Past Clinic: High Performance Technique for Faster Racing
Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center
2740 Miller Dr,
Plymouth,
IN 46563
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Plymouth, IN.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Two-Day High Performance Technique for Faster Racing - Sign up for one or SAVE by signing up for all four sessions!
Your swimmer is going to improve at this intimate high performance four session camp. Each session has a distinct curriculum designed to improve participants‘ stroke technique in all four strokes for a more efficient and faster stroke.
Saturday
Session 1: Butterfly
Session 2: Breaststroke
Sunday
Session 3: Backstroke
Session 4: Freestyle
Leading each session will be Olympian Kierra Smith and NCAA All-American Mokhtar Al-Yamani! Kierra and Mokhtar are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic clinicians with the ability to relate with swimmers of all abilities. Scroll down for more details on the curriculum.
Session Times (Both Days):
Sessions 1 & 3: Check in 8:00 AM, Clinic 8:15 AM-10:15 AM
Sessions 2 & 4: Check in 11:00 AM, Clinic 11:15 AM-1:15 PM
Social Distancing: Fitter and Faster is following all guidelines as it relates to COVID-19 as set by the CDC, NIH and local authorities. This camp will not have more than 3 swimmers per lane (max 30 in each session). We also ask for you to please drop your swimmers off at the sign-in table and to pick your swimmers up after the clinic. If a waitlist is established, please join it. If enough people enter the waitlist we will plan for additional sessions! THANK YOU!
Suggested Participants
Kierra and Mokhtar will lead four sessions for competitive swimmers ages 10 and over. Swimmers younger than 10 years old are not recommended without your coach’s approval.
Curriculum
SESSION 1: HIGH PERFORMANCE BUTTERFLY
Olympian Kierra Smith and NCAA All-American Mokhtar Al-Yamaniwill work with the participants to improve on the complexities of balancing power and fluid rhythm in one of the most dynamic athletic movements. Elite butterfliers maintain forward momentum by setting an immediate high catch with a perfectly timed kick. They are committed to a breathing pattern, perfecting their distance per stroke, and maintaining a horizontal body position - become committed to these same skills...make them YOUR habits.
- BODY POSITION: Elite butterfliers focus on driving their momentum forward with minimal drag by keeping their heads low and hips high. Participants will work with Kierra and Mokhtar on establishing and maintaining the proper body position.
- KICK: Each butterfly stroke has two equally strong and well-timed kicks. Work on how and when to kick in butterfly for maximum speed.
- PULL: Long and smooth strokes will allow your swimmer to have a more efficient butterfly. Kierra and Mokhtar will teach participants to get an early catch on the water for more power in each stroke.
- BREATH: The most common mistakes swimmers make in fly occur during the breath. Swimmers will work on low and efficient breaths as well as WHEN to breathe so that they can swim more efficiently on the breath stroke.
SESSION 2: HIGH PERFORMANCE BREASTSTROKE
More than any other stroke, breaststroke is the most varied. Out of the eight finalists at the Olympic Games you might see eight different styles of strokes! Without fail, your swimmer's timing and ability to eliminate resistance are both hallmarks of an efficient and powerful breaststroker. Your swimmer has the foundation, now learn from the expert how to utilize your core and hip drive to create a fluid and more forward driving stroke.
- BODY POSITION: The best swimmers in the world learn at a young age about the importance of being patient with their stroke and trusting their "glide position". Too many young swimmers rush their stroke, create "drag" (i.e. slow themselves down) and exhaust themselves. Kierra Smith and Mokhtar Al-Yamani will work with participants to maintain a better body position for a more efficient breaststroke.
- KICK: The three parts of the kick are hips, knees, and feet. Kierra and Mokhtar will work with participants to kick with power from their hips while keeping their knees close and feet wide. The kick is about 80% of the power in breaststroke. Get more out of each kick for a faster breaststroke!
- PULL: Participants in this session will learn drills to encourage them to keep their hands and elbows high on the water throughout the entire pull, thereby minimizing resistance and maintaining speed.
- TIMING: A fast breaststroke is all about the rhythm! The proper timing will make your stroke fast, smooth and less taxing on your body. Learn how Kierra and Mokhtar time their breaststroke for ultimate efficiency.
SESSION 3: HIGH PERFORMANCE BACKSTROKE
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 Olympian Kierra Smith and NCAA All-American Mokhtar Al-Yamani 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 4: HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE
Freestyle is the stroke swam more than any other in races and practices. Creating and cultivating good habits now will not only make your swimmer faster but will also reduce the risk for injuries in the long term. Kierra Smith and Mokhtar Al-Yamani 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: Your swimmer's freestyle will never be fast without a strong bodyline. Your swimmer 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: Your swimmer 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. Kierra and Mokhtar 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! Kierra and Mokhtar will show your swimmer how to make each breath more efficient for faster freestyle racing no matter what distance.
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask Kierra and Mokhtar questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe Kierra and Mokhtar 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 two of the best swimmers in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.
Take a photo with Kierra and Mokhtar, 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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