Past Clinic: High Performance Technique for Faster Racing

Avon Recreation Center
90 Lake St., Avon, CO 81620

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

Upcoming Swim Clinics and Camps

Within 250 miles of Avon, CO.

Starting Jun 20, 2024

Rawlins High School - Rawlins Aquatic Center

Info

Search all of our clinics at our find a clinic page.

Past Clinic

Introduction

Two-Day High Performance Stroke Technique & Explosive Performance Swim Camp -  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‘ performance over all strokes, as well as starts and turns.

Session 1: High Performance Butterfly and Breaststroke
Session 2: Explosive Starts and Underwaters
Session 3: High Performance Freestyle and Backstroke
Session 4: Flip Turns and Open Turns

This clinic will be led by World Champion and World Record Holder Ali DeLoof!  Ali’s attention to detail and ability to connect with swimmers of all ages and abilities will help your swimmer improve at this camp.  Scroll down for more details on the curriculum.

Session Times (Both Days):
AM Session: Check in 9:15 AM, Clinic 9:30 AM-11:30 AM
PM Session: Check in 12:45 PM, Clinic 1:00 PM-3:30 PM

Suggested Participants

SAVE: Sign up before prices increase or the sessions fill up.

Ali will be leading 4 sessions for competitive swimmers age 10 & older. Sign up for one or SAVE by signing up for all four sessions!

Curriculum

SESSION 1: HIGH PERFORMANCE BUTTERFLY AND BREASTSTROKE

Butterfly and breaststroke are called the “short axis” strokes because swimmers undulate at their hips, giving the strokes their distinct up and down motion. These strokes share many other technical attributes, and can be challenging strokes to master due to the importance of rhythm and timing. Working on these two strokes together will deepen a swimmer’s understanding of the technique required to swim with more efficiency and speed.

  • BUTTERFLY: Perfect the complexities of balancing power and fluid rhythm in one of the most dynamic athletic strokes. 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. Ali DeLoof will help your swimmer become committed to these same skills to create better habits every time they swim butterfly!
  • BREASTSTROKE: Learn to utilize the same technique and strategies as world-class breaststrokers. Your swimmer will continue the process of reducing drag in this rhythmic stroke. We will focus on the timing of the kick and pull; swimming in a horizontal plane with a small powerful kick; keeping the hips high throughout the whole stroke; and generating forward power in their recovery.

SESSION 2: STARTS AND UNDERWATER DOLPHIN KICKING

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 the streamline and breakout. There are many intricacies to performing a start, and it will only improve with practice. Ali DeLoof 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. Ali 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!

SESSION 3: HIGH PERFORMANCE FREESTYLE AND BACKSTROKE

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! Ali DeLoof 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.

  • FREESTYLE: Participants will reinforce holding a straight and solid body line so that they can cut through the water with less drag. Practice keeping a still and low head position (especially during the breath!) while driving a strong flutter kick. Ali will also teach participants how to get an early and powerful press backwards on the water in the arm pull to get more out of every stroke. From the 50 to the mile, your swimmer will learn skills that will allow them to drop time in every freestyle race.
  • BACKSTROKE: Engaging the core not only allows swimmers to swim stronger, but it also allows them to hold the proper body position. Ali will help participants learn the importance of rotation and how to use it to their advantage for more power in each stroke. The arm pull in backstroke should press the water all the way through using the whole arm to achieve maximum propulsion. Backstrokers are often the fastest kickers on their teams, find out why and learn to have a stronger kick!

SESSION 4: FAST FLIP TURNS AND OPEN TURNS

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. World Champion Ali DeLoof 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. Swimmers 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.

ASK QUESTIONS

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

WATCH THE CLINICIAN

Observe Ali 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 one of the best swimmers in the world! They'll work on holding onto their form while challenging themselves.

Take a photo with Ali, 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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