2015 QUEBEC COACHES CONFERENCE

Key technique and training concepts for Freestyle, Butterfly and IM

By Sean BakerHead Coach: Oakville Aquatics

"Je suis désolée"

When Speaking with Swimmers…use Tabernac – Taberneush – Merde a lot.

When giving race instructions, use phrases like,

“Ovret La Fenetre, Ferme La Port, Les Papillon d’amour”

« Ce sont les seuls mots que je connais.  »

General Concepts

Use for AGE GROUP COACHES. (17&unders) All rounded approach. No early event specialty

work. All age groupers need to have a base of IM and

Distance Freestyle. 2015 OAK goals of 9 under 9:00scm & 5 under

5:00lcm.[8:37/8:50.5/8:54/8:56/8:59/9:01/9:05/9:08/9:09][4:46/4:54/5:02/ 5:03/5:04/5:04] Working in group settings; must use “shotgun”

type of approach with comments/word pictures to “stick”.

KISS [Keep It Simple Sean]. OAK Characteristics. Staff training – United

delivery.

General Concepts Continued…

Use video whenever possible. I use Facebook/email to send swimmers video

clips or links to web sites to allow for the kids to view on their own time.

Use of Iphone/Ipad to video the swimmer. Increase hydro dynamics. Decrease Unnecessary movements or drag Find small ways to allow for small improvements

that are repeated often. The little things add up to mean a lot.

General Concepts Continued…

Keep sending out the “technique messages” even if they are not getting it after repeated attempts. You may have to use a different strategy (how many times have you seen another coach tell your swimmer to do the same thing but in a different way & they “get it”? ) You really have to bombard them over and over again until they do what you want them to do. (and sometimes it takes more than one season). But…never give up on them.

In the early season, develop technique through stroke drills and then relate it to speed. I use MiniMaxi (MM) after a technique session to find their best efficiency.

Find the point where they can’t hold it any more & then work those numbers inside sets.

Must be able to do it slowly before they do it fast for extended periods of time. Then reinforce through LSD (Long Slow Distance)

FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE• Hydrodynamics ! Reduce Drag• Head-Spine-Line• Rotation - increase power & reduce drag• Centre of Gravity (COG) - body position• Vessel length – Body at its longest = Fastest point• Body position determines flow of water• Levers• Kicking patterns *Teach 6 beat kicking!• Fluid – rhythm - flow

FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE

The Catch – Pull/Push: Fingertips down, anchor the arm Fingers slightly inside wrist Wrist slightly inside elbow Hand pulls under body Hand pushes back towards feet Brush thumb past thigh, accelerate finish Snap the finish, flick fingers

FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE

The RECOVERY: Lead the way with the elbow High elbow, low hand relaxed recovery Recovery: Hands/fingers point towards

the lane line Recovery ends with fingertips entering

well in front of shoulder Fingertip-Wrist-Elbow-Shoulder entry (1-2-

3-4) Keep elbow up !

FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE

The High Elbow Catch: Determines the quality of the pull for the

remainder of the stroke. Must try to anchor or plant the hand-arm in the water and drive backwards (body moves over and forward)

Transfer of Power/Energy: Balance the stroke-Transfer power from

one cycle to another. Efficiency/Momentum

Freestyle Drills

Sample Progression of drills AAS (Arm At Side) Kick 6K right side 6K left side (Body Position – Rotation - COG) AAS Kick 25 RS 25 LS 6BS (One arm up one arm down) *Thumb slightly

down, elbow socket pointed more down to bottom vs. up to surface

AAS One arm Free One arm free (resting arm up front) Double finish FCUFTS (Full Catch Up Fingertip Skimming) SSC (Swim and Stroke Count)

Technique Based Sets

Entry Phase: MM= Stroke Count + Time. Rule of thumb is +1 stroke for -:01 time. Reduce the total number by increasing stroke rate with minimal stroke count increase and descending time (increase in speed).

16x25 @:40 Desc MM #1-4 progressive 4s. Follow with a set of 8x150 @3:00 [100-Swim Free 50-ST at Best MM double up +:01 for the turn]

Build Phase: 6x500 Free @7:30 Hold MM SC=/25, Breath 3, 5 UW off each wall, evenly paced.

Attack Phase: 8 round of: 2x100 Free @1:30 Br3, Hold SC=/50 1x100 Fly @2:00 Br2, Hold UW &SC=/50 Split within +:01 and rehearse the back half

16x50 Float start @1:30 Hold UW & SC=/25 Taper: Repeat MM Sets for breakthroughs.

LCM Stroke Count & Time Combinations

Stroke Stroke Count Time SC Difference

Butterfly 19 :29 -10

Backstroke 26 31 -5

Breaststroke 19 :39 -20

Freestyle 27 :29-:27 -2 / 0

Butterfly Technique

Undulation profile is low amplitude/high frequency Entry is in front of shoulders Recovery is low profile, thumbs down – clean entry

into “Landing Zone” Small keyhole pull/push NOT fat keyhole Chest Forward / Bum Up…press with the T Chin close to surface & pushes towards end of pool Center of Mass “T” Timing of the kick Kick hands through the finish & into Landing Zone Soft/Patient Hydrodynamic Entry (Centrifugal

Force)

Butterfly Technique…

Rhythm and flow FlabSlab = Float Like a Butterfly Sting

Like a Bee…Muhammed Ali Easy Speed…How FAST is your EZ? Can

you get to the 150m “on the build” and then accelerate home?

Check Mark Push Offs in UW breakout Timing of the approach (No dipsy

doodles)

Sean’s favorite Fly Sets

1. LCM 8-10x2x100 Free @1:30 at 1:10-1:15

1x100 Fly BHR Hold UW/SC=/502. 20x100 scm @2:00 EOOF Fly3. 12x50 scm @:50 (*MZ Hold :32.5 / 9sc)4. Wt Belt VK with Tempo Trainers5. 8-10x 3x25 Rhythm @:30 (:14/7)

2x50 Build @1:00 (Double Up) (:29/14)

1x75 FAST @1:30 (Double Up) (:44/21) 100 EZ

IM Technique & Training

IM Training

400 IM has been/is the backbone of training for all of my International swimmers.

[L. van Oosten (4:50s)/T. Van Beilen (4:55l)/E. White(4:23l)/ M. Oldershaw(4:44l)/A. Harrison(4:49l)/M. Darragh(4:20l)/ T. Cieplucha(4:46l)] FLABSLAB Fly leading into main Backstroke sets. Back Pulling into Very Hard Breaststroke sets Breaststroke days every week Breast efficiency into Freestyle Freestyle quality. *Evan White :49.5 anchor 2014

Commonwealth Games. :50.9 LTB Plus single focus days. Shoe Kicking

Racing concepts

“Float the Fly”, easy on the legs. Get out fast and easy. (How fast is your easy?)

Build the Back tempo. UW into stroke rate; crescendo into turn.

I prefer bucket turns in Canada – Suicide everywhere else. 2013 Spring Trials. DQs are subjective and you can’t allow for interpretation.

Breast is critical. Leg dominant back half. Freestyle distance background to finish

Racing Concepts continued

Butterfly and Freestyle should be very close in splits.

400 IM – To become International, you really have to try to have Summer National cuts in all 4 stroke 200s.

UW are becoming more vital in the 400IM as the event gets better. Some day, someone is going to go 15m off every wall on every stroke.

The breast to free conversion has the greatest opportunity to extend a lead or narrow a gap.

Continued…

The approach & timing of the Breast-Fee transition is critical so as to minimize decrease in speed while accelerating into the fastest portion UW DK .

Breath control and UW FK-DK on the last wall (200IM) can be the “difference maker”

C:\Users\User\Videos\Evan White\2014TRIALS-OAK EVAN WHITE 200IM FNL.MP4

400 IM Finishing kick has to have a solid distance free background to be able to surge through the finish.

Favourite IM Sets

400 IM: 10x400 Odds=Free cruise Even Split @6:00

Evens=IM Descend @7:00 Janet Evans Set1x200 Free @3:00 + 4x200 IM @3:10 Desc 1-41x400 Free @6:00 + 3x200 IM @3:00 Desc 1-31x600 Free @9:00 + 2x200 IM @2:40 Desc 1-21x800 Free @12:00 + 1x200 IM GO!*Evan has done this set LCM and finished at 2:09; Tessa 2:24 4-8xDive 3x50 Snowball Fly @1:30 (Easy Speed & Build SR/12.5)Push 100 Back Fast Neg Split @1:30Push 3x50 Breast Fast @1:00100 EZ

Continued…

Sets can be done all fast or descending in the taper3-5x150 @2:30 [50-Fly at +2-3 RP 100-Bk Fast]3-5x250 @4:15 [50-Fly/100 Bk mod/100 Breast]3-5x350 @6:00 [50/100/100/100 FreeTC Barbados (:32/22 – 1:10 – 1:20 – 1:01 2000 Timed in 5x400im Continuous 3x [3x150 Breast 50 Pullout/1P3K/Swim @2:45

[1x100 Free Fast 4-8x[4x50 Snowball Backstroke 50s @:50at MM <65[Push 100 Breast Fast

Still More…

1500 IM Bergen Mixer100 Fr-25 Fly / 100 Fr-25 Back / 100 Fr-25 Breast75 Fr-50 Fly / 75 Fr-50 Back / 75 Fr-50 Breast50 Fr-75 Fly / 50 Fr-75 Back / 50 Fr-75 Breast25 Fr-100 Fly / 25 Fr-100 Back / 25 Fr-100 Breast

And More…

Preparation Camp 3 Weeks out of 2014 Pan Pac Trials… Evan White in Barbados LCM: WR split BK/BR= 1:01.624 rounds of: [1x50 Fly at 19/:29 @1:00

[Push 1x100 BK/BR Desc rounds from 1:03.5 He did 1:02.8-1:02.4 and finished with a push 50 Free at :25.5 TC/MZ 2015 Florida Prep Camp;3x [3x50 BK @1:00 40 39 38 [2x100 BK @2:00 1:20 1:18 1:16 [1x150 BK @3:00 2:00 1:57 1:54 [2x50 Breast @1:00 40 39 38

100 EZ/Round

Training Continued…

Tessa Cieplucha / Mabel Zavaros: 3-4x150@2:30[50-Fly Mod @+10sc/T + 100 Back desc to rp] 3-4x250@4:00 [50-Fly/100-Bk Same + 100 Br desc to rp 3-4x350[50-Fly/100-Bk/100 Br desc to rp Same + 100 FreeTC=1:10.8/1:21.7/1:03.7MZ=1:12/1:28/1:04.7

200 IM Sets• X Rounds of:[8x25 FLabSlab Fly @:30 + 50 Back Fast] 16x25 *4 Each Stroke

(4@2:00/1:30/1:00/:30) Broken 200s + 300 EZ between sets[Dive 25 Fly FlabSlab[Push 50 Fly/Back[Push 50 Bk/Breast[Push 50 Br/Free[Finishing Kick 25 BLAST