Liquid Lightning Bronze Group
Biomechanics Development
1. From a push, prone/supine, maintain streamline position. Chin on chest, stacked wrists, arms behind head, toes pointed.
Hold position for at least 1.5 body lengths and vary the depth of underwater push. ‘Sink, touch, push’ should be used as cue.
2. Execute start from blocks or deck. Hold streamlined position for 2 body lengths, progress to surface w/ a pull, not breathing on first stroke Fly/Free.
2. Execute legal stroke turns 10ft from wall for all four strokes.
3. Demonstrate stroke pattern, catch and Early Vertical Forearm
For all four strokes.
1. Understands propulsion/drag/friction.
4. Stroke Progression. Complete progressions
Butterfly/Breaststroke.
Butterfly - Demonstrate undulation from
core/hips.
Demonstrate correct timing of
pull, kick, breath in stroke.
Complete one legal length of
stroke.
Breaststroke - Demonstrate correct timing.
of pull, kick, breath in stroke.
Complete one legal length.
5. Perform 100yds of IM w/ legal tech & turns.
6. Perform relay exchanges and understands relays as related to Team.
7. Turns - Perform underwater dolphin kicks for
freestyle, backstroke, butterfly starts.
and turns.
8. Breathing in rhythm and sequence in all four strokes.
9. Understands Long/Short Axis strokes and
How rotation in those dimensions create
10. Understand Increase velocity, decrease drag.
Learn ‘catch’, early vertical forearm concept. Understand ‘how’ to hold onto water.
A. Can demonstrate balance in floating prone/supine positions.
11. Complete legal freestyle/backstroke tech.
For one length of pool using shoulder/hip
Technique
Freestyle - Demonstrate bilateral breath or breathing to both sides of stroke.
Ability to have balance along.
with six beat flutter kicking.
Backstroke - Body balance w/ still head.
Six beat flutter w/ shoulder
rotation, coordination.
Both Strokes demonstrate coordination, flow, and continuity.
3. Stroke Progressions. Begin to develop the
Butterfly/Breaststroke body balance and
Tech. Understand ‘short axis’ Feet angles.
12. Racing Start Progression. Diving from sitting
Position, deck position, block.
1. Knows and can demonstrate standing long jump from blocks.
13. Turns - Open and somersaults. Progressions
For all turns, creating a push into streamline.
Position. Building off the ‘Sink/Touch/Push’ skill.
Knows USA Swimming Rule for ‘two hand touch’ Fly/Breast.
14. Introduction of Short Axis strokes (Fly/Breast). Work on how to kick the strokes as
Swimmer progresses to pulling/pushing with arms.
a. Swimmer understands body positioning and balance.
b. Swimmer understands two hand touch rules for both strokes.
c. Swimmer will be introduced to ‘Open turns, pullouts (Breast).
Physiological Progressions
Physical
Coordinated stroke patterns: freestyle/backstroke w/ legal form.
Aerobic Endurance – can swim 15 minutes w/ out stopping.
Can complete a 45-minute practice.
1. Can perform a 15-minute swim.
2. Can perform a 15-minute kick.
4. Coordinated bilateral rhythmic breathing in Freestyle. One eye underwater.
Nutrition
1. Can name three sources of fruit, vegetable grains, dairy, protein, and fat.
2. Has a favorite healthy food.
3. Can help in kitchen preparing meals. Mixing
Pouring
Cracking eggs
Cutting/chopping fruits/veggies
4. Asks for healthy snacks/meals
1. Meet snacks are healthy.
Cognitive
1. Can understand key words used in a practice. Able to describe a set and what coach is asking to perform.
2. Swimmer can count strokes for freestyle and backstroke.
3. Swimmer knows ‘Magic Number’ for backstroke turns and finishes.
4. Swimmer can count laps of a practice.
5. Understands Meet concepts, times, heats, lanes. Terms used during meets at an entry level.
Understands a ‘Growth Mindset’ they should work towards their Best Effort & Success!
Character and Life skills
Championship Mindset
1.Swimmer understands they are part of a Team and has respect for Teammates.
2.Swimmer listens to coach and tries to make appropriate changes (coachable)
3.Swimmer understands Team Expectations and consequences.
4.Can identify when swimmer had fun at practice and meet.
Work Ethic/Self-Discipline
1.Swimmer is responsible for their equipment.
2.Swimmer is ready to start practice on time.
3.Swimmer gives undivided attention to instructions from Coach and follows directions.
4.Swimmer will count accurately and be responsible for swimming the whole distance required of in set.
5.Swimmer will show respect for facility and equipment.
Commitment and Loyalty
1.Swimmer will know Team name and colors and Logo.
2.Swimmer will know names of Teammates and coaches in practice group and Team.
3.Show support for all levels and abilities of Teammates, during practice and meets.
4.Swimmer will know the name of training group immediately above their group.
5.Participates in Team activities outside of practice.
Silver Group Curriculum
Psychological Skills
1. Can identify the optimal personal zone for maximum performance in practice and competition.
2. Knows the three levels of nervousness (too little, just right, too much).
3. Understands that stress comes from poor self-talk, and faulty focus and concentration of the product and not the Process.
4. Understands the concept of ‘UC’ or uncontrollable, as a major source of stress.
5. Recognizes faulty focus and can bring self-back to proper focus.
Self-Image
1. Understands the role of failure and the importance of learning from one’s mistakes; understands that this is ESSENTIAL for Success.
2. Can understand the difference between positive reinforcement and negative criticism.
3. Understands that criticism is a critique of skills and NOT a critique of the individual.
Self-Talk
1. Understands the benefits of and uses positive self-talk and affirmations. (Understands GIGO - garbage in, garbage out).
2. Closely monitors negative self-talk and corrects as it happens.
3. Understands that the self-talk is your biggest Cheerleader and needs to be a positive strength.
4. Understands the damage of negative self-talk to self-esteem, performance, and the enjoyment of the sport and life.
Goal Setting
Understands value of setting PROCESS MINDSET and outcome Goals for both practice and meets.
1. Swimmer has developed long-term goals w/ in sport.
2. Swimmer understands the meaning of Process, NOW mindset.
3. Demonstrates the link between a Process/Growth Mindset and outcome.
4. Swimmer understands a time is not the swimmer.
5. Swimmer demonstrates understanding of how a time can fluctuate from meet to meet.
Cognitive Development
Championship/Practice Accountability
1.Swimmer demonstrates ability to use pace clock in practice, knows set/repeat times. Understands ‘sets, repeats.
2.Swimmer learns to accept responsibility for his/her performance in practice & meets.
3.Swimmer will learn coping strategies to deal w/ parent/coach/swimmer pressure.
4.Swimmer will learn to take ownership of behavior, practice ethic and success.
5.Swimmer will understand and show reason to ‘say no to drugs.
Dryland Introduction
1.Swimmer will participate in organized ‘free play’.
2.Swimmer starts to learn athletic movements on land that they are not getting playing other sports.
3.Template:
Flexibility routine – learn how flexibility promotes health and injury prevention.
Athletic development (linear/lateral movements).
Kicking, throwing, tossing, hopping, jumping and skipping actives and games.
4.Swimmer participates in multiple sports and
Activities.
Suggested Training Parameters.
Physical
Athlete is capable of swimming sets of 20/30 minutes.
Bases: (all per 100)
Free @ 1:45
Back @ 2:00
Breast/Fly @ 2:00
Kick @ 2:20
IM @ 1:50 (100)
Working to swim a 500/400IM/Mile in competition, Coach approved.
Cognitive
1.Accurately counts and computes distance.
2.Understands set requirement, process.
3.Able to ‘train’ the set. Pace the set and practice.
4.Understands the ‘why’ a set or practice correlates to performance.
Competitive Performance
1.Has achieved or is working to complete:
10 under ‘AAA’ time standard
11-12 ‘A’ time standard
13-14 ‘BB’ time standard
2.Has completed the age-appropriate IMX events.
Gold Group Curriculum
Biomechanical Development
1. Swimmer has competed in all events offered in his/her age group. Has meet ‘B’ minimum standards in 2/3rds of the events in USA swim meets.
2. Swimmer knows difference between Long
Course/Short Course swimming.
3. Increased number of underwater dolphin kick
w/ increased efficiency for Free/Back/Fly.
4. Perform effective race finishes on consistent basis.
5. Perform correct timing for relay exchanges.
6. Breathes within rhythm of stroke under race
Conditions in all four strokes.
7. Turns - Perform underwater dolphin kicks for
freestyle, backstroke, butterfly starts
and turns.
8. Performs legal Breaststroke pullout with dolphin
Kick correctly placed.
9. Understands streamlining importance off the
Wall and in the placement of stroke technique.
Cognitive
1. Complete one length of all strokes holding same time or faster but using at least one less stroke cycle as season progresses. Knows and understands stroke counting and how Distance Per Stroke efficiency works for better swimming.
2. Swimmer recognizes need for greater stroke improvement/technique in reduction of drag and creating velocity.
3. Swimmer can name three ways to minimize drag and increase velocity.
4. Swims w/ best practice breathing patterns during practice and meets.
Swims with best form during practice and meets.
Physiological Development
Physical
1.Aerobic Endurance: performs T30 or another threshold set two times per season.
2.Short sprints of all strokes at maximum velocity working on racing skills, coordination, starts, turns, finishes.
3. Knows different ‘energy systems’ used for slow, medium, fast swimming.
Nutrition
1.Understands that ‘Food is Fuel’ Energy in=energy out.
2.Makes healthy food choices (despite teammates, travel, etc.)
3.Can put together a healthy meal using all phases (carbs, protein, fats) at table.
Cognitive
1. Understands how physical maturation and training relationship relates to development.
2. Swimmer understands the purpose of Heart Rate measurement.
3. Heart Rate will be monitored (resting/work) and understands how this relates to training.
4. Swimmer understands the importance of muscular flexibility in swimming performance.
5. Introduction of broken swims to learn race strategy and pacing.
6. Understands Energy Systems and how they relate to performance, creating velocity.
7. Can give Heart Rates for different Energy Systems and knows times that relate to said Energy Systems.
8. Understands the importance of swimming at different velocities during practice and how it relates to yards swum versus quality swum.
Understands ‘Aerobic/Anaerobic/lactic/alactac’ terms.
Psychological Development
2. Understand the relationship between relaxation and performance.
3. Knows the three levels of nervousness (too little, just right, too much).
4. Understands that stress comes from poor self-talk, and faulty focus and concentration. Also focusing on product not Process.
5. Understands the concept of ‘UC’ or uncontrollable, as a major source of stress.
6. Recognizes faulty focus and can bring self-back to proper focus.
Self-Image
5. Understands the role of failure and the importance of learning from one’s mistakes; understands that this is ESSENTIAL for Success.
6. Is able to understand the difference between positive reinforcement and negative criticism.
7. Understands that criticism is a critique of skills and NOT a critique of the individual.
Self-Talk
1.Understands the benefits of and uses positive self-talk and affirmations. (Understands GIGO - garbage in, garbage out).
2.Closely monitors negative self-talk and corrects as it happens.
3.Understands that the self-talk is your biggest Cheerleader and needs to be a positive strength.
Goal Setting
Understands value of setting PROCESS MINDSET and outcome Goals for both practice and meets.
1. Swimmer knows best times for practice and meets.
2. Swimmer understands the meaning of Process, NOW mindset.
3. Understands the link between a Process/Growth Mindset and outcome.
Cognitive Development
Championship/Practice Accountability
1. Swimmer demonstrates ability to use pace clock in practice, knows set/repeat times.
2.Swimmer learns to accept responsibility for his/her performance in practice & meets.
3. Swimmer will learn coping strategies to deal w/ parent/coach/swimmer pressure.
4. Swimmer will learn to take ownership of behavior, practice ethic and success.
5. Swimmer will understand and show reason to ‘say no to drugs’.
Dryland Introduction
1. Swimmer will participate in organized ‘body movement’ dryland when added.
2. Swimmer starts to learn how athletic movements/coordination translates to better swimming performance.
3. Template: i. Flexibility routine/Dynamic warm up introduced.
Athletic development (linear/lateral movements).
ii. Jumping, long and vertical.
iii. Understand ‘strength to weight’ importance in how to generate power and endurance in swimming.
4. Swimmer participates in multiple sports but is looking to master skills in said sports.
Suggested Training Parameters
Physical
Athlete is capable of swimming sets of 30/40 minutes.
Bases: (all per 100)
Free @ 1:30
Back @ 1:40
Breast/Fly @ 1:50
Kick @ 2:00
IM @ 2:00 (100)
Has swum a 500/400IM in competition and working towards 1650/1500 Free.
Cognitive
5. Accurately counts and computes distance in practice
6. Understands set requirement, process.
7. Able to look at practice on whole and understand the purpose of said practice.
8. Understands the ‘why’ a set or practice correlates to performance.
Competitive Performance
9. Has achieved: i. Regional Q Time
ii. Mags Q Time/Scored at Mags Championships
2. Has completed the age-appropriate IMX events.
Character Building
Championship Mindset
1. Swimmer knows Qtimes for highest competition available for their age-group.
2. Swimmer demonstrates higher level of Sportsmanship-Championship behavior than Novice Group. (Respect for competitors and best along w/ friends regardless of ability).
3. Swimmer will attend required Team meets.
4.
Work Ethic/Self-Discipline
5. Swimmer is responsible for equipment.
6. Swimmer will meet the required attendance for the Intermediate Group.
7. Swimmer will challenge him/herself to perform at their ‘best effort’ during practice and meets.
Commitment and Loyalty
1. Swimmer will choose a National swimming role model and know the events in which he/she competes or competed.
2. Starts to see National/Olympic competitions and follows outcomes.
3. Shows Team Pride in cheering Teammates at practice and meets.
4. Swimmer understands and takes responsibility for practice, paperwork, and the Team related activities.
5. Swimmer will wear Team colors, equipment, apparel for all meets/Team functions.
Time Management
1.Demonstrates the ability to balance school and outside activities.
2.Shows planning and responsibility for school and activities.
3.Talks with Coach BEFORE an academic conflict occurs using planning strategy to work out viable solutions with Coach.
Senior Development/Lightning Group Curriculum
CHAMPIONSHIP BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The athlete has knowledge of required times to
qualify for highest level meet, Finals of any prelim/final format.
Athlete will have focus, commitment to train and attend workouts to swim at the highest meets qualified to perform.
WORK ETHIC AND SELF-DISCIPLINE
1.The athlete is not influenced by the negative
behavior of his or her teammates.
2.The athlete understands and takes responsibility
for attendance, performance, and habits in
practice and how these three relate to meet
performance.
3.Athlete understands the traits of a positive
leader and endeavors to become one by learning Leaderships skills.
4. Athlete will understand what it means to ‘compete clean’ not using performance enhancing supplements/drugs.
PHYSICAL
Maintain consistent stroke rates and times in training sets. Understands the correlation of stroke rate for distance, pace of races.
Performs the 200’s of stroke and a 400 individual medley.
Kicks to 10 meters using underwater dolphin kicks faster than in previous level.
Knows and understands creating Velocity, decreasing Drag and what athletic, physical habits can achieve both by working them consistently.
Starts/Turns
Can generate clean entry transfer to swim stroke.
Improve speed, power, and distance to 15 meters in each stroke.
Performs a relay exchange with advanced technique.
Understand Biomechanics of proper starts/turns regarding decreasing drag and increasing propulsion.
Knows to ‘find the line’ on first stroke breakouts.
Aerobic endurance, Sprinting, Pacing are all understood and can be performed in practice knowing how to train all aspects of performance.
Performs threshold set three times per season (T-30, 10X300, etc.)
COGNITIVE
1. Complete one length of each stroke holding the same time or faster but using fewer strokes or cycles than in earlier part of season. Understands/demonstrates pacing of races at different distance/strokes.
2. The athlete begins to understand the basics of different energy system usage in sprinting versus distance swimming.
3. The athlete understands the relationship between distance per stroke, stroke rate, and swimming speed.
4. The athlete can name three ways to minimize resistance or drag from the water.
The athlete can explain an efficient stroke pattern in relation to creating propulsion. Knows ‘Catch, Early Vertical Forearm’ how to grow those skills.
5. The athlete understands the concept of a balanced diet and basic fuels used during swimming training.
6. The athlete can use heart rate measurement to monitor exercise intensity and recovery.
7. Athlete begins to train at known race paces. Knows how to use pace clock to monitor practices, learning how to train a practice.
8. Athlete follows prescribed race plan.
DRYLAND
1. The athlete starts to take ownership of the dryland activities and participates regularly when offered.
2. The athlete continues the work with an emphasis on keeping the body healthy and injury free by using Dynamic warm up, stretching, stroke mechanics.
3. The athlete participates in dryland
approximately three times per week or when offered.
NUTRITION
1.Understands how to navigate through a grocery store
2. Understands how to build a healthy plate
3. Plan and pack for multi-event swim meet -fueling/recovery snacks
4. Uses refuel/rehydrate during training and competitions.
5. Knows how to monitor nutrition during training and competitions.
PEAK PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
1. Demonstrates an understanding of the
individual zones of optimal functioning (IZOF)
concept.
2. Can identify their own optimal zone of
performance both in practice and competition.
3. Understand ‘controllable Vs. Uncontrollable’ situations and
How they affect performance, training.
4. Knows how working in a Process Mindset will build better performance. Goals, although good plans are NOT looking over the process of HOW to achieve those goals.
SELF-IMAGE
1. Realizes that positive comments help reduce
stress, build confidence, and can increase the
enjoyment of competition and practice.
2. Garbage In/Garbage Out. Greatness IN/Greatness OUT.
3. Starts Journaling practice to understand how Self-talk is being used on a regular basis.
4. Understands the damage of negative self-talk.
to self-esteem, performance, and the
enjoyment of the sport.
5. Swimmer recognizes that this skill is a lifelong skill and will create great habits for success.
IMAGERY AND VISUALIZATION
Can visualize a race from start to finish. Can
control the image so vision matches actual
performance.
CONCENTRATION
1. Develops a pre-race ritual or routine.
2. Develops race focal points for concentration.
3. Knows when ‘uncontrollables’ are around and builds strategies to bring them back to focus.
4. Has strategy to maintain a positive mindset when surprises happen in practice and competition.
GOAL/PLAN SETTING
1. Has developed a long-range plan within the
sport.
2. Develops short-term and intermediate goals
that ultimately tie into long-range Plans.
3. Recognizes the process/plan it takes to realize goal.
4. Understands that Goals, although good, can be limiting and take focus off the Process. Uses the Process to build and grow Plan.
MEET AND PRACTICE BEHAVIOR
1. Understands the effect of posture and actions
on emotions.
2. Uses the “Act as if ” strategy as a fallback
position. When feeling not a 100%, can use this to bring them back to a Positive Attitude.
3. Has ‘pre-meet’ routine that allows better focus on race plan.
4. Is a GREAT Teammate. Understands and empathizes with Teammates to build great relationships and Team.
5. Is on time, on task and committed to have the best success he/she can create.
COMMITMENT AND TEAM LOYALTY
1. The athlete understands the difference
between self-interest and team goals.
2. The athlete demonstrates commitment
to his or her team by continued dedicated
membership.
3. Choose to be an athlete role model to younger Teammates.
4. Athlete will wear Team attire to ALL Team functions, meets and practices.
Liquid Lightning High Performance Curriculum
CHAMPIONSHIP BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY
1. The athlete demonstrates leadership responsibilities by working with younger athletes.
2. Seeks support, communication and positive interactions with coaches and support when needed.
3. Leadership training and implementation by understanding that they are Leaders of Liquid Lightning and will perform as such.
4. Understands that a Positive Attitude coupled with Massive Effort and working through a Process of integrity, honesty and pride will create success in and out of the pool.
5. The athlete supports Teammates and Team even during adverse swimming that may be going on in their practice, meet or season. They are empathetic and understanding that others may need support along with their efforts.
TIME MANAGEMENT
1. The athlete understands the demands of Academics/Athletics and will plan to navigate to the best of their ability by planning and not ‘sacrificing’ one over the other.
2. Adversely athlete has mastered time management skills, so swimming activities do not interfere with outside activities.
3. The athlete will recognize that Success is not a silo of accomplishment but an array of attitude and effort that all mesh together.
4. The athlete shows ability to see how their time management choices affect the outcome of academics, athletics, and personal life, that life is time management.
CHARACTER
DRYLAND
1. The dryland program follows the swim program through structured rotation of the exercises
that have purpose and intent.
2. The athlete continues with an athletic based strength program: a. The intensity and volume monitored with daily and weekly prioritization.
b. The athlete’s dryland program is optimized physically, emotionally, and socially for the training group.
c. A wide variety & catalog of exercises is used to accommodate all needs (injury prevention and different body types).
3. The athlete will do a plyometric program which will emphasize landing properly and jumping as quickly and as high as possible
4. The athlete continues to work on different body parts that go into good aquatic posture.
5. The athlete participates in dryland 4-5 times per week with optimal of 3x/week strength and 2x/week general athleticism (approximate time of 40-60 minutes each session)
NUTRITION
1. Understand and execute recovery nutrition snacks and meals after hard training and
Competition.
2. Understand and plan healthy meals on a regular basis.
3. Knows the harms and effects of poor nutrition on swimming and daily life.
4. Understands how hydration, refueling (before, during, after) training, meets will increase or decrease performance.
5. Understands that Nutrition is lifelong health management
PEAK PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
1. Demonstrates an understanding of factors that
excite and relax the athlete. Sees uncontrollables and utilizes strategies to focus on controllables.
2. Utilizes relaxation techniques under meet
duress to perform optimally.
3. Maintains optimum relaxation level (“good
nervousness”), regardless of uncontrollable situations.
4. Learns to utilize imagery skills to manage
competitive stress.
SELF-IMAGE AND GOAL SETTING
1. Has working process of self-image and how it affects performance, life.
2. Focus on Process orientations and how it affects outcomes.
3. Separates performance from self-image. ie, bad performance is not a bad person.
4. Goals are good if the Process/Map to get there is worked.
SELF-TALK
1. Able to positively reframe uncontrollable and adversity to enhance confidence.
2. Recognizes when self-talk turns negative and utilizes ‘best practices’ to bounce back to the positive self-talk in all situations.
3. Communicates positively with Teammates and builds confidence in them and themselves.
IMAGERY AND VISUALIZATION
1. Through instruction can visualize a race from start to finish in complete detail (seeing, hearing, and feeling).
2. Can visualize a race/performance from start to finish.
CONCENTRATION
1. Demonstrates and ability to rebound quickly
from mistakes and failures.
2. Able to successfully use pre-race routines and
control focal points to maintain concentration during a race.
3. Consistently swims “in own lane” in practice and meets.
4. Shows understanding that outcome is not the goal, but
Process and working the Process is essential for any goal to happen.
CONFIDENCE
PROGRESSIONS
COMMITMENT AND TEAM LOYALTY
1. The athlete understands the difference between self-interest and team goals and how both can create success when meshed.
2. The athlete demonstrates commitment to his or her team by continued dedicated membership.
3. Choose to be a student-athlete by balancing Academics and athletics. Understanding that both are important and can be grown into success by creating time, space, planning to make them successful.
Team Building, Creating a Legacy of Leadership
1. The athlete shows loyalty to team by working with younger athletes and helping them understands the what the sport of swimming can offer them as people.
2. Understands, grows, and participates in a Positive Team Culture by Working and treating Teammates, Coaches, participants with respect and Empathy. Finds ways to create a Positive Attitude with Teammates, Coaches and themselves.
3. Has Pride in the Positive Attitude and Massive Effort given by themselves and Their Teammates. Makes effort to show positive support to Teammates and shares in Teammate success as they so in their success.
4. Athlete will wear Liquid Lighting attire at ALL meets, events, and practices. Creating Pride in the Program, themselves.
