Past Clinic: High Performance Technique for Faster Racing

Valparaiso High School
2727 N. Campbell Street, Valparaiso, IN 46383

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

Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps

Within 250 miles of Valparaiso, IN.

Starting Apr 27, 2024

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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.

  • Session 1: Freestyle
  • Session 2: Backstroke
  • Session 3: Breaststroke
  • Session 4: Butterfly

This camp will be led by NCAA All-American Aly Tetzloff and Coach Ben Lee! Scroll down for more details on the curriculum.

Session Times (Both Days):
AM Sessions (1 & 3): Check in 10:00 AM, Clinic 10:15 AM-12:15 PM
PM Session (2 & 4): Check in 1:00 PM, Clinic 1:15 PM-3:15 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 have limits on the number of swimmers per lane to maintain social distance. 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

Aly and Ben will lead four sessions for competitive swimmers ages 9 to 14. Swimmers younger than 9 years old are not recommended without your coach’s approval.

Curriculum

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

SESSION 1: HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE

As you know, freestyle is the stroke swam more than any other in races and practices. Creating and cultivating good habits will not only make your swimmer faster but will also reduce the risk for injuries in the long term. SEC Champion Aly Tetzloff and Coach Ben Lee 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. Aly and Ben 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! Aly and Ben will show your swimmer how to make each breath more efficient for faster freestyle racing no matter what distance.

SESSION 2: 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 Aly Tetzloff and Ben Lee 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.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

SESSION 3: 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. NCAA All-American Aly Tetzloff and Coach Ben Lee 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. Aly and Ben 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 Aly and Ben time their breaststroke for ultimate efficiency.

SESSION 4: HIGH PERFORMANCE BUTTERFLY

SEC Champion Aly Tetzloff and Coach Ben Lee will 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 Aly and Ben 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. Aly and Ben 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.

ASK QUESTIONS

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

WATCH THE CLINICIAN

Observe Aly 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 some of the best swimmers and coaches in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.

Take a photo with Aly and Ben, 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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