Past Clinic: Explosive Performance: Starts & Turns!
Albuquerque Academy Natatorium
6400 Wyoming Blvd. NE,
Albuquerque,
NM 87109
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Albuquerque, NM.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Fitter & Faster is coming to Albuquerque at the end of January 2022. Session will be broken up based on your swimmer's age. Sign up for individual sessions or SAVE when purchasing a 2-day “Bundle”!
Explosive Performance Starts & Turns Camp! – January 22 & 23, 2022
–> DAY 1: Explosive Starts, Underwaters & Breakouts
–> DAY 2: Fast Flip Turns, Open Turns, & Finishes
Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details on this camp. Session sizes are limited to no more than 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!
Select a curriculum below
Day 1: EXPLOSIVE STARTS, UNDERWATERS & BREAKOUTS (Jan 22)
The better a swimmer’s technique is off the starting block, the more speed they will carry into the water. Day 1 of this swim camp will help your swimmer improve their start, underwater dolphin kicking and breakouts!
- BLOCK STARTS: To ensure an explosive start, a swimmer needs to set themselves up properly on the block. The elite clinicians will work with participants on the optimal positioning of your swimmer’s entire body to allow for a quick reaction time and optimal speed.
- STREAMLINE: The streamline - if done properly - will be the fastest a 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 a better appreciation of what they need to do on every single wall in practice and in races.
- INITIATING UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: Elite swimmers want to maximize their streamline on every single lap. So, 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. Your swimmer is going to learn how to time when to begin their underwater dolphin kicking.
- POWERFUL UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: There are a few different techniques that swimmers use when underwater dolphin kicking. The common theme of these techniques is that the best swimmers kick up and down with equal power. We will show your swimmer the different techniques that elite swimmers use and teach them how to implement.
- NUMBER OF UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKS: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall, for each race, is essential to fast swimming. Elite swimmers want to spend only the absolute necessary amount of time underwater to establish speed with each length. They want to avoid losing their breath and taking weak kicks.
- BREAKOUTS: Many swimmers add movement 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: FASTER FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES (Jan 23)
Fast turns and well-timed finishes are crucial elements to fast times and winning close races. Today, we're going to work with your swimmer on taking this crucial part of every race (and practice) to the next level!
- MOMENTUM: At the elite level of swimming, walls aren’t just used for turning around - they are used to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Outside of the elite ranks, most swimmers stop or slow down while going into the wall, which kills their momentum! We will work with participants on the intricacies of approaching every wall at top speed and seamlessly initiating their “turn”.
- FLIP TURNS: After swimming freestyle and backstroke at full speed into the wall, participants will practice the techniques to quickly and powerfully execute their flipturn.
- OPEN TURNS: Most swimmers literally stop at the wall for a fraction of a second or more before pushing off to swim their next lap. Not only are they losing time at the wall, but they’re also losing all of the momentum they had from their previous lap! Elite butterfly and breaststroke swimmers are doing more of a pivot. They are utilizing speed from the last lap to create momentum and even more speed at the beginning of the next lap. Participants in this session will work on techniques to achieve this as well.
- FINISHES: 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 about 10 yards from the wall.
Session Times (Both Days): 11 & under: Check in 8:45 AM, Clinic 9 AM-11:30 AM 12 & Over: Check in 12:15 PM, Clinic 12:30 PM- 3:30 PM 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 to the 11 & Under sessions without submitting their times or swimming history to Fitter and Faster.
ASK QUESTIONS
At each session of this series, swimmers and parents are invited to ask the Elite Clinicians questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe the clinicians at each session 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 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 your clinicians, get autographs, and ALL PARTICIPANTS receive a FREE Fitter and Faster swim cap for the camp!
Giles Smith
Giles Smith is a National Champion and Pan American Games gold medalist. He is known for his precision of technique especially towards the end of races when his competitors are fatiguing. Learn how to achieve AND maintain fast and efficient swimming all the time by learning from Giles Smith!
Michael Duderstadt
Michael Duderstadt is an All-American and SEC Champion swimmer who competed at the University of Auburn! He has a big personality that helps him convey elite technique to every participant at his swim camps. Sign up to learn from Michael!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
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