Swimming Videos Library

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 begin this pullout workout with a warmup using double pullouts on every other wall.  Once they are warmed up Coach Gary teaches Sam and Chloe some of the nuances to a powerful breaststroke kick that they both need help improving.

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 demonstrates this technique better than South African Gold Medalist Tatiana Shoemaker in the 200 meter breaststroke.  We believe that initiating the pull while the head remains down will reduce frontal drag and maximize the most propulsive phase of the breaststroke pull.  In this video Coach Gary Sr teaches Sam and Chloe the dolphin kick breaststroke drill, also known as cobra breaststroke.  This is a great drill that teaches many valuable lessons for a fast breaststroke.

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 tired but they must put on drag socks that makes kicking extremely difficult for the last set…

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 and Chloe through some of these common mistakes in the video above.

The first mistake we see most swimmers doing is pulling too wide during the pulldown. Most swimmers imagine the pulldown as a breaststroke pulling motion, when instead it should resemble a butterfly pulling motion. This should include minimal out sweep while focusing on pushing the hands straight back.

Another mistake in the breaststroke pullout we see is how swimmers finish their pullout. What we typically see is the hands and arms finishing alongside the body with the shoulders flat. Instead, we advise swimmers to finish with the hands on top of their thighs with their shoulders hunched. This offers a body position that causes less frontal drag.

The third most common mistake we see is when swimmers draw their hands back up after the pulldown. Too many times we see them bringing their hands back up away from the bodyline, causing excessive drag. The hands and arms should be brought back up close to the body and following the bodyline as closely as possible. When the arms straighten, most will be tempted to finish in a superman position. Since we know the hyperstreamline position is the best one we can be in during the push-off, why not finish the breaststroke pullout also in hyperstreamline? We recommend this to all swimmers and hope you make the same change to your pullout.

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 see. We’ve designed some simple dryland exercises that will allow the swimmer to understand the right amount of knee bend in the dolphin kick.

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 pull down and the kick out.  In this video Coach Thomas teaches Sam and Chloe some dryland exercises to improve the breaststroke pullout. Coach Gary teaches them a proper hyper streamline that is optimal for the push off.

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. The dolphin kick. The pull down. And the kick out. In this introduction video, high school swimmers Sam and Chloe learn the Race Club way on how to do a breaststroke pullout. Before they practice, Coach Gary Hall Sr goes over the perfect pullout and some mistakes to avoid. Sam and Chloe then practice the timing of a perfect pullout on deck.

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 pull.  While using a deeper pull creates more frontal drag, the sprint freestyle allows the athlete to make this compromise for a limited duration of time.  Since no one (world class) is swimming sprint freestyle with a high elbow pull the question is, how deep should the pull be?  

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’ of the stroke or finishing the pull all the way through with the hand. The consequence can often lead to a more efficient stroke, but with a  stroke rate that is not fast enough. We tested Olympian Brad Tandy with an early release phase pull and an extended release phase pull to learn what the difference in stroke rate, velocity and acceleration that made some interesting results….

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 to the floor while laying on your back.  Naturally the lower lumbar is lifted in this position and takes work in order to get comfortable with a flat back.  In this video we demonstrate core lift exercises that will allow you to understand and improve this critical movement.  Gary then analyzes Olympic Sprint Freestyler Brad Tandy using a velocity meter analysis.  Find out what the difference between a ‘relaxed core’ and a ‘lifted core’ is!

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 at first technique. Learn the five steps we take our Swim Campers through that makes this seemingly difficult turn, easy!

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 we believe it’s the fastest. However, sometimes just hearing something isn’t enough. That’s why we like to put these things to the test. With the help of elite sprinter Payton Sorenson, we were able to show that a high stroke rate combined with a high octane recovery is the best 50 freestyle technique.

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 forward each swimmer has to find their sweet spot. There is no better way to measure this using Velocity Meter technology. In this session we work with Brad and Payton on getting them comfortable with the range of head positions. Stay tuned as we will test what the difference in velocity exactly was in their sprint freestyle head positions.

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.   We also call this a ‘vertical recovery’ in freestyle.  Recently Payton Sorensen who competed at the US Olympic Trials came to train with us for a few days.  We noticed that he had a medium/high octane with one arm and a medium octane with the other in his sprint freestyle technique.  While this technique contains many advantages for longer distances (100 and up) we wanted to see if this was the fastest technique for Payton in the 50.  In this video we teach Payton a high octane freestyle technique.  Next we will put Payton to the test with our Velocity Meter.  Stay tuned as we investigate the difference in these two freestyle techniques….

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 Gary Sr tested the drag difference between blowing bubbles during a hyper streamline and holding the air in.   The results of our drag study showed a 9.1% reduction when the bubbles were being exhaled.  In this video Coach Gary furthers his investigation into this technique using the Velocity Meter technology with Brad.  We also learn how the Emperor Penguins and Cruise Ships use this technique in their respective environments.  Find out if this swimming technique can make a difference and it may help you decide how to breath in your own race! 

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 and disadvantages. For mid to long-distance freestyle, we recommend using a high elbow pull. Although this is a weaker pull, it reduces frontal drag, making it more efficient and therefore suitable for longer distances. For sprint freestyle, a deeper pull should be used. While it isn’t as sustainable, it results in a stronger pull, giving swimmers maximum propulsion. Watch as Coach Gary takes Olympian Brad Tandy and elite sprinter Payton Sorenson through essential sprint freestyle pulling motion drills to improve their technique.

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 African Olympian and Race Club legend Brad Tandy.

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 so before getting in. In this video, masters swimmers Rich and Laura go through a set of dryland exercises to learn the proper backstroke pulling motion.

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 power to the pulling arm and kick for a fast sprint stroke to be used in the 50 freestyle…

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 one up, one down breathing pattern. This breathing pattern is perhaps the most common pattern we see swimmers use for the 100 butterfly, but does that mean everyone should be using it? 

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 pronation of the ankles and a flexible lower back are necessary.  Learn some of the static stretches and dynamic exercises we use to increase flexibility in these key areas.  Marc Clayton is not a breaststroker and currently has average to above average flexibility in those three areas.  Whether you are more or less flexible than Marc, you can modify each of these exercises to fit your ability level. 

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 this video, Marc is a former footballer and has recently begun swimming competitively in Masters. His current goal is 24 seconds in the 50 Free. Right now, the only thing getting in the way of that is his poor kicking technique. Learn some tools that will help you increase flexibility and strength for the freestyle kick.

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? Or is the pull strongest right at the swimmer’s shoulder, as he or she moves the hand backward? In this week’s video, we feature two elite freestylers, Zane Grothe and Margo Geer. Zane is a distance freestyler and uses a higher elbow pulling motion, reducing frontal drag. Margo is a sprinter and uses a deeper pulling motion, opting for more power and drag. The testing we do in this video using the Pressure Meter confirms that Margo is able to generate more force with her deeper pull than Zane does with a higher elbow pulling motion. The video also shows a correlation between Margo’s faster body rotation and her greater pulling force. This video will help you determine the type of pulling biomechanics you should use for each freestyle race. It will also illustrate how important your body rotation is in developing a faster swim.

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 partner puts additional resistance to the stretch allowing for quicker results.   Using the Stretch Chordz with Green Paddles  and FINIS Slide Trainer Cord, Coach Gary shares some of his favorite resistance exercises for the pulling motion and recovery for butterfly and freestyle.  

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 fast, one must have a good range of mobility in the shoulder joints.  Marc is a Lane 4 client and has been working with Gary Sr to achieve his goal of 24 seconds in the 50 free.  As a former soccer player, Marc is strong but lacks flexibility in the joints that are critical for fast swimming.  In this first video we will explore a pre workout shoulder stretches sequence that will not only help build muscle but also prevent injury.

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 with Marc, while his pulling motion and body rotation improved tremendously he reverted to his old ’50 yard field goal’ kicking technique that has near a 90 degree bend in the knee.  Coach Gary emphasized to Marc that this will be a longer lasting challenge and focused their last session sole on freestyle kicking technique.  Find out what swim drills and training equipment Coach Gary used to help Marc understand the fastest way to kick.

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 going to win. 

Head Coach Gary Hall Sr worked with American Olympic hopeful Amy Bilquist on finding her optimal stroke rate.  Amy is tall and therefore has to work a little harder to maintain her peak stroke rate.  In the final video of this Backstroke Stroke Rate series with Amy we put her to the test with a set designed to challenge maintaining a stroke rate of 105.  In our previous videos, we gave Amy a series of swim drills to get her comfortable and understand what it takes to get to a 105 stroke rate.  It’s one thing to be able to get to this stroke rate for a 25, find out how she does throughout this test set!

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- more directed for the 50 sprint. What Marc learns, however, is that going with a faster stroke rate does not always lead to a faster swim. In this session, by going too fast with his arms, or spinning, Marc loses valuable coupling energy and distance per stroke. That leads to a slower test swim than when he slows his stroke rate down slightly, yet uses much better technique.

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 critically important as over or under bending the knee creates a huge difference in your efficiency. Find out which technique is fastest and how much knee bend is optimal.

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 first being the pulling motion, the kick and lastly fast body rotation.
Marc’s background as a soccer player is apparent in our first session. He bends the knee waaay too much on the up kick. Coach Gary calls this poor, but common kicking technique the 50 yard field goal. While much power is created and may ‘feel’ good to Marc it causing more drag than it’s worth.
We use a series of kick swim drills and equipment in order for Marc understand what is an efficient kicking technique.

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 sweep in freestyle. This is a common problem for all swimmers, especially beginners or newcomers to the sport. Now that we have identified Marc’s out sweep mistake he is ready to learn how to pull properly. We use a series of 3 swim drills that help Marc understand how to pull properly.

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 found our videos to be huge help ; ) He decided to sign up for our Masters camp and video analysis. Since Marc’s experience at the camp was so valuable he is now a Lane 4 client and we continue working towards his goal of :24 seconds in the 50 free! Marc has a great natural feel for the water although we have a long ways to go to get to his goal…. follow this series with Marc as we begin with a video analysis performed before he began working with us.

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 coaches worked on some changes to Bora’s Breaststroke and tested different swim techniques using our velocity meter technology. After analyzing the results, Coach Gary Sr had a video conference with Bora to go over the results. Find out some of the changes Bora made during the swim camp and get insight into what a Velocity Meter or Lane 4 session is like with a Race Club coach!

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 a lot of young swimmers using the gutter. This is often taught to younger swimmers who don’t yet have the strength to pull themselves up. One of Layne’s goals was to learn to utilize the backstroke bar. Coach Devin teaches Layne how to place her feet properly on the backstroke wedge. Layne also learns how to engage the ready position.
We often allow our younger swimmers to pull in slightly closer to the block until they develop upper body strength. Layne like most beginners had difficulty using her leg strength to push up and off of the wall. In order to build her confidence we practiced a dryland drill that helped Layne with the athletic movement necessary for a good backstroke start.
We also like to use a swim drill for the backstroke start that is demonstrated by Olympic hopeful Amy Bilquist. She has her feet high in the water utilizing the backstroke wedge and is able to get an amazing arch in her spine. As Amy leaves the blocks she throws the head and hands back and clears the surface of the water and enters cleanly.
We hope you enjoyed this 3 part video series on the backstroke start that features most every level of Athlete. We take a slightly different approach with each Athlete.

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 each other as well.
In this video Head Race Club Coach Devin Murphy works with high school breaststroke specialist Bora Hurst. Bora had little experience with the backstroke start.
While watching Bora’s start you’ll learn some common mistakes that swimmers make in the backstroke start. These include having the feet too wide on the wall, and looking back with the head in the “take your mark” position. You’ll also see first-hand what happens if the head stays back too long on a backstroke starts. We see many campers that make the same mistakes that Bora initially does.
Then coach Devin works with world class masters swimmer Mike Boosin. Like many swimmers, Mike had his feet too close together in the ready position. He also makes the common mistake of exiting the arched position too early. Mike is an experienced backstroke specialist and we found a couple easy fixes that made his start much faster.
The backstroke start requires a lot of nuance, and we’re happy to share what makes a great backstroke start over the next few weeks from our incredible swim camp in the Florida Keys!

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 the FINIS Iso Paddle to be a great tool to correct the out sweep. The design of this product creates resistance in either an out sweep or in sweep pulling motion that allows the athlete to understand how to pull correctly. Check out how Gary Sr works with the Race Club Campers that all had a problem ‘out sweeping’ in their freestyle swim technique.

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 the fastest way to swim butterfly with the likes of Joseph Schooling and Rikako Ikee. This technique isn’t for everyone as Ciera’s sister Jenna has better success with a wider/lower arm recovery. Find out what makes Ciera a perfect candidate for this technique and how we use swim drills to improve!

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 have found running dives to be the best and fastest way to learn the hip lift. We worked with 5 different athletes that each made common mistakes in the running dive. This allows the athlete to understand what they need to work on in order to improve their swimming start. We are fortunate to practice at a pool that allows us to perform running dives safely so please follow your pool rules and practice safely.

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 that each required different approaches to their respective start. Of course there is a technique that we strive for and that we were fortunate to have superstar age group swimmer Josh Zuchowski perform. Josh is a soon to be collegiate swimmer that swims all 4 strokes extremely well but his specialty is backstroke. We were excited to help Josh get a little better with his backstroke start! The ideal start is not for everyone as we will learn in the series but there is a good reason why most of the best backstroke starters in the world use a very similar backstroke start technique. We believe it’s important to understand what that technique entails no matter what age you are.

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 the swimmer to focus on the swim technique. We are seeing the best swimmers in the enter the water with the fingers and hand squeezed together and then separated slightly for the initiation of the pull phase. Some swimmers have a natural tendency to do this technique but it’s definitely worth noting and working on if you are like most swimmers that enter the water with relaxed hands.

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 ‘breather’ in the world when it comes to how he takes his breath in a race. He uses his neck muscles to force the head back down quickly to minimize the amount of drag caused by the head out of alignment. In this video Race Club coaches teach swim drills to help the campers learn the proper way to breath, like Nathan Adrian!

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 during this early part of the pulling cycle. Many swimmers are taught to relax their hands at entry which is a huge mistake. Doing so leads to the water flowing and opening the fingers and thumb or turning the wrist either to the outside (flaring) or upwards. The increase in drag from the poor hand technique at race speed can range from a 3% to 12% increase, depending on the position of the hand.

We have found that by turning the pinky down and holding the hand vertically after the breath stroke in hip-driven and hybrid-freestyle can further reduce the drag from the hand in front. Rising swimming superstar Josh Zuchowski demonstrates in this video how he rotates his hand with the little pinky down after the breath stroke in freestyle to glide through the water with less resistance. This technique has been used by some of the world’s greatest hip and hybrid freestylers, including Michael Phelps, Sun Yang and Mykail Romanchuk of Ukraine.

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 teaches the campers the 6 Kick 1 Stroke drill with an emphasis on a hip driven technique. We also use this drill to teach shoulder driven technique that has a different emphasis on the timing of the kick and pull.

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 swimmer find their optimal tempo for the 50 freestyle. Using a test set with the Finis Tempo Trainer each swimmer is challenged by increasing the tempo throughout the set. This set is a great way to find out where a swimmer is getting diminishing returns as the tempo increases. There is a fine line between spinning your wheels and holding water when it comes to the fastest race in swimming so be sure to find the ‘sweet spot’!

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 made famous by Michael Phelps. This technique, also known as a galloping stroke requires a strong kick and a different cadence for the left and right arm pull. Even though this overexaggerated swim technique is not something you would use in a race, we consider it this ‘drill’ a great way to learn the benefits of using this stroke. This is a great drill not only for beginners to learn but also those that want to use hybrid freestyle in a race.

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 part of the Arm Recovery series Mike and Cinde learn how they will be able to maintain this high octane, energy deficient stroke. These swimmers share many of the same problems we see with our campers whether they are age group, masters or elite swimmers. Let us know if you can relate and how you improve this sprint freestyle technique?

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 freestyle swim possible. Coach Gary Sr works with Masters swimmers Cinde and Mike Boosin. Cinde was a professional volleyball player who was recently turned on to Masters swimming through her husband Mike. Mike is a world class Masters swimmer and is looking to get even faster. Obtaining a proper sprint freestyle swim technique is not easy to maintain for very long. This video explores the proper high octane technique as well as swim drills.

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 races. In this video, we continue working with rising superstar Josh Zuchowski and his two Race Club teammates, Corley and Rachel, with the Six Kick Three Stroke swim drill to help their Shoulder-Driven Freestyle techniques. This important swim drill will helps them learn the correct freestyle recovery technique, harnessing the energy from a fast shoulder rotation and arm entry to increase the power of the pull and kick. Being powerful in the water is not just about how strong the arms and legs are. It has a lot to do with how well a swimmer uses the body motions to increase power. Fast shoulder rotation and aggressive hand and arm entries help our swimmers become faster freestylers.

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. At first she was having difficulty with the head lift. Lizzi then practiced running starts in order to make her more comfortable with this head lift motion. Once Lizzi started getting the head lift She moved on to the arm swing using a Rocking Chair swim drill. Maybe the most difficult to achieve, the leg kick proved to be challenging but Lizzi started to get it! As with most of our campers when learning this swimming start we find that getting one or two of the coupling motions is common but not all three. We take the swimmer back to the drills that pertain to each coupling motions and eventually they get it. Once you master this start, we recommend doing 100 practice starts before performing in a race. Thanks for watching this series!!!

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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 focus on the timing of finishing the kick with knees held narrow and tight. Using this combination of equipment we find swimmers figure out these key aspects to a great breaststroke swim technique.

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 the water and Lizzi was able to master each of these motions separately. In this video Lizzi gets on the blocks and begins practicing the complete swimming start. As with most Campers learning this start technique for the first time, applying these 3 coupling motions takes time and practice. As this swimming start progression video continues we break down the coupling motions individually and in a way that helps the swimmer understand how to perform each one before putting them all together.

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 training equipment. The campers put on the Finis Tech Toc and Hydro Hip belts to enable them to feel and hear the proper amount of hip rotation. When utilizing the Finis Tech Toc belts, swimmers Rachel and Marin are able to hear a ball bearing slide from side to side while the rotation is occurring. The ball bearing also has weight to it allowing the swimmers to feel how much rotation is necessary to receive the “surge point” while finishing the stroke past the hip. A quick rotation and loud pop from the ball bearing is key to a successful hip-driven freestyle.
National Age Group Record Holder Josh Zuchowski wears a similar device from Finis called a Hydro Hip. The fins sit on the swimmers hips and add drag to the rotation making the swim harder. This allows the swimmer to really feel the amount of speed needed to flip the hips from one side to the other to achieve great coupling energy. We’ve found that the Finis makes great swim training equipment especially in teaching the hip-driven freestyle technique. For newer swimmers, or swimmers that are just learning the hip-driven freestyle we recommend the Tech Toc. Swimmers that are stronger and have been doing hip-driven freestyle for some time, we recommend the Hydro Hip.

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 some mistakes we commonly see. We believe that taking the time to master the 3 coupling motions on dryland will lead to success on the actual starting block. Once Lizzi was comfortable with the ‘head lift and arm swing’ we continued onto the next equally important step in the progression. In this part 2 we cover the next swimming start progression where Lizzi learns the mechanics of the back leg kick. This is the most underutilized technique of the swimming start and can make a huge difference your swimming start!

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 Club campers through their journey to become efficient shoulder driven freestylers.

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 Sr breaks down Tim’s dolphin kick and explain the technology that we use to measure our swimmers.

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 Tim does well and not so well. Learn from watching this educational video to improve your own butterfly swim technique.

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 tremendous success teaching our athletes what we call the ‘Brad Tandy’ start that incorporate 3 distinct coupling motions including the head, arms and legs. Lizzi has one arm and was using a ‘weight forward’ swimming start not utilizing her upper body much at all. Because of Lizzi’s disability we modified a slightly wider stance with the feet to compensate for any balance issues. Other than this slight modification, this is the same swimming start progression we teach to an age grouper, masters or professional so follow along through this series of dryland and swim drills and you too could be flying off the blocks on your start!

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 in order to improve her freestyle flip turns. Tune into this lesson that applies to not only many Masters Swimmers but also age groupers. We take Masako through a series of tests that can help determine how many and when to take dolphin kicks, if any at all.

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 really fast!

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 ability but knowing when you are ready to go no breath is key to performing at your best. Find out if no breathing is the best swim technique in butterfly breathing for you! Remember to always train under the supervision of a coach or lifeguard when hypoxic training.

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 toes pointed and feet together. This swim drill not only amplifies this important aspect of breaststroke kick technique but also requires a narrow distance between the knees that allows for a lightning fast breaststroke kick.

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 and women of different ages and ability levels. We also discuss what pitfalls to avoid when butterfly breathing in the 200 Fly. To make a difficult event a little more manageable, check out this video to see what pattern will work for you. Remember, a failure to plan is a plan to fail!

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 drill that allows the swimmers to learn how to execute this technique properly.

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.

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 Hall Sr and Devin Murphy guide a group of Race Club campers through the various options of butterfly breathing patterns and help each camper decide which option is best for them. Stay tuned to see how factors like race distance, age, gender, and ability level determine how often you should breathe in butterfly. Surprisingly, most swimmers don’t even think about their breathing pattern in butterfly or if it is the most effective. For more help, make sure you sign up for a Race Club membership or one of our many camps being held in Coronado, California or Islamorada, Florida!

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 extra propulsion. Check out this video to learn all the secrets of a great breaststroke kick!

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 kick before pulling the hands down. We then had Nikola perform a pullout using a small tight undualting dolphin kick prior to the pullout. Find out which is faster and by how much…. you might change you engage your dolphin kick during the breaststroke pullout.

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 on can make a key difference in how to execute this drill effectively.

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 what we look for and how we teach this critical swim drill.

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 take off of your walls, when to start dolphin kicking off of your walls this video series on the Freestyle Breakout is for You!

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 stroke speed. We do this test for Butterfly, Backstroke and Freestyle and in this video Mike and Cinde Boosin are 2 Masters swimmers that are sprinters. We have already worked on their angle of recovery and now we will find out how many, if any dolphin kicks at all they should be doing off the start and walls for respective distances. This simple yet effective measure can make a huge difference in your swim race so check it out and continue testing yourself throughout your career….

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 talkers with the Race Club coaches.

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 the workout with any variety/modification of dryland exercises. Since we began in 2003, we have seen a tremendous impact on swimmers who utilize a similar type of Circuit in their training schedule in the pool and just as important a new found and fresh enthusiasm for the sport.

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 build strength and power during this critical swim technique quicker and more efficiently.

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 least two or three different freestyle swimming technique that they can utilize depending on his/her events. Coaches Gary Hall Sr and Devin Murphy take our campers through the Three Styles of Freestyle – Shoulder Driven, Hip Driven and Hybrid Freestyle. In this video we showcase each freestyle swimming technique as our coaches discuss characteristics that are unique to each style in order to help the swimmers perfect each swimming techique and finally sets that will reinforce each style. Check out our ‘Introduction’ videos for Hip Driven Freestyle, Shoulder Driven Freestyle and Hybrid Freestyle and stay tuned for more drills and exercises for each respective swimming technique.

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 Hybrid freestyle in this video. Through learning Hip and Shoulder Driven freestyle, they quickly become adept at hybrid freestyle. If you’ve ever wondered why swimmers like Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky breathe every stroke cycle or “gallop” during their freestyle – this videos for you!

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 swim techniques for different events mainly shoulder driven freestyle for sprinting.  As time has passed and technology has improved, we recognized it is time to give our members a fresh look at a favorite topic and explore how this technique has evolved.  In this introduction to shoulder driven freestyle, Coaches Gary Hall Sr and Devin Murphy take our campers through the nuances and characteristics that are utilized by the best shoulder driven freestyles in the world of swimming.

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 begin our series of videos on Hip Driven Freestyle, the most efficient, slowest and equally as important as both Shoulder and Hybrid Freestyle. Learn the key techniques required in order to swim Hip Driven Freestyle…

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 at this time because it does not require a full length pool as it incorporates mid-pool turns. So hop in a lake, pond, backyard pool, etc and give it a go. Do not try this in a bathtub.

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 greater than you think!

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 few seconds of testing. With the help of elite freestyler Zane Grothe, we will show you examples of comparing different freestyle stroke techniques and how changing a technique can be evaluated with the Pressure Meter. When used properly, the Pressure Meter measures propulsion derived from the hands and body’s rotation. It enables us to look at your swimming strokes under a microscope. Don’t miss this one!

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 Chordz during one of our sprint kick sets…

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 to make long VO2 Max, intense workouts interesting, fun and ultimately beneficial to speed in the water. In the 3rd exercise of this particular circuit we implement the high elbow pull with stretch chordz.

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 Lane 2 Boxing Dryland Sequence and answer your questions.

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 few seconds of testing. With the help of Josh Zuchowski, we will show you examples of comparing different stroke techniques and how changing a technique can be evaluated with the Velocity Meter. When used properly, the Velocity Meter enables us to look at your swimming strokes under a microscope. Don’t miss this one!

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 Race Club that were incorporated and made famous by Michael Phelps and his strength trainer Keenan Robinson. There is no secret that these exercises, influenced by MMA training lead to explosive and dynamic results in the pool.  Coley Stickels has developed these exercises to a level we never imagined!  Even if you don’t have a partner, doing these exercises will alone will suffice so make some room set up your lap top and get ready to sweat and have fun!

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 will demonstrate the exercises in our Lane 2 TRX Dryland Sequence live and answer your own questions about the sequences… so get your gear and be ready to join us!!!

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 4×200 freestyle relay, a silver medalist from the 2007 world championships in the 200 fly and a three-time national champion in the 200 fly. Since competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she has traveled the world giving motivational talks and teaching swim clinics and private lessons to international schools throughout the United States, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.

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 yourself. This will really engage the hamstring and groin muscles that are key for fast kicking.

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 to make long VO2 Max, intense workouts interesting, fun and ultimately beneficial to speed in the water. At the Race Club we teach every camper how these pioneers created a fun, energetic, competitve and intense enviroment every time you do this circuit. In this series, we’ll break down some of the exercises we perform during our circuit and are always happy to hear about your own variations/additions to this ever evolving workout.

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 dryland workout that has led Coley’s Athletes to major success in the pool! Register for our FREE WEBINAR on Friday April 10, at 10AM PST where Coley will go over this sequence with Gary Hall Sr.

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 small! 

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 and workouts. One thing you will find in common is they are all fun and require little or no equipment or weights making them suitable for all athletes and non athletes! We hope you enjoy this sneak peak at some of the exercises we will explore in Lane 2-4!

Coley Stickels Medicine Ball 20 minute dryland workout can be performed in your own home and modified for any participant but can be virtually copied by a good age group athlete. Ideally, for this workout, you will need a gymnastics or thick yoga mat, plenty of room to perform dynamic movements and a partner to help so get your mat and med ball and get ready to sweat!

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 some real training and Aaron and Artyom came by to get the job done!

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. Check out this montage of some of our camp from Islamorada recently. We hope to see you soon and if you can’t make it, be sure to subscribe to our videos in order to get as much of the camp experience as you can!

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 series.

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…

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 some drills and dryland exercises.

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 as ever! Sign up for our exclusive Masters swim camp in Islamorada, FL Feb 7-10 in and Sep 18-21 in Coronado, CA.

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 Amy’s journey to Tokyo 2020!

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 whether you swim Fly, Back or Free.

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 they can be! Learn the nuances that Joe thinks about when making his swimming start as a masters swimmer.

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 athlete.

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 athlete. Join the club to access this page! You must purchase one of our Race…

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. In this video, Race Club coach Troy Marcikic works with Lizzie to establish the correct swim pulling motion, using dry land exercises, and some of our favorite Race Club drills.

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 with a backstroke stroke rate of 110 in the 100 LCM. Even though Amy is considerably taller we wanted to get her stroke rate above 100 and believe that will be the key to success. Find out how we helped Amy find comfort wtih a 100+ stroke rate using this classic backstroke swim drill!

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) and then we tested her with an arched or rounded back that we see the fastest starters in the world using (Brad Tandy and Caeleb Dressel).  Find out the results of this study that may influence how you practice or teach the swimming start.

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 backstroke toward the wall, initiating the transition to the proper side and at the right time. You will learn how to see the wall, touch the wall, rotate your body, and make the legal transition into a full breaststroke pullout. Next you will need to practice this great swimming technique for the individual medley 100 times before trying it in competition.

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 series, we show you how to achieve this technique while kicking on your side and without getting disqualified. This is one of the most important techniques you will learn in the process of mastering the crossover transition.

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 to increase their stroke rates for backstroke swim technique in order to win. In this video, you will learn some of the drills and techniques we used to help Amy and improve her stroke rate, hopefully leading to a faster backstroke swim.

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 can determine what is the best for 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 in this interview.

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 the wall sideways. That technique will enable you to push off the wall into the breaststroke pullout on your stomach legally.

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 dryland.  

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 Bilquist and Stanford Ace Tyler Ruck. He is currently coaching Amy Bilquist as she tries to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Team. Image courtesy of www.swimmingworldmagazine.com

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 backstroke to breaststroke transition is a key to making it successful for your swim. You can’t afford to be long or short on this transition. In Step 2 of our 5 step series on the back to breast transition, you will learn more about both of these important techniques.

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 Amanda Kendall, we try to put this technical controversy to rest. Watch this video and discover which head technique on your swimming start is better and by how much.

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 to avoid them.

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 safely.
To take your exercise to the next level, what tools do you use?

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 Indiana University, you will discover some of our favorite drills to help you learn this important leg-motion technique in the swimming start.

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 his elite athletes.

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 motions’ they begin with some dryland and they’re soon ready to go off the blocks!

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 give it a go in your next workout!

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 explosion off the wall that was way ahead of his time. Today you can see every World and Olympic Champ perfecting this technique but you may find yourself not doing it! Learn the drills that help our swimmers get ready to explode off the wall…

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 to huge results in the pool!

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 competitive swimming, it serves another important function.

Using drag meter technology, we found a 9.3 percent reduction in drag when our test swimmer released bubbles under their chest. In our video “How to Breathe in Swimming,” we discuss two examples of this. One is cruise ships emitting air bubbles underneath the hull to improve gas mileage. The other example is penguins, who trap air in between their feathers and use it to speed away from predators.

Learning how to incorporate air bubbles into your breathing is simple. The first step is to be conscious of where those bubbles are being released. By tucking the chin and not lifting the head, swimmers will send the bubbles underneath their chest rather than straight to the surface. This is an easy skill that we see world-class swimmers use on a regular basis. Because it’s easy to learn and it reduces frontal drag, we recommend it to all our Race Club campers. 

Watch the video above to learn how to incorporate breathing with bubbles into your swimming.

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 reducing frontal drag. You won’t believe the results!

n this part IV progression of renowned swim and strength coach Coley Stickels’ boxing progression, he implements a complicated pattern to challenge these elite athletes to learn new movement patterns and execute them quickly and powerfully.

One of our most valued pieces of equipment in the swim training bag is the Finis Tempo Trainer. No matter what age or level swimmer you are, this tool allows the swimmer and coach to understand what the optimal stroke rate is for any stroke or distance.

Follow this next medicine ball sequence from renowned strength and swim coach Coley Stickels. These dynamic exercises require strength, coordination and athleticism….all needed to swim faster.

In this third video in our Freestyle Octane series, we explore the most utilized technique in swimming the 100 meters. Learn how to increase your freestyle speed and power by increasing the height of your recovering hand using valuable swim drills demonstrated by Gold Medalist Jimmy Feigen.

Follow this innovative dryland sequence with med ball exercises from University of Alabama Head Swim Coach Coley Stickels. The quick, dynamic movements of these elite post-graduate swimmers strengthen the muscles used for fast swimming!

Ozzie talks about his early days at the Race Club and what it was like to be a part of the most dominant sprint group in the history of swimming. Find out some of the rich history behind this tremendous group of swimmers and coaches that came together to create a dynamic environment leading to incredible Olympic successes.

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 pulling motion is stronger, we asked Israeli backstroker David Gamburg to help us prove it.

After testing both David’s straight and bent backstroke arm pull, we can confirm our original theory. The bent arm showed stronger results in all three of our measures when compared to the straight arm pull. David’s average velocity increased by three percent and his stroke rate by eight percent. Not only that, but his average peak acceleration increased by an impressive 43 percent! 

For us, it makes perfect sense. Bending the elbow early allows swimmers to push water backwards for a long period of time. Using a straight arm pulling motion cuts down the amount of time water is being pushed back dramatically. Using this type of backstroke arm pull isn’t easy. It requires great shoulder rotation and most importantly, lots of practice.

In this second video of the Freestyle octane series (watch the intro here http://bit.ly/2JhLXox), discover how to use the lowest energy freestyle recovery swimming technique. Used primarily for distance events (over 200 meters), low octane is the most energy conserving recovery technique and is often utilized by beginners, distance and masters swimmers.

In this part III video series renowned swim and strength coach Coley Stickels, using elite swimmers from Indiana University, implements martial arts moves in the boxing sequence. Learn how to first warm up your hamstrings with a fun and effective dryland session. Check out parts 1 and 2 of this dryland series before implementing these exercises.

Race Club Head Coach Devin Murphy describes the type of start we teach, our Race Club circuit, strength training, and mental training. Gary Sr. and Devin break down the last two days of our Swim Camps in Florida or California. Hear how our Race Club camps differ from any other!

World renowned swim and strength coach Coley Stickels uses an exercise mat to perform a dryland sequence that is both fun and challenging. Follow along and learn some of the strength training sequences that have made a huge impact in the sport of swimming!

At The Race Club we have invested in some new and exciting swimming technology and online resources such as our Velocity Meter, Pressure Meter, and instructional videos. In this complimentary Podcast, Coach Gary and Coach Devin go into exactly how they test propulsion, drag, and the pulling motion, and what we do with that information. They will also let you know how you can get your own test done so you can swim faster!
Subscribe to Lanes 2, 3, or 4 to learn the fascinating new techniques we discovered with the Velocity Meter testing.

Head Women’s Swim Coach at University Of Akron, Brian Peresie, talks with Devin Murphy about the college recruitment process and his advice to high school swimmers. Devin and Brian discuss the similarities between DI and DII schools. They dive into what to expect and how to succeed in college level swimming.

One of the most misunderstood techniques in our sport is the breaststroke kick. In this video learn how to kick properly as well as drills that we use in order to perfect this kicking technique. We also look at two velocity meter studies of different techniques and are amazed with the results!

World renowned strength trainer, Coley Stickels, Head Swimming Coach at University of Alabama, shows us the Jab Jab Cross boxing exercise. Since Gary Hall Jr. began using boxing gloves and mits in the early 2000’s we have found many new and exciting variations. No one has brought boxing creativity in swimming to the level that Coley Stickels has. Check out this amazing sequence. Then grab a partner, get some mits and gloves on and follow along!

Did you ever wonder why we see so many different arm recovery techniques in freestyle? Each technique has a purpose and in our latest complimentary video, we explain all of the different arm recovery techniques and the advantages of each one. Using Octane, a gasoline additive, as an analogy, we take you through the four different energy levels of arm recovery from lowest to highest. Some of the fastest freestylers in the world, such as American Record holder Zane Grothe and Olympians Jimmy Feigen, Roland Schoeman, Kelsi Worrell, Isabella Arcila and Brad Tandy demonstrate freestyle using different Octane levels of arm recovery. Discover why these Athletes use certain Octane levels in order to maximize their speed. Be sure to sign up for our subscription video service in Lanes 2, 3 and 4 that will show you the important drills we use to teach these four arm recovery freestyle techniques, technology studies and more!

Race Club Head Coach, Devin Murphy describes a typical swimmer who attends our camps and how we make it work with a mix of age groups. Gary Sr. and Devin break down the first two days of our Swim Camps in Florida or California. Hear how our camps differ from any other!

Stroke rate, stroke rate and stroke rate. Those are the three most important things we tell Race Club campers to remember when swimming backstroke. Yes, we know it’s repetitive. But that’s how strongly we feel about the importance of stroke rate. Most swimmers who come to The Race Club are not swimming backstroke with a fast enough stroke rate.

Perhaps the most important tool to learn how to swim backstroke this way is a tempo trainer. If you are not already using one, we at The Race Club highly recommend it and use it religiously. It should be used when training all four strokes and can be purchased here.

However, like most things, there’s a catch. We can’t teach a fast stroke rate if we don’t first teach the correct technique. That’s why it’s crucial for swimmers to first learn how to rotate their shoulders and pull correctly. This can be done at a slower pace before accelerating the stroke rate.

Indiana University swim coach Coley Stickels has a world renowned dry land training program that we were fortunate to witness with some of his Athletes in the Florida Keys. Since The Race Club began with Gary Hall Jr and Mike Bottom we have believed a high intensity dry land can not only be a huge benefit physically but mentally as well. In order to warm up properly Coley’s athletes begin with simple yet fun and complex exercises. Check out this first part “Warm Up Exercises” of the entire dry land session.

Learn the progression of drills for swimming starts that will help the swimmer understand some of the key fundamentals that the fastest starters use such as Olympic Swimmer Brad Tandy who gives pointers. Some of the swim techniques such as the hyperstreamline, hip lift and angle of entry can be really difficult to teach but these drills seem to work great! No matter what level of swimmer you are practicing this progression of swim drills will surely help you have a faster start.

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 of the progression of different strength training exercises that Coach Coley implements exclusively in Lanes 3 and 4.

We were honored to host Coach Coley Stickels of the Indiana University Men’s and Women’s swimming program, featuring some of the best athletes in the world at our training facility in Islamorada, Florida Keys; Amanda Kendall, Margo Geer, Zane Grothe, Isabella Arcilla and Nikola Obravac. In 2000, Race Club strength coach Tim Mclellan, swim coach Mike Bottom and Olympic champion Gary Hall Jr. began to implement Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing Techniques into their swim training program. Since incorporating boxing, breathing techniques, stretch chord, resistance exercises, and cold water therapy, other great strength coaches, such as Keenan Robinson (Michael Phelps) and Brian McKenzie (Laird Hamilton), have developed similar training techniques to those that Coley Stickels and his I.U. athletes demonstrate in these amazing videos. This week, we release the Boxing Warmup exercises that Coach Coley Stickels uses for his strength training warmup. See the exact movements and learn how to do them yourself in Lane 3 of our subscription service…Sign up for a lot more!
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Thanks for watching!
Music
Artist: Nihilore
Song: Aberration
Album: Best of 2018
License: CC 3.0

J.R. Rosania was named one of America’s top trainers and helped lead Olympic Gold Medalist Misty Hyman to success. He talks about the need for strength training at all ages, the ideal duration of a workout, and the great benefits of adding this to your training program.

At the Race Club we see so many swimmers that let their feet hang in four critical points in swimming. Learn where those points are and exactly how much velocity you lose when you let your feet hang.

All of the propulsion comes from the hands and feet however there are two critical ‘coupling motions’ in freestyle that increase that propulsion. Learn what those motions are and how we improve on the most important coupling motion in Freestyle.

Find out what is unique about coaching para swimming athletes from Head U.S. and Canada Paralympic Coaches Nathan Manley and Mike Thompson. They discuss the Paralympic swimming classifications of these para swimming athletes and recent scoring system changes to combat cheating. Both Nathan and Mike have experimented with different methods and it has led to great success. Mike tells the inspiring story of Paraswimmer Benoît Huot who won a gold medal in the 2012 London Paralympics.

Dolphin kick swimming technique is extremely important for competitive swimming, especially the underwater dolphin kick. Maximize your dolphin kick speed and power during this important component of every swimming race with swim drills and swimming techniques from Olympian Marcus Schlesinger. Here we analyze Olympic Swimmers, Kelsi Dahlia, Amanda Kendall and Luca Spinazolla in contrast to Marcus’ dolphin kick.
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To speak to a The Race Club about swim camps or private lessons at a for a swim clinic in your area, call 833-234-2340
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In this second video comparing two distinctly differently freestyle techniques in Margo Geer and Zane Grothe using our Pressure Meter Technology. We conclude how each of these elite swimmers can improve on their swim technique.

Mike Bottom, Head Coach at the University of Michigan for the Men’s and Women’s Swim Team. Dr. Josh White, Associate Head Coach at the University of Michigan. Mike and Josh go over the coaches that influenced them and their history with swimming. They discuss with Gary Sr. their take on sprint and distance training as well as their outlook on this year’s team.- Life in the Fast Lane – Episode 05

At The Race Club we like to dissect the freestyle flip turn into 4 parts. Learn what common mistakes we see in the first part of this series on The Approach and how to avoid them.

Swimmer’s Shoulder Prevention with Dr. J. Pieter Hommen. Former Cornell swimmer and current Orthopedic Surgeon in Miami, FL, Dr. Hommen discusses the risk of shoulder swimming injuries. He dives into how to prevent shoulder pain in swimming and how your stroke count could be making it worse. | Life in the Fast Lane – Episode 04 – Dr. J. Pieter Hommen

Recently, National Team member and world-class butterfly swimmer, Amanda Kendall came to The Race Club for some Velocity Meter (VM) and Pressure Meter (PM) testing along with her coach Coley Stickels from Indiana Swimming and Diving. The VM measures velocity, acceleration and deceleration synchronized to video.

Swim Strength Training, with Coley Stickels. Coley is the Assistant Head Coach at Indiana University. There he has created an impressive weight training for sprint swimmers as well as a strength training exercise program for swimmers. Gary Hall Sr. talks to Coley about the proper age for swimming strength and conditioning training and what that would consist of. They also discuss weight training for sprint swimmers, dynamic stretching, and how to prevent shoulder swimming injuries. | Life in the Fast Lane – Episode 03 – Coley Stickels

Swimming faster with breathing techniques, by Trever Grey. Trever received his Bachelors of Science in Science & Nutrition and went on get his Masters in Integrative Human Physiology. Trever recently published his research on the impact of swim breathing techniques before swimming a race.
His study consisted of three control groups to study swim breathing techniques: deep breathing for 30 seconds before a swim race, deep breathing for 2 minutes, and no deep breathing at all. Olympic swimming medalist Gary Hall Sr. and Trever discuss the results and the swimming races in which these swim breathing techniques methods should be used. They dive into the physiological impacts hyperventilation has on your body and even when it can decrease your swimming performance.
Read more about this study here:
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/the-effects-of-deep-breathing-before-a-race-does-it-help-or-hurt/

Watch Kelsi Worrell Dahlia demonstrate an important drill to increase the energy of the coupling motions for a faster butterfly.

Learn one of our favorite dryland circuit exercises that increases the muscles used when recovering in butterfly and freestyle.

The Race Club is now introducing new technology to measure how to swim faster! The Pressure Meter tests the pressure on both hands during the pulling motion in all four strokes, so that you can focus on the specific part of your swim technique that needs to be improved.
A swimmer’s body rotation and body rotational speed plays a big role in swimming faster.
The Race Club continues to test and prove the best swim techniques to increase your swimming speed.
For more information on how to swim faster and get your own Pressure Meter test, visit our swim camp website at https://theraceclub.com/