Details make the difference – Training session with the Dutch National Youth Swimming Team

“We don’t train really hard compared to other nations, I think we train smart, and the InnoSportLab really helps with training smart next to hard” – stated Geert Janssen, the coach of the development team and assistant coach of the national team, after the training of the Dutch National Youth Swimming Team.

On the morning of last Friday a few elite swimmers of the next generation of Dutch swimming had a chance to train in InnoSportLab de Tongelreep, especially focusing on their starts. The group of different ages from 13 to 18 represents the highest level in the nation, winning several national championships and holding a number of national records.

Thanks to the high-tech starting system of the Lab, the athletes have the chance to get better in every aspect of their starts. The system consists of the force plates built in the block helping to measure the forces of the swimmers at the start and cameras above and underwater to analyze the line of water entry. With the help of the software they are always able to compare their start to their previous ones in order to improve every detail.

According to coach Janssen this was a really valuable opportunity for the young talents. Seeing their starts in slow motion and recognizing their own mistakes plays an important role in their development, as well as the help of specialists like Roald van der Vliet and Sander Schreven from InnoSportLab.

Geert Janssen also added, he expects the Lab to set a guideline in both training and coaching development for the next generation of Dutch swimming as they continue the collaboration, hoping to “produce” olympic medalists in the future thanks to the technological advantages provided by InnoSportLab de Tongelreep.

Photos & text: Bertalan Pusztai