Past Clinic: Explosive Performance & High Performance Freestyle Swim Camp Series

Apollo High School (Outdoor)
8045 N 47th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85302

A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.

Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps

Within 250 miles of Glendale, AZ.

Starting Jul 24, 2024

Eastern Hills Aquatic Club

Info

Search all of our clinics at our find a clinic page.

Past Clinic

Introduction

September 11-12, 2021

High Performance Freestyle Racing Camp –Sign up for one session or SAVE when you sign up for the special 2-day bundle!

Swimmers will take their Freestyle training and racing to the next level at this High Performance freestyle racing camp! Session sizes are limited to no more than 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!

-Saturday, September 11: Participants will focus on the mechanics of a smooth and powerful freestyle to become faster and more efficient freestylers.
-Sunday, September 12:  Swimmers will work on developing speed, focusing on distance per stroke vs tempo, pacing in freestyle events as well as practice what they've learned in a freestyle training set.

Scroll down for more details on the curriculum!

This camp will be led by Giles Smith who swam at the highest level and are exceptional teacher with a talent for explaining and demonstrating the technique required for fast racing!

Scroll down for more details on the curriculum!

Session Times (All Days):
12 & Under: Check in 9 AM, Clinic 9:15-11:15 AM
13 & Over: Check in 11:45 AM, Clinic 12-2:30 PM

Suggested Participants

The clinicians will lead two sessions for each age group at both camps. This camp series is 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.

Curriculum

SEPTEMBER 11: HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE

As you know, freestyle is the stroke swam more than any other in races and practices. Creating and cultivating good habits will not only make swimmers faster but will also reduce the risk for injuries in the long term. Giles Smith will be in the water leading participants through a progression of freestyle drills. These will allow them to deepen their understanding of each part of the stroke and help create good habits for fast and efficient freestyle technique.

  • BODYLINE: A swimmer's freestyle will never be fast without a strong bodyline. Swimmers will reinforce good posture and engage their core to have a strong foundation for a faster freestyle.
  • ROTATION: Participants will learn to utilize their rotation to form more connection and power out of every pull and kick.
  • KICK: Participants will become a stronger and faster kicker through learning about both the technique and timing of each kick.
  • PULL: The best swimmers in the world utilize an early vertical forearm to put immediate pressure back on the water. The clinicians will also teach swimmers how to get maximum extension and a powerful finish to the stroke! Learn new drills and exercises to get more power from every stroke.
  • BREATH: All swimmers know to keep one goggle in and one goggle out of the water when they take a breath, but the length and timing are also important! The clinicians will show each swimmer how to make each breath more efficient for faster freestyle racing no matter what distance.

SEPTEMBER 12: FREESTYLE APPLIED SPEED

The technique for swimming a fast freestyle race changes depending on the distance. Learning how to prioritize tempo vs. length and speed vs. efficiency can make a big difference in maximizing speed in shorter races or increasing endurance in longer races. The session will also include a training set designed to challenge swimmers and complement the technical foundation developed on day one.

  • DISTANCE PER STROKE: One way to increase efficiency is to take fewer strokes. Counting the number of strokes and improving technique to decrease that number will save energy. On the other side, it may be faster to take more strokes per length, especially in shorter events.
  • TEMPO: A swimmer’s tempo is how fast or slow they complete each stroke. Having a slower tempo allows swimmers to conserve energy by taking fewer strokes, while a faster tempo is more tiring but much faster. Changing tempo based on event distance and fatigue level will help participants swim as fast as possible.
  • PACING: When racing, many swimmers will prioritize tempo over distance per stroke, which causes them to take a higher number of shorter strokes on each length. This is a very inefficient way to swim and can cause a swimmer to race much slower and fatigue quicker. At this session, Giles will help participants refine their stroke count and tempo so that they can utilize their strengths to race faster in any distance!
  • TRAINING FREESTYLE: Also included in this session is an elite workout designed by Giles and the Fitter and Faster Coaching Team. This workout is specifically designed to challenge swimmers’ freestyle and help identify strengths and weaknesses in their training, which will ultimately transfer into becoming a better racer!

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!

Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!

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