Past Clinic: Fast Underwaters & Turns for Ages 9 to 12
Herndon Swim Club
1114 Monroe St,
Herndon,
VA 20170
A description of what was covered at this past clinic is below the upcoming clinics.
Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps
Within 250 miles of Herndon, VA.
Past Clinic
Introduction
Fitter & Faster is returning to Herndon Swim Club in Herndon, Virginia to produce a 2-day swim camp for competitive swimmers ages 9 to 12 on August 1 & 2, 2024! Click here for the swim camp page for ages 13 & over!
FAST TURNS & UNDERWATERS & MORE SWIM CAMP (Ages 9 to 12)
-> DAY 1 (Thursday, August 1): The Fifth Stroke - Underwaters
-> DAY 2 (Friday, August 2): Flip Turns, Open Turns & Finishes
Scroll down for details on the curriculum.
-> Availability in the swim camp is limited to 24 participants to ensure the highest level learning experience.
-> SAVE when you purchase an “Entire Camp Bundle” for your swimmer.
SESSION START TIMES (For Both Days): Check in 7:15 AM, Camp 7:30-10 AM
Suggested Participants
Our top priority is to provide a world-class learning experience for all participants at all of our camps. This camp has sessions for swimmers ages 9 to 12. Participants will range from one-year of competitive swimming experience to AAAA times and faster. If you are the parent of a child under the age of 9 and would like for your child to be considered for the younger sessions of this camp, please complete this questionnaire.
Curriculum
Over two days, participants are going to improve a critical part of every lap in every race and practice: turns, underwaters and breakouts!
Day 1 (Thursday, August 1): THE FIFTH STROKE - UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING
In the first session, our Elite Clinicians will work with participants to enhance the fastest sequence for each race lap: streamlines, underwater dolphin kicks & breakouts. Finessing these techniques not only reduces drag and enhances efficiency but also contributes significantly to overall speed and performance in the water!
- STREAMLINE: The streamline - when done properly - is the fastest a swimmer travels while in the water. Proper streamlines are even faster than underwater dolphin kicking. Even the most elite swimmers in the world are constantly working on improving their streamline. Your swimmer will get tips to improve their streamline and a better appreciation of what they need to do on every single wall in practice and in races.
- INITIATING UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: Top age group and elite swimmers maximize their streamline on every single lap. They don’t start their underwater dolphin kicking while they’re still achieving maximum speed in their streamline! They also don’t want to start the underwater dolphin kicking after their streamline has begun to slow. Your swimmer is going to learn how to time when to begin their underwater dolphin kicking.
- POWERFUL UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING: There are a few different techniques that swimmers use when underwater dolphin kicking. The common theme of these techniques is that the best swimmers kick up and down with equal power. We will show your swimmer the different techniques that elite swimmers use and teach them how to implement.
- NUMBER OF UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKS: Figuring out the optimal number of kicks off each wall, for each race, is essential to fast swimming. Elite swimmers want to spend only the absolute necessary amount of time underwater to establish speed with each length. They want to avoid losing their breath and taking weak kicks.
- BREAKOUTS: Many swimmers add movement within their breakout that creates drag and destroys all of the speed created during their underwaters. Participants will work on timing their breakouts to explode into each lap.
Day 2 (Friday, August 2): FASTER FLIP TURNS, OPEN TURNS & FINISHES
Quick, powerful turns and finishes are crucial to fast times and winning close races. The top age group and elite swimmers aren't using walls just for turning around - they are used to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Elite swimmers are constantly working their turns and looking for areas to improve them. Today, we're going to work with your swimmer on taking this crucial part of every race (and practice) to the next level!
- MOMENTUM: The fastest swimmers use walls to generate speed and momentum going into the next lap. Outside of the elite ranks, many swimmers stop or slow down while going into the wall, which kills their momentum! We will work with participants on the intricacies of approaching every wall at top speed and seamlessly initiating their “turn”.
- FLIP TURNS: Flip turns are an opportunity for your swimmers to increase momentum in the middle of a race! Flip turns in which the athletes slow down or have “mechanical” movements negatively impact the speed at which a swimmer comes off the wall. We will work with your swimmer to produce fast flip turns so that they can explode off the walls at maximum speed.
- OPEN TURNS: Elite butterflyers and breaststrokers utilize speed from their last lap to create momentum and even more speed at the beginning of the next lap. Their open turns are actually not “turns”, but more like high-speed pivots. Participants in this session will work on these techniques to have much faster open turns!
- STREAMLINE, UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING, BREAKOUT PROGRESSION: At this session participants will continue to work on the progression covered on Day 1.
- FINISHES: Setting yourself up for a fast finish is very similar to setting yourself up for a strong turn in any race. Races are won and lost by hundredths-of-a-second at every swim meet. Many races come down to the last few strokes. At this camp, your swimmer will learn techniques to set themselves up for a well-timed finish when they are still about 10 yards from the wall.
ASK QUESTIONS
Swimmers and parents are invited to ask the clinicians questions during a Q&A session. Gain insight into their training regimen, diet and nutrition, and recovery tactics.
WATCH THE CLINICIANS
Observe clinicians 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
Throughout the camp, swimmers will practice what they've learned with some of the world's most elite Swimmer Clinicians and coaches!
Take a photo, get autographs, and chat with your clinicians!
Inquisitive, Educated Swimmers are Faster Swimmers! Sign up today!
Search all of our clinics...or request a clinic in your area