Clinic News

Advanced technology clinic for Puerto Rico National Team.

The Puerto Rico Swimming Federation once again invited Dr. Havriluk to conduct clinics for junior, senior, and national team members. The clinics were conducted at the Albergue Olympic Training Center. The clinics included Aquanex+Video analysis sessions and instructional sessions featuring MONA. The December clinic was followed by a February clinic to document progress and work on more advanced skills. The national team is preparing for the Central America Games in July.

Many swimmers miss out on generating maximum propulsion on the breaststroke kick because they don't bring their legs together as they straighten them. If you straighten your legs before you bring them together, they will be in a weak and awkward position to generate force.

 

A powerful kick requires that the feet touch immediately after the legs straighten. It is important to control the knees so that they separate only slightly more than hip width. As the backward foot motion begins, bring the feet together. If the legs are in a strong position throughout the propulsive motion, the feet move together at a fast speed. Feeling the feet touch with a lot of force at the finish of the kick is one of the most important cues for the breaststroke kick.

 

 

Other technique tips are posted on the STR website.

Aquanex for Talent Identification

College coaches benefit from evaluating recruits with data

College coaches on the lookout for potential superstars can get some help by using advanced technology. For example, Aquanex can identify talent that might otherwise go unnoticed. In the image below, the backstroker generates a tremendous amount of force in a very short time in the beginning of the pull. He consistently achieves a peak force of almost 40 lbs in about .2 sec. (The vertical line on the third right hand force curve is synchronized with the video image.) However, he doesn't sufficiently flex at the elbow and use his strength on the push phase, resulting in a sudden loss in force. Since swimmers can double the force from the pull phase (before the arm passes the shoulder) to the push phase (after the arm passes the shoulder), there is great potential for this swimmer to go even faster. The reason: hand force is directly related to swimming speed, so generating more force means faster swimming.

Flexing the elbow a little faster (so that there is a 90 degree angle at the elbow as the arm passes the shoulder) will put the arm in a stronger position. Not only will this make the force at the mid-stroke position even higher, but it will also make it possible to generate more force on the push - potentially as much as 80 lbs.

 

With this type of data, a college coach can see the benefit in recruiting such an individual. Of course, it will require time and effort to change his technique, but the potential for such a swimmer is significant.

Ask Dr. Havriluk

Is the head completely submerged in freestyle?

No. One of the many misconceptions about freestyle technique is that the head must be completely submerged to keep the legs behind the torso and minimize resistance. A more effective strategy is to arch the lower back to bring the heels to the surface. Maintaining the water level just above the hairline orients the head in an optimal nonbreathing position that also minimizes the head motion necessary to breathe. The result is less resistance throughout the stroke cycle, with less energy expenditure for breathing. There is a more detailed explanation in Perfect Your Breathing With a Better Body Position.

 

STR's advanced technology and unique learning strategies guarantee success. Our summer SpeedWeeks in Florida attract local swimmers, as well as swimmers from all over the USA, Europe, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean. In addition to technique instruction and analysis by STR president and Aquanex inventor, Dr. Rod Havriluk, SpeedWeeks also feature experts on nutrition, sport psychology, physical therapy, and strength training. Limited spaces are available to ensure maximum individual attention and incomparable progress! The dates are June 7-11 and August 2-6. Swimmers are already registering, so reserve your space now! Click the logo for more information.

Mar 20-Apr 7 - Saudi Arabia

SpeedWeeks, Coach Clinics

Apr 18 - Tallahassee, FL

Aquanex+Video Analysis Clinics

May TBA - Puerto Rico

Aquanex+Video Analysis Clinics

May 15-16 - Annapolis, MD

Aquanex+Video Analysis Clinics

May 22-23 - Jacksonville, FL

Aquanex+Video Analysis Clinics

June 7-11 - Tallahassee, FL

SpeedWeek

Aquanex+Video Analysis Clinics

July TBA - Brazil

Instruction and Analysis Clinics

Aug 2-6 - Tallahassee, FL

SpeedWeek 

 

We also planning clinics at other locations in the USA, as well as in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. Check our 2010 schedule and reserve your dates!

Two studies using Aquanex will be presented at the Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming Conference in Oslo, Norway in June. Dr. Havriluk will present Performance Level Differences in Swimming: Relative Contributions of Strength and Technique. Dr. Becker will present Quantitative Data Supplements Qualitative Evaluation of Butterfly Swimming. Both studies contain valuable information to plan training and evaluate technique.

Dr. Havriluk recently published Analysis Procedures Using Advanced Technology on the coachesinfo.com website. Rod collaborated with Dr. Becker on Muscular Imbalances in Swimmers, which is also posted on coachesinfo.com. Copies of many articles are posted on the Research page of the STR website. Copies of the STR Newsletter are also posted.

Now that the coldest weather is behind us, we will begin lessons again in Tallahasse, Florida on Monday, February 15. Our lesson program is not just for local clients. Swimmers come from many states and other countries to take advantage of our unique program.