A fast backstroke stroke rate is not something you can force. First the head position and the pull have to be fixed. Then the tempo trainer builds the rate, from 86 to 110 and beyond, using dolphin kick backstroke and

Three drills for a faster breaststroke: front-end streamline, fast kick cycle time, and the wide, high pull. Follow along with The Race Club.

Coach Coley Stickels walks through his medicine ball dryland progression for swimmers — a fast, dynamic sequence of slams, pushups, partner passes, and plyometric throws that develops core, power, strength, and stability without tiring athletes out.

Not all freestyle is the same. In this video, we break down the four distinct freestyle swimming techniques — each calibrated for a different race distance and energy output — so you know exactly which one to use and when.

In butterfly, we use the phrase “bend, don’t break.” The idea is that you need a certain amount of bend to create propulsion—but if you bend too much, you create excessive drag. There’s a fine line between a sustainable amount

At the Race Club, we employ a variety of swim drills to develop an effective butterfly stroke technique. The butterfly stroke demands significant strength and endurance to achieve speed. It's crucial for a swimmer to have a technique that conserves

Swimmers who struggle with distance per stroke often compensate by increasing their stroke rate, expending more energy while still moving slowly. The most common causes of poor distance per stroke are inefficient pulling mechanics and poor body position.

Understanding the importance of dolphin kicking in swimming can significantly impact your performance. While elite swimmers can execute a dolphin kick to 15 meters with incredible speed, it doesn't necessarily mean this approach is suitable for everyone.

At The Race Club, we begin by determining the optimal number of dolphin kicks before addressing turns. Knowing how many kicks to take off the start and each wall builds confidence and maximizes performance.

At The Race Club we believe that oxygen is an underrated and often misunderstood nutrient especially when it comes to breathing patterns in swimming! In our next series of videos being released on our Lane 2 membership, Head Coaches Gary

At the Race Club we use a series of progression drills to learn a low octane freestyle. 

Alexandra Sartie Barrutia is a rising star in Mexican swimming. She joined us to refine her stroke technique, stroke tempo, and turns. In our first video, Alexandra learned the fundamentals of proper backstroke through a series of dryland drills. In

World-class breaststroker Nick Mahabir has rapidly ascended in the world rankings. His fresh perspective and unique approach to swimming have caught our attention, especially with his innovative swim drills and playful demeanor in the water.

At the Race Club we dedicate each session to a specific swimming stroke. The three most important aspects to a fast backstroke are stroke rate, stroke rate and stroke rate. However we want to ensure swimmers have a good technique

Alexandra Sartie Barrutia, a 15-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico, is rapidly rising as the next Mexican swimming sensation. Recently, we had the privilege to collaborate with Alexandra and, before our session, reviewed her latest race footage. We pinpointed several areas for

Charlie Hall is progressing in his summer journey at the Race Club, honing his sprint freestyle skills. In the last video, we pinpointed four aspects of Charlie's swimming technique that needed enhancement: rotation, recovery angle, head alignment, and pulling technique.

Charlie Hall, a junior at high school, has recently uncovered his passion for swimming. As the son of Gary Hall Jr., a 10-time Olympic medalist, and the grandson of renowned coach Gary Hall Sr., Charlie is brimming with potential.

Olympian Dylan Carter, a formidable sprinter in the highly competitive 50-meter Butterfly and Freestyle events, collaborates with esteemed Coach Gary Hall Sr for an in-depth analysis of his swimming technique. As a world-class athlete aiming for perfection, Dylan sought to

Olympian Dylan Carter takes a deep dive into his Velocity Meter Studies alongside Race Club head coach Gary Hall Sr. This collaboration is part of Dylan's meticulous preparation for the Paris Olympics, where every millisecond counts. In his quest to

Hybrid freestyle is a swimming technique that stands out due to its asymmetrical stroke cycle, where one hand remains extended in front longer than the other. This method is favored by some of the fastest swimmers globally, particularly in the

There's no better chance to enhance your swimming speed than by mastering fast flip turns. After all, swimmers often make mistakes under the flags. At the Race Club, we employ a series of progressive drills to refine the flip turn

At The Race Club, we specialize in teaching a unique swim technique called the spin turn. While many coaches rely on the traditional 'elbow your brother, call your mother' approach, our spin turn technique offers a dynamic alternative that harnesses

In anticipation of the Olympic Games in Paris, Dylan Carter visited us to enhance his starting technique. Dylan ranks among the swiftest globally in the 50-meter butterfly and freestyle events.

Brad Tandy transformed the swimming start technique, prompting the swimming world to reconsider the optimal use of the head, arms, and legs for a faster start. We had the privilege of collaborating with and learning directly from the man himself,

We conclude our Sprint Freestyle series working on the most important aspect, stroke rate.  It takes a lot of work and determination to be able to hold this stroke rate with good technique.  We use a test set of 25's

In our third and final progression for our sprint freestyle technique we add two strokes to the 6 Kick One Stroke Drill.  As we build closer towards full stroke we want the swimmers to maintain a a quick and powerful

In the next progression of our Sprint Freestyle swim drills we are adding one stroke to the 6 Kick Body Rotation drill.   Once the swimmers learn how to rotate quickly adding one stroke allows them to feel the added propulsion

Sprint freestyle technique is different than other events.  In order to maximize speed for a 50 freestyle the swimmer is required to expend more energy leaving nothing in the tank. The swimmers are now ready to begin the 1st of

Underwater freestyle is a great way to learn the importance of coupling motions.  In this challenge set the campers count their strokes for each timed 25.  Each progressive repetition they are to subtract 1 stroke and try to get faster.

At the Race Club we teach different swim techniques for specific events.  Sprint freestyle is unique because the swimmer should minimize oxygen intake as well as maximize propulsion.   In order to maximize velocity the recovering hand should be above the

Olympian Matt Fallon paid us a visit in preparation for the Paris Olympics, seeking to refine his breaststroke swimming technique. His focus was particularly on enhancing his breaststroke pullout, a crucial phase of the stroke that can significantly impact performance.

Leading up to the Olympic Trials Matt Fallon visited us at the Race Club.  We worked on some technique changes including his kick.  We've been working with Matt over the years and noticed from previous studies that Matt draws his

Coach Gary reviews the Smart Paddle and Velocity Meter studies with Olympian Matt Fallon and University of Penn head coach Mike Schnur.  In our  most recent session with Matt we worked on a few things that we believed would help

Matt Fallon is headed to Paris with a new American Record (2:06.54) at Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.   We've been working with Matt since he was a teenager and are so proud of his American Record and

In the 50 freestyle all elite swimmers use a stroke rate between 115 and 140 strokes per minute.  For most swimmers, they aren't able to sustain this stroke rate without compromising their technique.  Dolphin kick freestyle is a great way

After finishing our progression drills for low octane freestyle the campers swim full stroke for a set of 4 x 25's. 

Matt Fallon recently visited the Race Club to work on his breaststroke swim technique. 

Setting goals is so important whether in swimming, school, business or in life in general.  At the Race Club we set goals for our swimmers by creating the perfect race. 

Gary Hall Sr sits down to interview 4 time Olympian Kasia Wilk Wasick to discuss her career in swimming.  We recently finished our video series featuring Kasia where we taught her the Brad Tandy start.  We made a tremendous amount

We use dryland boxing in our strength training program that helps swimmers achieve their goals.  When we set goals at the Race Club we have a range of parameters that will achieve the 'perfect' race.  This includes stroke rate, swim

In our final video with 4 time Olympian Kasia Wilk Wasick we worked on the leg kick and putting the start all together. As with our previous exercises Kasia showed that she is a quick learner and demonstrates some great

In our first session with 4 time Olympian Kasia Wilk Wasick we worked on positioning on the blocks and the arms swing in the swimming start. Every swimmer progresses a little differently in learning the Brad Tandy start and it's

The fastest breaststrokers in the World are swimming at a stroke rate of 60 in the 100 meter breaststroke.  In order to swim at this high of a stroke rate one must have lightning fast breaststroke kick.  We gave Nick

We worked with 4 time Olympian Kasia Wilk Wasick on her swimming start.  In our first video, we performed a series of dryland exercises and flexibility tests.   In this video we begin our pool session with Kasia first showing us

Performing the Brad Tandy start requires explosive movement in the lower back, hamstring and shoulders.  Before teaching our athletes this start we use a series of dryland exercises to warm up those muscle groups.

In our final progression of the freestyle flip turn the swimmers put it all together.  Coach Gary leads the campers through their final progression by having them approach and breakout into a mid pool flip with no fins.  We break

Kasia Wilk Wasick is the fastest female Polish swimmer in history and is going for her 5th Olympic Games in Paris 2024.  She recently swam her lifetime best in the 50 freestyle and is looking to medal at the Olympic

the swimmers will swim into the wall perform a flip turn, push off, three dolphin kicks, three strokes into another mid pool flip. The coach times from when the feet leave the wall to when the swimmer flips with the

18 year old Nick Mahabir is one of the fastest breaststrokers in the world. He has incredible anatomical tools that allows him to get maximal propulsion from his kick. At the Race Club we use a series of dryland flexibility

In this second progression they learn how to breakout. One of the key swim techniques to a good breakout is initiating the dolphin quick immediately. Many swimmers are taught to glide off the wall that results in a slow breakout.

In this final round of the flip turn approach progression the swimmers put it all together. In the first three rounds we isolate different parts of a fast approach to the flip turn. Once the swimmers have mastered each round

Using our velocity meter and smart paddle technology we tested Nick’s breaststroke. The first tests we did were to find out his optimal kick rate for breaststroke.  Using a kickboard, tempo trainer and snorkel we tested 3 kick rates.  This

In our next sequence of swim drills for Flip Turns we practice the flip while being completely submerged. This drill forces the swimmer to engage the core throughout the entire flip. Many swimmers let gravity do the work for them

At the Race Club we use a progression of swim drills to teach the freestyle flip turn.  There are many facets to a fast flip turn that requires breaking down the turn with the approach, the flip, the push off

Breaststroke Dolphin Kick is a great way to learn the coupling motions of breaststroke.  Using fins and dolphin kick allows the swimmer to make a quick and aggressive movement of the head surging forward.  This is a critical technique in

Breaststroke is the only 'stop and go' stroke. That means for a brief period of time the swimmer comes to a complete stop before entering the propulsive phase. That is why breaststroke requires precise coupling motions and streamline. Most swimmers

Most swimmers have a faster backstroke dolphin kick than butterfly. Maggie MacNeil's best stroke is butterfly however her dolphin kick is so fast that she is the 50 Short Course Meters Backstroke world record holder.

Pointing the toes at the end of the breaststroke kick is critical in order to maximize propulsion in breaststroke technique. We see so many swimmers that let their feet hang after finishing their kick that creates a ton of drag.

At the Race Club we use this set of kicking to assess our swimmers breaststroke technique.  There are 4 components we measure in breaststroke; kick propulsion, kick cycle time, how well you hold speed and pull propulsion.

To race well, swimmers need to practice close to race pace. In this Race Club video, you will see one of the test set we use for butterfly, preparing our swimmers for the 100 meter butterfly. Doing repeat short swims

Mikita Tsmyh competed in the 2016 and 2021 Olympics for Belarus and has an outstanding backstroke swim technique. We had the opportunity to work with Mikita using our Smart Paddle and Velocity Meter technology.  While Mikita has a very good

To improve your technique in swimming butterfly, learn to utilize two important coupling motions: the head snapping down after the breath and the arms swinging forward aggressively during the recovery. In this video we highlight these two techniques using the

One of our favorite swim drills for Butterfly is the Left Right Front drill. At the Race Club we use this drill to correct several common mistakes that swimmers make during butterfly technique.

Getting dolphin kick right is tricky, yet it is so important. Today, we consider dolphin kick to be the fifth stroke because it is used in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle and is extremely important on starts and turns.

Coach Gary Hall Sr reviews Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil’s Smart Paddle study performed at the Race Club in Coronado, CA. Although famous for her Butterfly, Maggie recently broke the World Record in the 50 Short Course Meter Backstroke.

Maggie MacNeil recently broke the world record in the 50 Short Course Meter Backstroke. While known for her Fly she has the capacity to be a Champion in backstroke as well. She is arguably the fastest dolphin kicker that makes

In this video Coach Gary goes over the results of Maggie MacNeil's velocity and smart paddle test.  Maggie and her coach Rick Bishop join Gary Sr on a Skype and discuss the details of Maggie's butterfly technique.  Using the Smart

Maggie MacNeil is the Olympic and World Champion in the 100 meter butterfly.  We already know what an amazing dolphin kick she has from our recent analysis video. In this video Coach Gary analyzes Maggie's Butterfly technique using our Smart

In this video we compare two world class breaststroke swimmers Mike Alexandrov and Nikola Obravac. Coach Gary analyzes both swimmers using our velocity meter technology and found an astounding difference between the two swimmers.  Once the legs and arms are

In this video on the swimming turn technique,  Coach Gary Sr tests Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil's push off the wall to determine when to initiate the dolphin kick.  Coach Gary discusses using a glide-off-the-wall on turns versus no-glide-off-walls with

In teaching freestyle swimming technique at The Race Club, we often see swimmers gliding off the walls on their turns. The glide-off-turn technique is what many swimming coaches teach their swimmers to do. It is not the fastest way to

Maggie MacNeil is the fastest dolphin kicker that we have ever tested. She is the best in 11 of 17 parameters we use to test the dolphin kick. Coach Gary highlights 5 key swim techniques that makes her kick so

There are 17 parameters we use to measure the Dolphin Kick. Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil has the best results we've seen in 11 of those parameters. Coach Gary Hall Sr analyzes Maggie's velocity meter data with Louisiana State University

Coach Gary Hall analyzes Maggie MacNeil's swimming starts with LSU head coach Rick Bishop.  We tested Maggie's start using her normal weight forward technique vs a weight back start.  We believe the true test of a start should be the

We recently tested Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil's swimming start using our Velocity Meter technology. Maggie won the Gold Medal in the women’s 100 m butterfly at the Tokyo Olympic Games and most recently at the Commonwealth Games. She is

Olympic Gold medalist Maggie MacNeil sits down with Coach Gary Hall Sr for the second part of our interview series. Maggie is the 100-fly favorite going into NCAA’s and the 2020 Olympics when NCAA’s is canceled. Recalling a speech that

Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil sits down with Gary Hall Sr to discuss her swimming career.  Maggie began swimming as a child in London Ontario and visited the The Race Club a few times between the ages of 13 and

After working on dolphin kick and sculling drills with Max, we are ready to practice full stroke breaststroke for the 200 Individual Medley or a 46 Stroke Rate.  At the Race Club we spend a lot of time on stroke

Coach Gary and Olympic hopeful Max Seidel continue working on Breaststroke with Max's own scull drill.  At the Race Club we like to ask our swimmers what are some of their favorite swim drills.  After working on the dolphin kick

For many Individual Medley swimmers Breaststroke is their weakest leg.  Swiss Olympic hopeful Max Seidel needs to improve his breaststroke and backstroke legs in order to have a shot at Paris 2024.  Coach Gary's preliminary analysis of Max's strokes was

Swiss Olympic hopeful in the 200 Individual Medley, Max Seidel needs to improve his backstroke more than any other leg. We spent a lot of time working on swim drills that teach bending the elbow more for the pull and

In our previous videos with Max learned the pulling motion and body rotation in backstroke.  Now it's time to learn stroke rate with the 6 Kick 3 Stroke drill. As we initially discovered, Max's main problems in backstroke are a

Coach Gary continues the Backstroke session with Max working on the backstroke pull.  In our previous video, Max learned the body rotation drill using only his core to rotate from side to side.  Now that Max understands how much more

Swiss Olympic hopeful Max Seidel needs to improve his backstroke in order to have a chance at the Olympic games in Paris.  The backstroke is his weakest leg.  Watching Max's race videos from the past Coach Gary immediately recognized too

Using the right butterfly swim technique in the individual medley is critical. Many swimmers will use too slow of stroke rate without breathing enough. This not only leads to not getting out fast enough but also not having the aerobic

The freestyle kick butterfly drill is a great way to work on the 'head throw' in Butterfly. Most swimmers don't emphasize this critical technique in Butterfly (and Breaststroke) resulting in not only a slower stroke rate but a less powerful

In this session Coach Gary and Max work on the butterfly leg of a 200 Individual Medley. Analyzing Max's stroke Coach Gary identified two swim techniques to work on. First Max's stroke rate is too slow and second his entry

Sprint Freestyle has less variation in technique than any other race because it's the shortest distance. We do see different head positions in this event. From Pernile Blume with her head down to Caeleb Dressel with his head slightly tilted

We have broken down 5 of the dryland exercises included in this Race Club Circuit so now it's time to give the entire sequence a go! Each station is 1:00 minute on and :30 seconds off and you can customize

Learn the movements for the warmup exercise for the strength training for swimmers routine that Coach Coley Stickels of Indiana University Men's and Women's swim team uses for their specific dryland training needs. This is the first in a series

Swiss Olympic hopeful Max Seidel is ready to try out his new individual medley freestyle technique.  After a series of drills Max has shown that he can achieve greater coupling motion focusing on an elevated core, high octane recovery and

Swim coaches and swimmers often overlook how to hold your core while swimming even though it can make a huge difference in your speed.  At the Race Club we believe a swimmer should tuck their belly in by engaging the

Swiss Olympic hopeful Max Seidel is learning a new extended recovery technique for his freestyle. When using this technique swimming slow we call it the Stop and Pop drill. In our previous episode with Max, he practiced the 6 Kick

David Popovicci has shown the world how effective an extended recovery in freestyle can be.  Instead of driving the hand into the water, Popovicci holds his hand above the water for as long as possible before entering.  This creates a

In our first session with Max, Coach Gary identified the problems with each of his 4 strokes for the Individual Medley. In freestyle and backstroke his lack of rotation and stroke rate is causing the biggest weakness in his Individual

Sculling swim drills can be a great way to improve your swim technique. In our introduction to Max Seidel coach Gary identified the problems to work on for their private sessions. When working in a private session we like to

Max Seidel is taking a year off from school at Princeton to train with renowned coach David Marsh at Team Elite in San Diego.  Max is competing for Switzerland and is focused on the 200 Individual Medley , hoping to

There are many facets to a great swimming start. One of the most important being the hip lift just before entry. Timing the 'hip lift' is quite nuanced and can make the difference between a poor, or great start. We

We advocate a 'core lift' while swimming freestyle.  Using our drag pressure meter, Coach Gary measured the difference between a relaxed core and a lifted core.  This core lift is often taught in Yoga where the lower lumbar is flattened

In our final Breaststroke video with Noah Snyder Coach Gary helps Noah find his 'sweet spot' for his breaststroke stroke rate.  We see the fastest 100 meter  breaststrokers on both the men's and women's side with stroke rates near 60. 

In this video on the breaststroke pullout Gary Sr teaches the late breath technique for the pullout. Combining this technique with the hyper streamline on the breakout can be much more efficient than using a normal breakout. Once you learn

Noah is now ready for the Main Set during his Late Breath Breaststroke session with Coach Gary.  After learning dryland exercises and swim drills it's time to put Noah to the test with this aerobic breaststroke set designed by outstanding

Coach Gary Hall Sr worked with breaststroker Noah Snyder on improving his late breath breaststroke. In our previous videos we taught Noah some dryland exercises and swimming drills that help emphasize the late breath. We then tested Noah with his

Noah is progressing through a series of swim drills to help him improve his late breath breaststroke.  In our last video, Noah did a series of 25's dolphin drill where he kept improving on his late breath technique.  Now he

After dryland exercises and sculling drills Coach Gary teaches Noah the late breath breaststroke using the dolphin drill.  Because this technique requires a high velocity of the up and down movement  we begin with a normal technique and progress to

One of the key components to a fast late breath breaststroke is keeping the head under water for as long as possible. At first this will feel counter intuitive so we designed swim drills to help with this technique. Noah

Internal rotation of the hip is one of the most important aspects of a fast breaststroker.  At the Race Club, we like to measure the distance between the breaststroker's bum and the ground in what is referred to as the

We recently worked with 20 year old breaststroker Noah Snyder.  Noah uses a late breath technique that we will highlight throughout this video series.  In order to use this technique effectively one must use a powerful and timely kick.  One

Belarus Olympian Artyom Machenkin has been working with Coach Gary Hall Sr on his freestyle pull. One thing Coach Gary noticed is that Artyom had a slight outsweep with one of his pulling hands. In this smart paddle and velocity

The 100 freestyle is one of the most challenging events on the swimming schedule. To swim well, it requires speed, power and endurance.   Olympian freestyler Artyom Machekin has worked with Coach Gary through a series of dryland exercises, swim drills

Now that Artyom has learned how to finish the pull using a series of dryland exercises and swim drills, Coach Gary puts him to the test. Artyom learns quickly that it is not easy to maintain a high stroke rate

Coach Gary Hall Sr analyzes Olympian Artyom Machekin's 50 Freestyle swim technique. This new and exciting technology measures the force from the pulling hand in three different directions. Combining this technology with the Velocity Meter we are able to further

In this video we go back to the "lab" to test backstroke arm pull strength. Does using a bent arm provide a stronger pulling motion than a straight arm? Although we at The Race Club feel confident a bent arm

Coach Gary gives an aerobic swim set designed for the freestyle pulling motion to Olympian Arty Machenkin.  Earlier, Arty practiced the freestyle pulling motion on dryland first and has learned an important sculling drill to help him pull more efficiently.

As we continue the freestyle pull session with Artyom Machekin, Coach Gary teaches a swim progression using the FINIS ISO paddles. This progression is designed to get the most out of each phase of the underwater pull. Although these drills

After performing some dryland exercises Artyom warmups with Coach Gary. Whenever we approach a workout it's a good idea to implement drills and exercises that incorporate that technique. In our first video, Coach Gary discusses how to finish the pull

We recently worked with Belarus Olympian Artyom Machekin on the freestyle pulling motion.  Artyom competed for Belarus in the Tokyo Olympics clocking a personal best in the 100 free 48.6.   Since working with Olympian Brad Tandy, Coach Gary discusses his

At the Race Club we see a lot of swimmers that have an out sweep in freestyle. This swim technique mistake is more common than an in sweep but we do see a lot of both problems. We have found

In this final installment of our Breaststroke Pullout video series, Sam and Chloe put it all together.  Throughout the series we've learned the timing of a proper pullout, dryland exercises and swim drills to improve key elements in the pullout. 

Sam and Chloe need some fine tuning before we practice our full pullouts.  We use a variety of swim drills that are specific to each of the 4 parts of a pulldown.  First we find the right amount of undulation

Sam and Chloe have learned on dry land how to do a perfect breaststroke pullout.  Using dryland drills to improve the mechanics and timing of the breaststroke pullout, Sam and Chloe are now ready to practice in the pool.  We

Sam and Chloe begun their swimming lesson with a warmup and kick set and now begin working on the 'late lift'.  The late lift should be used both in swimming and during the breakout of the breaststroke pullout.  No one

In this video world class swimmers Aaron Greenberg and Artyom Machekin do their final kick set for their training session at the Race Club. So far they have completed a variety of kicking challenges and at this point are pretty

In this Velocity Meter study we examine 10 year old Stone Miller from Hawaii who demonstrates 2 different types of streamlines. Find out exactly how much of a difference a good streamline can make!

After the push-off, the pulldown is usually the most propulsive part of the breaststroke pullout. However, there are crucial mistakes swimmers make that either cause them to lose propulsion or increase their drag. Coach Gary Hall Sr takes swimmers Sam

Coach Gary Hall Sr explains the right amount of undulation, knee bend and hip flexion in the breaststroke pullout. We see a lot of mistakes being made during the dolphin kick. Over bending the knees is a common mistake we

The push off during the Breaststroke pullout is arguably the most important piece of a good pullout.  In our introduction video Coach Gary Sr goes over the 4 elements of a breaststroke pullout; the push off, the dolphin kick, the

Your baseline speed is a good indication of how much you need to work on your kicking. Find out what your freestyle baseline speed is and how to improve it using this simple kick set.

The Breaststroke Pullout is a major part of every breaststroke race. We see so many swimmers doing things wrong and not getting the most out of the breaststroke pullout. There are 4 key components to a good pullout. The pushoff.

In this velocity meter study coach Gary Hall Sr. analyzes Olympian Brad Tandy's sprint freestyle technique.  Brad typically uses a deep pull and we wanted to find out what happened to his velocity when he used a slightly less deep

The swimming stroke rates for backstroke and freestyle are very similar. So are their fundamentals. For the 200 backstroke, the longest official distance of that stroke, we recommend using the 86 stroke rate.

Almost all the great swimmers use a similar pulling technique and stroke rate in swimming.  In order to achieve a higher stroke rate swimmers often recover the arm quicker by releasing the hand early.  Some coaches emphasize the 'back end'

The fastest swimming technique in the Individual Medley swimming race is to use the backstroke to breaststroke crossover transition. At The Race Club, we have developed an excellent way for swimmers of all ages to learn this fast but tricky

If you're familiar with The Race Club, you know how much we preach the importance of high octane freestyle and a fast stroke rate for a 50 freestyle. It may not be the most efficient way to swim freestyle, but

The Tokyo 2021 Olympics proved that there are a variety of freestyle techniques used in different races.  The 100 freestyle showcased a wide variety of different freestyle techniques.  The 50 freestyle however remains dominated by a high octane freestyle technique. 

2021 Tokyo Olympian Brad Tandy recently visited the Race Club in San Diego to improve his freestyle swimming technique.  Coach Gary and Brad discussed how to breath in the 50 freestyle.  In our previous video on Breathing in Freestyle, Coach

Sprint freestyle technique vary greatly depending on the swimmer and which distance they are swimming. At The Race Club, we teach both a high elbow pull and a deeper pulling motion. We teach both because they both have their advantages

The Race Club has been busy working on a project we’re excited to share with our members. Just a couple of weeks before the Olympic Trials, we received a visit from two exceptional swimmers. One of those swimmers is South

There is so much we can teach swimmers about backstroke techniques before they even put a foot in the water. Not only can we teach them good form outside of the water, but we actually think it's easier to do

In this final installment of our freestyle octane series, we demonstrate the how to get the most coupling energy out of the freestyle recovery with the high octane recovery. The length and speed of the straight recovering arm adds significant

Did you catch Torri Huske’s American record-breaking 55.66 win in the 100-meter butterfly at the US Olympic Swimming Trials? One aspect of her race, in particular, caught our attention; her breathing pattern. Torri swims the first 50 meters using a

Breaststroke requires a unique set of tools in order to be fast.  The hips, ankles and lower lumbar need to be flexible in different ways than for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly.  The external and internal rotation of the hips, the

So many swimmers know that they need to get better in kicking in order to improve their speed but they just don't spend the time to stretch and exercise the joints and muscles necessary for a fast freestyle kick. In

One of the often discussed controversies in freestyle concerns the pull. Where is the pull in freestyle the strongest? Is it in the front quadrant, ahead of the swimmer’s shoulder? Is it in the back quadrant, behind the swimmer’s shoulder?

In this dryland session with Marc practices a series of resistance exercises. Marc's limited mobility makes it a challenge to gain improvement without the use of resistance. Coach Gary teaches Marc a series of stretches that include a partner.  The

Swimmers often overlook shoulder stretches and don't take the time or proper technique to perform these exercises efficiently.  Swimming is unlike any other sport in that you hyper extend the shoulder joint and therefore displace it.  In order to swim

In Marc Clayton's next session Coach Gary continues to work on freestyle kicking technique.  Through working with Marc we discovered three main problems with his freestyle swim technique; his pulling motion, body rotation and kicking technique.  In the following sessions

At the Race Club we believe the three most important swim techniques in Backstroke are stroke rate, stroke rate and stroke rate.  No matter how good your swim technique is, if you don't have a high backstroke rate, your not

Coach Gary Hall Sr. directs Marc in this session, and by using a Tempo Trainer, takes his freestyle stroke rate from what is appropriate for 100 yards or meters, up to the highest stroke rate Marc is able to achieve-

Marc Clayton Body Position A swimmer's strength does not always correlate with the strength that he or she has on land. When a swimmer learns to use his or her body and recovering arms

Age group swimmer Marissa demonstrates three freestyle kick techniques using our Velocity Meter technology. We see many swimmers that bend the knee too much and some too little. Getting the right amount of knee bend in your freestyle kick is

Marc Clayton is a talented athlete who just started swimming when COVID broke out. We began our coaching with Marc through a video analysis. Coach Gary and Marc identified 3 key areas to work on in their upcoming sessions. The

Dr. Ben Pearl discusses with Gary Hall foot conditions that have influenced his swim and coaching career.

Last week Masters swimmer Marc Clayton went over his video analysis with coach Gary. We narrowed down 3 key issues in freestyle that we continue to work on with Marc via Lane 4 consultation. The most important being his out

Marc Clayton is a 37 year old Masters Swimmer from South Africa living in Texas. He was a footballer (soccer player) in his youth and had never swam competitively. Since COVID began Marc decided to take up competitive swimming and

16 year old Bora Hurst and his teammates recently came to the Race Club in Islamorada for a swim camp. Bora's goal this year is to break 1:00 in the 100 yard breaststroke. After watching Bora swim the Race Club

At The Race Club we see swimmers of all ages and ability levels. In this backstroke start video Race Club head coach Devin Murphy teaches 11 year old swimmer Layne use the backstroke bar. Layne begins her backstroke start like

At The Race Club we often have age group swimmers, high school swimmers and masters swimmers all in the same camp. This unique swim camp experience allows our athletes not only to learn from our Race Club coaches, but from

Jenna and Ciera Fujiwara visited us from Hawaii to work with coach Gary in San Diego. Ciera has incredible shoulder flexibility allowing her to recover her arms straight above her head. Coupled with a late breath this technique can be

At the Race Club we work with athletes of all ages and abilities. Often times they require different training methods or swim techniques. In this Backstroke Starts video series we worked with a variety of age group swimmers and Masters

Head Race Club Coach Devin Murphy leads this session with the campers where they continue to work on the hand entry in freestyle. We like to use a mono snorkel and fins when working on the hand entry that allows

A lot of swimmers don't think about how they are breathing but it can make a huge difference in your freestyle swim technique. Even at the highest level there are common mistakes in breathing. Nathan Adrian is perhaps the best

The swimming technique of how to hold the hand at entry in freestyle is not often discussed. Yet it is extremely important. An improper positioning of the hand and wrist at entry can lead to big increases in frontal drag

Hip Driven Freestyle is the most efficient stroke and requires a different skill set than Hybrid and Shoulder driven. We often use the same swim drill in different ways depending on which technique we are focusing on. Head coach Devin

In our previous videos the campers learned the fundamentals of a shoulder driven freestyle through a series of swim drills. They have all made remarkable progress and are comfortable with shoulder driven technique. Now head coach Gary Sr helps each

Sometimes we overexaggerate a swim technique in order to improve on it. Coach Gary Hall Sr teaches the Over the Wave Under the Wave swim drill to our campers. Some of the campers are just beginning to learn this stroke

In our previous video, Mike and Cinde learned the high octane sprint freestyle technique. Each of them had some minor adjustments they made and are on the right track however maintaining this high energy stroke is difficult. In this final

There is a good reason every fast 50 freestyler in the world swims with a high octane stroke. This 2 part series Coach Gary Sr explores strength training, swim drills and swim technique that enable swimmers to maintain the fastest

Of all three freestyle techniques, Shoulder-Driven Freestyle is by far the most common one used. Shoulder-Driven Freestyle is the only technique a swimmer should use for sprinting and for women, it is the most common technique used in all Freestyle

In this final installment of our Swimming Starts series with Paralympian Lizzi Smith, she finally begins seeing some great results. Once Lizzi learned the dryland progression she then took to the blocks to try out the Brad Tandy swimming start.

In this video we use swim training equipment to focus on one of the most important parts of the breaststroke kick with legs elevated and toes pointed. Both a mono snorkel and a FINIS Alignment board allow the swimmer to

In our previous videos, Paralympian Lizzi Smith learned the 3 coupling motions of a great swimming start on dry land. It is critical to know how to perform the head lift, arm swing and leg kick before we get in

In this video coaches Gary Hall Sr and Devin Murphy take our Race Club swimmers through fine points of what makes a successful hip-driven freestyle. While we don't have partnerships with any company, we utilize many different pieces of swim

In our first video in this series, Lizzi learned the 'head lift and arm' swing on dryland. Lizzi was able to master these two coupling motions using our dryland exercises. Through repeating these dryland exercises, we we're able to correct

As we progress through learning a Shoulder Driven Freestyle, Coach Devin teaches the campers the most transformative part of the progression. Most swimmers have been taught this swim drill before but what to focus on is paramount. Follow these Race

Masters swimmer Tim Delehanty joins Coach Gary for a skype review of his dolphin kick. Even though Tim is a masters swimmer he makes many of the same mistakes we see every level of swimmer make. In this video Gary

The ideal butterfly technique for Masters swimmers depends on many factors, including the race distance, conditioning, flexibility and kicking strength. In this discussion about Masters swimmer Tim Delehanty’s butterfly velocity meter analysis, we describe some of the swimming techniques that

In the fast-approaching 2021 Paralympic and Olympic games in Tokyo, Paralympian Lizzi Smith will be swimming several sprint events. Lizzi recently trained with us in San Diego in order to improve her start for the upcoming Tokyo Games. We've had

Most coaches teach swimmers to 'glide' off the wall before engaging the first dolphin kick which we believe is not the fastest and not surprisingly we see most swimmers doing this swim technique. U.S. Masters Swimmer Masako worked with us

Coach Gary sits down with rising superstar Josh Zuchowski to go over Velocity Meter studies. In this review learn what mistakes we've been working on with Josh in order to make him faster than he already is which is really

In our final installment of the Butterfly Breathing series we talk about the shortest race in swimming the 50 yards or meters. Ideally a swimmer won't need a breath in this short race but it depends on your age and

In the next swim drill that Head Coach Devin Murphy practices with the Race Club campers is breaststroke kick on your back. In our previous video on breaststroke kick we learned how important it is to finish the kick with

We see the best freestyle swimmers in the world like Caeleb Dressel using a specific technique for their hand entry. Learn how we teach this often overlooked swim technique and what we see most swimmers doing wrong.

The 200 butterfly can be a grueling event, and going into the race without a plan will make it even worse! In this video we take a group of Race Club campers through different butterfly breathing patterns utilized by men

In our previous introduction to Hybrid Freestyle we learned where this technique maybe the best to use, who uses it and when. On Day 2 of our Race Club camp head coach Devin leads this group of campers through a

South African Olympian Brad Tandy discusses his experience with the Race Club and how it will change his training. He also talks about his best memory from swimming that you might be surprised to learn about....

Breaststroke is one of the most kick-dependent strokes in swimming. In this video we take a group of campers through the details of the breaststroke kick that will help them not only reduce significant amounts of drag, but also create

In this video coach Gary Hall Sr has world class breaststroker Nikola Obravac test two types of a breaststroke pullout using the velocity meter. In the first Nikola performs what he is used to by engaging a large undulalting dolphin

Coach Devin Murphy leads the Race Club camp Hip Driven Freestyle session with this 'Catch Up' swim drill. This classic swim drill has been taught by many different coaches for as long as we can remember. But what to focus

We continue our Shoulder Driven Freestyle series with a consecutive series of drills that help you understand and ultimately master this swim technique. This first drill or 'Body Rotation Drill' is fundamental to learning a fast Shoulder Driven Freestyle. Learn

In this second video of our Freestyle Breakout Series, Gary Sr takes masters swimmers Mike and Cindie Boosen through the finer details of an explosive breakout for their freestyle swim race. If you’ve ever wondered how many dolphin kicks to

One of the most common questions we get when it comes to dolphin kick is how many should I take off the wall before breakout? The answer depends entirely on your all out dolphin kick speed vs your all out

Hip Driven freestyle requires a strong connection with the hip and connection of the water during the catch. We use this swim drill to help our swimmers understand the timing of this connection using our swim training equipment and swim

Renowned Strength Coach Coley Stickels finishes his Med Ball Sequence with this Off On Pushup Throw Jump. Learn how to execute this explosive exercise up properly and it will definitely improve your ballistic movements.

In this 5th dryland exercise in the Race Club Circuit, Cinde Boosin demonstrates the classic Roundhouse Boxing with a High Elbow. This exercise incorporates all of the muscles used in the high elbow pull. Doing this exercise will help you

At The Race Club we don’t believe that one style of freestyle swimming technique is enough for a swimmer to be successful at every distance. We want our swimmers to walk away from our camps and private sessions with at

In this continuation of our Three Styles of Freestyle video series, The Race Club coaches Devin Murphy and Gary Hall Sr take a group of campers through the characteristics of Hybrid Freestyle. Most of the campers had not yet tried

Our most popular video at The Race Club is our 3 Styles of Freestyle that we produced several years ago.  In the 90's renowned swim coach Mike Bottom coined this term that helped his swimmers understand how to incorporate different

Freestyle is the swimming stroke that has the widest variety of swim technique. Depending on what swim race you are competing in different swim techniques will most certainly be required in order to swim your fastest. In this video we

In this more advanced exercise learn how to stradle throw a med ball into a chest pass. This exercise not only engages the key muscles used in fast kicking, it also requires some serious hand eye coordination.

The Finis Slide Trainer is a great tool we love to use in our dryland circuit. Learn one of the ways we increase the small muscles in the shoulder in order to pull more efficiently.

In this video Head Race Club Coach Devin Murphy trains rising super-star Josh Zuchowski through an individual medley set that will help build dolphin kicking strength in swimmers at all levels. We wanted to share this unique set with you

In this Race Club dryland exercise the swimmer mimics how you would use a 6 beat kick in the pool on land. Try this exercise out for 1 minute, the amount of kicks per minute in the pool is far

In this Freestyle Kick video world class swimmers Aaron and Arty do a kick set using parachutes on their feet.

This week learn how Pressure Meter technology is being used at The Race Club to identify the smallest errors in your swimming technique. Led by Gary Hall Sr, Technical Director, you will discover what information is derived from just a

We like to use the Kick Chordz especially for swimmers who tend to over bend the knee in butterfly and freestyle kick. In this video we give world class swimmers Artyom Machekin (Switzerland) and Aaron Greenberg (Israel) use the Kick

The Race Club Dryland circuit has a long history of creative and intense exercises. Originally created by Mike Bottom and Gary Hall Jr (along with their strength trainers, Tim McClellan, JR Rosania, Andy Diechart and others) the circuit was designed

Join us for a  FREE Webinar Friday, April 24th, 1 PM EASTERN TIME, with Head Coach of Alabama Swimming, Coley Stickels. Coley is known for his unique and innovative dryland routines.  This week he will discuss the exercises in our

This week learn how Velocity Meter technology is being used at The Race Club to identify the smallest errors in your swimming technique. Led by Gary Hall Sr, Technical Director, you will discover what information is derived from just a

Alabama Head Coach Coley Stickels has designed a strength training boxing sequence that is designed to make swimmers fast.  In the late 90's Tim McLellan, Gary Hall Jr and Mike Bottom were incorporating boxing into their dryland training with the

In this exercise there are countless variations that you can incorporate using a wall or bench. Once you have become comfortable with the previous sequences these seemingly difficult exercise will be executed very well!

Join us for a  FREE Webinar Friday, April 17th, 1 PM EASTERN TIME, with Head Coach of Alabama Swimming, Coley Stickels and Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Held. Coley is known for his unique and innovative dryland routines.  This week he

A California native, Olympic bronze medalist Kim Vandenberg specializes in both the butterfly and freestyle. She is a two-time gold medalist from the 2011 Pan American games in the 200 butterfly and the 4x200 freestyle relay, a silver medalist from

In this sequence of the Med Ball workout with Alabama head coach Coley Stickels, his athletes perform the On, Off, Stradle, Kick, Pushup, Retrieve. This is a super fun exercise that can be done alone by retrieving the medicine ball

The Race Club Dryland circuit has a long history of creative and intense exercises. Originally created by Mike Bottom and Gary Hall Jr (along with their strength trainers, Tim McLellan, JR Rosana, Andy Diechart and others) the circuit was designed

This TRX Sequence is designed by world renowned strength coach and head coach of Alabama swimming Coley Stickels. The TRX straps as well as other brands, are a great tool for swimmers, especially in this time of quarantine. Learn this

In previous videos with Paralympian Lizzi Smith we showed you some dryland exercises and began working on her vertical recovery in butterfly. At this point Lizzi is really starting to click with this new technique thanks to this classic drill...

In this Race Club training session Elite National Team swimmers Artyom Machekin (Switzerland) and Aaron Greenberg (Israel) do their second kick set that involves sprint freestyle with vertical kicking.  This is a great set to do in pools that are

At the Race Club dryland exercise has always been an integral part of our training. Over the years we've worked with some of the best strength coaches in our sport that have helped build our extensive video library of exercises

In this set learn what Elite National Team swimmers Artyom Machekin (Switzerland) and Aaron Greenberg (Israel) did for their freestyle swimming kick set with The Race Club. This is a set we like to give to our swimmers who want

The Race Club Coach Devin Murphy sits down with Auburn's Duncan Sherrard on this weeks episode of Life in the Fast Lane.

The Race Club swim camps are located in beautiful Islamorada, Florida and Coronado, California. We wanted to share with you some of the experience that our campers get when they visit us since many of you aren't able to visit.

Learn some of the nuances that a great breaststroke start requires. This start requires a bit of a different approach than Butterfly and Freestyle and former American Record holder Mike Alexandrov shares some of his insight in this Pro Starts

Learning the vertical butterfly recovery is not easy! We found these dryland exercises and swim drills help swimmers achieve this difficult swim technique.

Jimmy Feigen was a standout swimmer under Coach Eddie Reese at the University Texas and 2 time Olympian and Gold Medalist. Learn what he thinks about during the Start and Breakout.

We often ask our swimmers what is their favorite swimming memory.  Check out this hilarious story from Olympic Gold Medalist and University of Texas standout Jimmy Feigen!

Life in the Fast Lane Episode 18 with Justin Andrade

We worked with Paralympian Lizzie Smith in San Diego on her arm recovery. Most swimmers tend to have too low of an arm recovery that leads to a less efficient stroke. Learn how we made Lizzie's stroke more vertical with

At the Race Club, we work with a lot of Triathletes and Masters swimmers. Meet Mike and Cinde, who are U.S. Masters Swimmers, see how we get them to change how they've been swimming for years and swim as fast

Learn what is going through the mind of perhaps the greatest starter in the history of swimming, Brad Tandy!

Coach Gary Hall Sr sits down with Olympic hopeful and National Champ Amy Bilquist. Amy graduated from Cal and was a standout backstroke swimmer there… she is now training with the Scottsdale Aquatic Club and is swimming FAST! Learn about

It is critical to know how many dolphin kicks you should take off each wall in order to maximize your efficiency during a race. At the Race Club we help find that optimal amount of Dolphin Kicks off each wall

In this swimming start pro series, we feature Joe Miller an accomplished competitive swimmer from the University of Texas Longhorns and exceptional Masters swimmer in Butterfly. Masters swimmers often need to modify their swimming start technique to be the fastest

In this 'Pro Series' we feature USC grad and Backstroke standout Luca Spinazolla. Learn what Luca thinks about when he sets up his start and how many dolphin kicks he chooses to take underwater before breaking out.

In this video, we explore two variations of the backstroke swimming start.  Rising age group swimming star Josh Zuchowski and Luca Spinazolla will demonstrate two different styles of backstroke start. Watch and see which start is best for each respective

One of the things we pride ourselves on at The Race Club is not leaving things up to chance. With the power of technology like the velocity meter and pressure […]

In this second part of our series with Paralympian Lizzi Smith, coach Troy takes Lizzi through a series of swim drills that focus on the correct swim pulling motion.

Lizzi Smith, an elite Paralympian preparing for the Tokyo Games of 2020, came to The Race Club for some improvements in her butterfly technique. We found critical flaws in her swim pulling motion and recovery that resulted in her plateau.

We recently worked with Olympic hopeful and National Champ Amy Bilquist. One of our goals was to increase her backstroke stroke rate as she competes with about a 95 stroke rate, compared to her competitor Reagan Smith who is swimming

In this Velocity Meter study we tested Colombian Olympian Isabella Arcilla with two different swimming starts.  First with a flat back that she was used to doing and we see many fast swimmers using this method (namely in Great Brittain)

In step 5 of the learning to do a legal backstroke to breaststroke crossover transition for the individual medley, you will put all of the five steps together. In this final video of the series, you will learn how to

In this TRX Straps sequence with Head Coach of the University of Alabama Coley Stickels, learn how to use this tool to improve your strength training for swimming.  

One of the biggest advantages of the backstroke to breaststroke crossover transition is being able to see the wall before you get there. You can anticipate the transition before it happens. In this fourth step of our swimming technique video

At The Race Club, we consider that Stroke Rate is one of the keys to improve Backstroke Swim Technique. Even very tall swimmers, such as National Champion Amy Bilquist, featured in this video, and Olympian Matt Gravers must find ways

What is the proper distance for the front and back foot on the swimming start? In this video we tested World Class swimmer Margo Geer in a variety of distances... find out what works best for her and how you

Life in the Fast Lane Episode 16 with Mike Parratto. Mike was the American Swim Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2019. Two of his most noted swimmers are Jenny Thompson and Regan Smith. He compares the two swimmers

To improve your individual medley, learn the crossover transition from backstroke to breaststroke. In step 3 of this important swimming technique video series, we show you how to make the flip while rotating your feet so they get planted on

Follow renowned strength coach Coley Stickels dryland sequences utilizing the TRX straps.  These straps are a great way for swimmers to improve strength outside of the pool and are a safe and effective way to introduce age group swimmers to

For the past 12 years, Coach Kevin Zacher has guided the Scottsdale Aquatic Club in Arizona to great successes at all levels. As the Head Coach of SAC, he developed the talents of Cal sprinter, Ryan Hoffer, Cal backstroker/freestyler Amy

At The Race Club, we teach the breaststroke pullout a little differently than most coaches. One unique feature of our pullout technique will get you out further from the wall than you ever thought possible. Knowing when to initiate the

As a swimmer, what should you do with your head on the start, lift it or keep it down? It is one of the controversial topics on start technique. In this comparative video, analyzing world-class and USA National Champion butterflyer

Follow along each of the 5 steps in learning the backstroke to breaststroke crossover turn. Using these simple steps will lead to learning this rapidly and we highlight some of the common mistakes on each of the steps and how

Follow along with renowned strength and head coach of the University of Alabama swim team, Coley Stickels as this TRX sequence get more intense! The TRX Straps are a great tool and a great way to get younger swimmers stronger

Ronald Marcikic, A Journey To Masters Coach. USMS Certified Coach. The head coach and director of the University of California - San Diego's Masters Sports program.

Learn swim drills that increase your muscle memory and lead to a faster freestyle flip turn. At first these drills may seem difficult but keep practicing and you'll have your competition wallowing in your wake!

Swimming Starts Velocity Meter Study with Croatian Breaststroker Nikola Obrovac comparing the Brad Tandy Style vs Bent Arm Style Start.

Coupling Motions of the Start - The Leg Kick. A strong back leg kick in your swimming start can help propel you off the blocks more powerfully than ever before. In this video, featuring some of the elite swimmers from

Follow along with Coley Stickels incredible dryland program with this second TRX installment. This is a great tool to gain strength for swimmers (at almost every age) but good technique is critical. Learn how Coley uses this awesome tool with

Indiana Elite athletes coached by Coley Stickels came down to the keys to do some testing and we found a vast improvement in teaching them the coupling motions we learned from Brad Tandy. After reviewing and understanding the '3 coupling

Gary Hall speaks with the Olympic and Head Coach of Team Elite based out of La Jolla in San Diego, California. Check out this podcast that includes some very interesting discussion from two amazing coaches!

Renowned strength and swim coach Coley Stickels shows us how he likes to use the TRX straps in his dryland exercise program. In this video you will find the first 3 sequences in this routine... check it out and then

Coach Gary recently worked with Coley Stickels elite swim group from Indiana University in Islamorada, Florida. We begin this series by introducing the Indiana athletes to video of Brad Tandy and what we consider a superior technique.

After watching 100's of great swimmers underwater, you'd be surprised how many make a crucial mistake during the flip turn. Watching the great Cesar Cielo underwater Coach Gary observed something particularly well that he did and it showed in his

In this next sequence of Coley Stickels boxing routine the hamstrings have been warmed up and we utilize multiple types of leg kick that require a great deal of concentration from both boxing partners. Learn the sequence that has led

From the moment young swimmers start taking lessons, they learn to blow bubbles underwater. This is primarily taught to kids as a way to keep water out of the nose and to making breathing easier. But in our sport of

Over the years, we’ve observed hundreds of Olympic swimmers underwater and we’ve noticed they almost all have at least one thing in common, releasing air bubbles under the chest. In this video we measured the effect of those bubbles on