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 in every stroke. The name of the game is understanding all the different ways to execute the race and seeing what works for you!

• 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 yards or 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 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 the first 25, this will cause early fatigue. Swimmers will work on techniques to swim as fast as they can in all strokes with “ease”.
• CONTROL: Your elite clinician will teach participants how to manipulate their speed and energy at different points in a race.
• FRONT-END SPEED & BACK-END SPEED: The first 50 (front-end) and second 50 (back-end) of the 100 can be broken up to ensure an effective plan. Some swimmers go out really fast and hang on, while others control the first 50 and 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: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall is essential to a fast 100. 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 your 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.
• 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.