Past Clinic: Explosive Performance: Starts & Turns Camp

Anthem Dolphins Aquatic Club
41130 N Freedom Way, Anthem, AZ 85086

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

Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps

Within 250 miles of Anthem, AZ.

Starting May 31, 2024

Whitney Ranch Aquatic Complex

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Starting Jul 24, 2024

Eastern Hills Aquatic Club

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

Past Clinic

Introduction

EXPLOSIVE PERFORMANCE SWIM CAMP! – December 4 & 5, 2021 The momentum generated from an explosive start and turns are the fastest that elite swimmers are moving in a race! The more efficient, powerful and hydrodynamic your swimmer is, directly impacts their speed and distance they travel in the water before taking their first stroke! –> DAY 1: Explosive Starts, Underwaters & Breakouts –> DAY 2: Fast Flip Turns, Open Turns, & Finishes Click the “Curriculum Menu” below for details on each session of this camp. Session sizes are limited to no more than 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience! Leading this swim camp is ELITE Clinician, Olympic Gold Medalist, Multi-time American Record Holder and NCAA Champion: Clark Smith. 

Select a curriculum below

Starts Camp
Day 1: EXPLOSIVE STARTS, UNDERWATERS & BREAKOUTS (Dec 4)
Turns Camp
Day 2: FASTER FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES (Dec 5)
Curriculum
Session TimesSession Times & Groups
Starts Camp

Day 1: EXPLOSIVE STARTS, UNDERWATERS & BREAKOUTS (Dec 4)

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.
Turns Camp

Day 2: FASTER FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES (Dec 5)

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.

SAVE when you purchase a 2-day "Bundle" for your swimmer's age group! Session times for both days: 11 & Under: Dec 4: Check in 12:45 PM, Clinic 1 – 3:15 PM Dec 5: Check in 10 AM, Clinic 10:15 – 12:30 PM 12 & Over: Dec 4: Check in 3:45 PM, Clinic 4 – 7 PM Dec 5: Check in 1 PM, Clinic 1:15 – 4:15 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 to the 11 & Under session without submitting their times or swimming history to Fitter and Faster.

ASK QUESTIONS

Swimmers and parents are invited to ask their clinicians questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.

WATCH THE CLINICIANS

Observe your 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!

Lead Clinician

Clark Smith is an Olympic gold medalist and American record holder! At his swim clinics, he works with the swimmers to break down the most important parts of technique that have allowed him to reach the absolute highest level of the sport. Sign up to learn from Clark Smith and leave a more knowledgable and inquisitive swimmer!

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

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