Past Clinic: High Performance Backstroke Camp
HAGERTY FAMILY EVENTS CENTER (DAVID HALLMAN III AQUATICS CENTER)
501 West 12th Street,
Erie,
PA 16501
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Erie, PA.
Past Clinic
Introduction
June 26 & 27
Two-Day High Performance Backstroke Racing Camp - SAVE more by signing up for multiple sessions across multiple camps and/or for multiple swimmers!
Whether backstroke is your best stroke or your worst, everyone can get a lot out of this two day, four session swim camp all about racing BACKSTROKE! Each session will work on specific skills, techniques, and strategies to take their backstroke racing to the next level!
Saturday
Session 1: Backstroke Technique & Drills
Session 2: Backstroke Starts & Underwaters
Sunday
Session 3: Backstroke Turns & Finishes
Session 4: Backstroke Race Strategy
This camp will be led by NCAA All-American Ryan Harty and two-time Tongan Olympian Amini Fonua! Ryan and Amini are exceptional teachers with talent for explaining and demonstrating the technique required for fast racing! Scroll down for more details on the curriculum!
Session Times:
Sessions 1 & 3: Check in 12 PM, Clinic 12:15-2:15 PM
Sessions 2 & 4: Check in 2:45 PM, Clinic 3-5 PM
Suggested Participants
Ryan and Amini will lead four sessions for swimmers ages 10 and over. Sign up for one or SAVE by signing up for all four sessions!
Curriculum
SESSION 1: BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE AND DRILLS
Your swimmer understands the core components of backstroke, now begin to master the subtle skills that will help your swimmer compete at a higher level. Participants will practice using their core to create rotation and a balanced stroke, build a powerful pull with a strategic use of stroke rate, and use their kick as a dominant propulsive force.
- BODY POSITION: Participants will work with NCAA All-American Ryan Harty and Olympian Amini Fonua to feel and understand how to maintain a neutral spine and head position for less drag and better full body connection in backstroke.
- ROTATION: The fastest backstrokers in the world use a powerful body rotation to create more power and increase their tempo. Your swimmer will learn how much to rotate, when to rotate, and how to use it for maximum speed and power.
- KICK: Have you ever noticed how many swimmers’ knees break the surface when they kick in backstroke? This means that the swimmer is kicking with their knees which is less efficient than kicking from their hip. Maintaining maximum propulsion and proper kicking technique will greatly improve your swimmer’s backstroke.
- PULL: It is very important for swimmers to bend their elbow very early in the pull so that they can get an early catch for an immediate and powerful press back into the water.
SESSION 2: BACKSTROKE STARTS & UNDERWATERS
Mastering the details of a race makes the difference between a good swim and a great one. The fastest your swimmer will be moving is after the start and turn, so maximizing this momentum is a critical way to drop time. Practicing an explosive start and powerful underwater kicking will help your swimmer drop time in any backstroke event!
- BACKSTROKE STARTS: Getting into the right ready position utilizing the backstroke ledge with a straight back, hips high on the surface of the water, and feet positioned to get maximum power is extremely important to being able to execute a fast and clean backstroke start. Ryan Harty and Amini Fonua will work with swimmers at this session to achieve a beautiful back arch over the water so that they can have an advantage in every backstroke race!
- UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: The fastest swimmers know how to weaponize their dolphin kicking. It is absolutely, undeniably, the fastest way to move through the water! Whether you dolphin kick on your stomach, side, or back, understanding the importance of streamlined, underwater speed is vital for every swimmer!
SESSION 3 (SUNDAY): BACKSTROKE TURNS AND FINISHES
Focusing on having faster turns is an easy way to drop time and win close races. Elite swimmers maintain their momentum through a quick turn and have a powerful push off every wall. NCAA All-American Ryan Harty and Olympian Amini Fonua will lead participants through a series of drills to have compact, fast turns in any race. It’s easy for swimmers to have lazy turns when they are tired, but by learning the correct technique and practicing daily, your swimmer can gain speed on each turn.
- BACKSTROKE 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 KNOWING THEIR COUNT! Then they'll use their core and arms to get through the turn. They will practice planting their feet on the wall for a powerful push off in the perfect streamline. Ryan will give the swimmers drills and exercises to help them master this athletic skill!
- BACKSTROKE FINISHES: The backstroke finish is the hardest finish to perfect. Swimmers will work with Amini and Ryan to master their count and reach back with a well-timed dolphin kick. This aggressive lunge will help your swimmer get their hand on the wall faster and more efficiently!
SESSION 4 (SUNDAY): BACKSTROKE RACE STRATEGY
In the final session, swimmers will put together the skills they learned in the previous session to practice fast backstroke racing. Ryan and Amini will have swimmers practice changing different parts of their stroke to adjust to sprint or distance backstroke events. Swimmers will put these skills to the test in workouts specifically designed to develop different racing plans and emphasize the technique and skills learned earlier in the camp.
- 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: Your 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 your swimmer swim as fast as possible.
- RACE PACE: Participants will bring all of the technical elements of backstroke together in a fast and powerful stroke. Practicing backstroke at full speed while maintaining good body position and stroke technique will make it second nature when it comes time to race.
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask Ryan and Amini questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into his training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIAN
Observe Ryan and Amini 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 with Ryan and Amini, get autographs, and ALL PARTICIPANTS receive a FREE Fitter and Faster Collector’s Bag Tag for each day they are at the camp. Collect all 37 and trade with your friends!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
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