Past Clinic: High Performance Technique for Faster Racing
St. Bernard Swim Club
1 Lynn Oaks Dr,
St Bernard,
LA 70085
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of St Bernard, LA.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Two-Day High Performance Swim Camp – Sign up for one or SAVE by signing up for all FOUR sessions!
In four sessions over two days, swimmers will focus on refining their technique for faster and more efficient breaststroke and butterfly in addition to practicing starts and turns with explosive power.
Saturday
Session 1: Starts & Underwaters
Session 2: Breaststroke Technique
Sunday
Session 3: Turns & Finishes
Session 4: Butterfly Technique
Session sizes are limited to no more than 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience!
Leading each session of this camp are Olympian Norbert Szabo and SEC Champion Michael Duderstadt! Norbert and Michael 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:
Sessions 1 & 3: Check in 8:45 AM, Clinic 9:00 AM-11:00 AM
Sessions 2 & 4: Check in 11:30 AM, Clinic 11:45 AM-1:45 PM
Suggested Participants
Norbert and Michael will lead four sessions over two days. This camp is recommended for swimmers ages 9 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. Olympian Norbert Szabo and SEC Champion Michael Duderstadt have 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. Norbert and Michael 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.
- 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: HIGH PERFORMANCE BREASTSTROKE TECHNIQUE
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. Norbert Szabo and Michael Duderstadt 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. Norbert and Michael 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 Norbert and Michael time their breaststroke for ultimate efficiency.
SESSION 3: 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. Olympian Norbert Szabo and SEC Champion Michael Duderstadt 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.
- 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!
- OPEN TURNS: Think about the open turn differently! Your swimmer should not be making an open turn to touch the wall and swim the next lap; if they’re doing this, they are actually stopping and then trying to regain speed. An expertly executed open turn involves spinning backwards, enabling your swimmer to carry momentum into the push off.
- 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: HIGH PERFORMANCE BUTTERFLY TECHNIQUE
Norbert Szabo and Michael Duderstadt will work with 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 Norbert and Michael 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 fly for maximum speed.
- PULL: Long and smooth strokes will allow your swimmer to have a more efficient butterfly. Norbert and Michael will teach participants to get an early catch on the water for more power in each stroke.
- BREATH: The most common mistakes that 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.
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask Norbert and Michael questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe Norbert and Michael 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 two of the best swimmers and coaches in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.
Take a photo with Norbert and Michael, 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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