Past Clinic: High Performance Racing Camp

Fox Chapel Area High School
611 Field Club Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

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

Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps

Within 250 miles of Pittsburgh, PA.

Starting Dec 27, 2024

Warrenton Area Recreational Facility (WARF)

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Starting Dec 28, 2024

Roberts Wesleyan University - Voller Athletic Center

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Burkwood Swim and Racquet Club (Lower Pool - Bubble)

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Roberts Wesleyan University - Voller Athletic Center

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University of Waterloo - Physical Activities Complex

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Starting Dec 29, 2024

Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre

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Starting Jan 11, 2025

Big Spring High School Natatorium

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Maine Endwell School District Aquatics Center

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New Albany High School - OH

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Starting Mar 16, 2024

Jeff Rouse Swim and Sport Center

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Starting Mar 16, 2024

Jeff Rouse Swim and Sport Center

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Past Clinic

Introduction

High Performance IM Racing Camp - Competitive swimmers can sign up for one or SAVE by signing up for both sessions for their age group! 

Fast racing is all in the details. At this swim camp there will be 5 sessions. There will be two sessions for competitive swimmers ages 11 and under working on the fastest parts of every race: the starts and turns! There will also be two sessions available to swimmers ages 12 & older focused on techniques and strategies for racing faster in the IM. There will also be a session available to developmental swimmers ages 10 and younger where the participants will work on streamlines, flip turns, and freestyle technique.

Leading each session will be four-time Olympian Roland Schoeman and two-time Olympian Chloe Sutton, and Olympian Isabella Arccila! Scroll down for more details on the curriculum.

Suggested Participants

SAVE: Sign up before prices increase or the sessions fill up!

Roland, Chloe, and Isabella will be in the water leading five sessions, two for each competitive age group and one for developmental swimmers.

Curriculum

Session 1 (11 & Under): Starts, Underwater Dolphin Kicking, and Breakouts

This session will focus on the fastest part of your race: the start! Roland Schoeman relentlessly studied and perfected the track start and he is known around the world for being the fastest starter of all time. At this camp, your swimmer will get to benefit from Roland's lifetime of figuring out the best strategies for creating more speed and power through the start, into the underwater dolphin kicking, and the breakout.

  • STARTS: How you set up on the block including proper hand and foot placement can allow your swimmer to drive forward with a lot of explosive power. Roland will work with each swimmer to find their best position on the block as well as how to launch their body forward efficiently into a tight streamline and enter through a small hole.
  • UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: The not-so-secret weapon of elite level swimmers is their underwater dolphin kick. Roland is known as one of the best underwater dolphin kickers in the world and she specializes in teaching swimmers how to unlock their potential in this important skill.
  • BREAKOUTS: Learn how to carry momentum from the underwater dolphin kicks into the breakout by timing the first stroke and staying streamlined. Your swimmer will practice keeping their head down and it'll make a big difference in their breakout!

Session 2 (12 & Over): Butterfly to Backstroke IM Strategy, Underwater Dolphin Kicking, and Open Turns

Many swimmers struggle with how to pace the first half of an IM so that they're racing as fast and efficiently as possible without spending too much energy. Olympic gold medalist Roland Schoeman will help participants to understand the proper pacing for butterfly and backstroke so that they can race faster in each of their IM races. He will also work with the swimmers on underwater dolphin kicking and open turn to get in and out of every wall faster!

  • BUTTERFLY to BREASTSTROKE IM STRATEGY: In this session, Roland will work with participants to find the right balance of rhythm, length, and power to maximize the speed of the butterfly and backstroke legs of their IM. He will help swimmers understand themselves better so that they can start fast without spending all of their energy. This is a very strategic skill that can make a big difference in your swimmer's IM.
  • UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: Many swimmers push off the wall and simply go through the motions of dolphin kicking without creating much power. At this session, Roland 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 faster than ever before.
  • OPEN TURNS: Technique for a great open turn starts over 5 meters out from the wall by making sure that swimmers time their last stroke to touch at full extension. Then from there the open turn is a backwards spin initiated by driving your knees agressively into your chest and tucking your chin. This process allows a swimmer to carry their momentum through the turn and into an even faster streamline.

Session 3 (11 & Under): Flip Turns, Open Turns, and Finishes

Most age group swimmers add in extra movements on their turns that slow them down and prevent them from carrying their momentum through the turn and into the next length! Even at Olympic Trials we see many very fast swimmers who miss making finals and even the Olympic team because of the quality of their turns and finishes! The turn and finish are both opportunities for a swimmer to actually GAIN MOMENTUM, when in fact most swimmers actually slow down. At both of these sessions, Sarah Henry will be in the water instructing and providing feedback to the participants on how to improve their turns so that they can drop time!

  • FLIP TURNS: Your swimmer will learn how to carry their momentum through the turn to get in and out of every wall faster. Swimmers will practice accelerating into the wall with long strokes and then using their core and arms to get through the turn. They'll practice planting their feet on the wall for a powerful pushoff in the perfect streamline. Sarah will give the swimmers drills and exercises to help them master this athletic skill now as well as in the future!
  • OPEN TURNS: Think about the open turn differently! You should not be making an open to turn around and swim the next lap. If you're doing this - you're actually stopping and then trying to regain speed again. An expertly executed open turn involves spinning backwards. This enables you to carry momentum into the pushoff. We're going to teach you how to cut a lot of time on this turn... helping you in all of your breaststroke and butterfly races!
  • FINISHES: Races can be won and lost by hundredths of a second. Many races come down to the very last stroke. Your swimmer will learn how to drive their legs, elongate their arms, and keep their head down so that your swimmer doesn't waste any time or strokes as they approach the wall.

Session 4 (12 & Over): Breaststroke to Freestyle IM Strategy, Breaststroke Pullouts, and Crossover Turns

Finishing strong is so important to racing a fast IM. The key is finding the right tempo on the breaststroke and freestyle lengths to allow a swimmer to accelerate to the finish without losing momentum. These sessions are all about the pacing and strategy on the last half of the IM as well as breaststroke pullouts and the fastest turn your swimmer can do to transition from back to breast: the crossover turn.

  • BREASTSTROKE to FREESTYLE IM STRATEGY: Building speed through the back half of an IM is all about understanding how to increase tempo while maintaining length. Roland will work with participants to play with their tempo and length in both breaststroke as well as freestyle for a more efficient finish to their IM races.
  • BREASTSTROKE PULLOUTS: The best breaststrokers are faster under the water than on the surface! Learn the components and sequence of movements that make up a fast underwater breaststroke pullout from Roland. With the proper body position and timing, a swimmer's pullout will take them almost to the other side of the pool faster than you could imagine.
  • CROSSOVER TURNS: The crossover turn is the fastest way to transition from back to breast in an IM race. It has made headlines lately with even the top swimmers getting disqualified for doing it incorrectly. Four-time Olympian Roland Schoeman will ensure that participants are aware of the rules and able to execute the crossover turn FAST and EFFICIENTLY.

Session 5 (Developmental 10 & Under): Streamlines, Flip Turns, and Freestyle

This session is for pre-competitive swimmers who are new to the sport of swimming. Starting out with the foundation of good technique is so important! Participants at this session will learn good habits that will allow them to swim faster, more efficiently, prevent injury later on, and have more fun in the sport! Four-time Olympian Roland Schoeman will be in the water teaching streamlines, flip turns, and freestyle.

  • STREAMLINES: A tight streamline is a lot more than just putting your arms together over your head! It is a full body activation that requires the proper positioning from fingertips to toe tips. When your swimmer learns how to streamline correctly, you'll see the difference in the way they move through the water with less resistance!
  • FLIP TURNS: The goal of a fast flip turn is to carry momentum from swimming one direction through the turn. Many swimmers add in extra movements that actually slow them down. Roland will work with the participants at this session to flip turn with better technique!
  • FREESTYLE: A long and strong freestyle starts out with the proper body position (including their head position) so that they can swim with less resistance! Only after establishing a strong and straight body line can a swimmer add in a fast kick and long, powerful arm pulls. Freestyle will be the stroke that your swimmer trains and races more than any other, make sure they're doing it correctly!

ASK QUESTIONS

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

WATCH THE CLINICIAN

Observe Roland 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 one of the best swimmers in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.

Take a photo while wearing Roland's medals, get autographs, and a gift from TYR Sport!

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

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