Past Clinic: High Performance Technique for Faster Racing
Wes Deist Aquatic Center
149 7th St,
Idaho Falls,
ID 83401
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Idaho Falls, ID.
Past Clinic
Introduction
JUNE 11-12, 2021
High Performance Technique for Faster Racing – In four sessions over two days, swimmers will focus on refining their technique and speed in freestyle and backstroke for faster and more efficient racing in addition to practicing starts and turns with explosive power.
Friday
Session 1: Starts & Underwaters
Session 2: Common Freestyle & Backstroke Technique
Saturday
Session 3: Turns & Finishes
Session 4: Freestyle & Backstroke Applied Speed
Session sizes are limited to no more than 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!
This camp will be led by Elite Clinician Tucker Dupree! Tucker will provide individualized instruction for participants and share his unique perspective on learning and refining his racing skills and stroke technique. Scroll down for more details on the curriculum.
Session Times:
Friday
Session 1: Check in 8:45 AM, Clinic 9:00 AM-11:30 AM
Session 2: Check in 12:45 PM, Clinic 1:00 PM-3:30 PM
Saturday
Session 3: Check in 8:45 AM, Clinic 9:00 AM-11:30 AM
Session 4: Check in 12:15 PM, Clinic 12:30 PM-3:00 PM
Suggested Participants
Tucker will lead four sessions over two days. This camp is recommended for competitive swimmers ages 11 and over.
Curriculum
SESSION 1: STARTS & UNDERWATERS
The start is your swimmer’s opportunity to cover as much ground as possible in a very short period of time with great efficiency and momentum heading into a tight streamline. There are countless intricacies to performing a start, and it will only improve with practice. Elite Clinician Tucker Dupree has spent countless hours practicing starts and underwater dolphin kicking and will show your swimmer how to be explosive and efficient with each movement.
- STARTS: Your swimmer’s proper hand and foot placement on the block can allow them to drive forward with a lot of explosive power. Tucker will work with your swimmer to find the best position on the block as well as how to launch their body forward efficiently into a tight streamline and enter the water through a small hole.
- 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. Tucker 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!
- BREAKOUTS: Many swimmers add movements in their breakout that create drag and destroy all of the momentum created during their underwater dolphin kicks. Your swimmer will work on staying streamlined and keeping their head down on the first stroke to accelerate into the first few strokes.
SESSION 2: COMMON FREESTYLE & BACKSTROKE TECHNIQUE
Freestyle and backstroke are called the “long axis” strokes because swimmers rotate their hips and torso from side to side. Freestyle and backstroke utilize the same kick, body position, posture, rotation, and an early catch; improve these complex skills to become a faster and more powerful swimmer! Tucker Dupree will cover drills and skills to break down these strokes into easy-to-understand movements that will come together for a faster, stronger, and more efficient stroke technique.
- BODY POSITION: Participants will work with Tucker to feel and understand how to maintain a neutral spine and head position for less drag and better full body connection.
- ROTATION: The fastest swimmers in the world use a powerful rotation to create more power and connection in every pull and kick. Learn how much to rotate, when to rotate, and how to use it for maximum speed and power.
- KICK: Your swimmer will become a stronger and faster kicker through learning about both the technique and timing of each kick.
- PULL: It is very important for both freestyle and backstroke swimmers to bend their elbow early in the pull to put immediate pressure back on the water. Tucker will also teach swimmers how to get maximum extension and a powerful finish to the stroke!
SESSION 3: FLIP TURNS & 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. Elite Clinician Tucker Dupree will lead participants through a series of drills to have compact, fast turns in backstroke and freestyle races. 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.
- FLIP TURNS: Your swimmer will learn to carry their momentum through the turn to get in and out of every wall faster. Swimmers will practice accelerating into the wall, using their core and arms to get through the turn, and planting the feet on the wall for a powerful push off in the perfect streamline. Participants will learn drills and exercises to help them master this athletic skill!
- FINISHES: Races can be won or lost by hundredths of a second, and many races come down to the last few strokes. Your swimmer will learn how to use their kick to accelerate into the wall, time their stroke for a perfect arm extension, and keep their head down so they don’t waste any time or strokes as they approach the wall.
SESSION 4: FREESTYLE & BACKSTROKE APPLIED SPEED
The technique for swimming fast freestyle or backstroke 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: 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.
- 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, Tucker Dupree will help participants refine their stroke count and tempo so that they can utilize their strengths to race faster in any distance!
- TRAINING SET: Also included in this session is an elite workout designed by Tucker and the Fitter and Faster Coaching Team. This workout is specifically designed to challenge your swimmer’s freestyle & backstroke and help identify strengths and weaknesses in their training, which will ultimately transfer into becoming a better racer!
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask Tucker questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into his training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIAN
Observe Tucker swim at full speed and demonstrate a progression of perfectly executed drills to achieve powerful, efficient and fast swimming.
PUT Y0UR SKILLS TO THE TEST
Swimmers will get to practice what they've learned by taking their stroke to your top speed with one of the best swimmers and coaches in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.
Take a photo with Tucker, 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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