Hey Swimming Gurus....

Melon Presser

52116

Subject: RE: Hey Swimming Gurus....

The catch is important in order to get your hand (transition to arm) in the water with the least resistance and optimal positioning to pull. What I have read and bodes true for me is that the wrist should be flexed (hand down) about 45 degrees from the forearm, and you "pierce" the water with your fingers (slightly thumb-side) upon which as the forearm follows and encounters the resistance of the water, the hand will naturally flatten out to be in line with the forearm to create one straight paddle.

However, some insanely elite swimmers just smack their whole arm down and it seems to work for them. It doesn't work for me, and seems to make poor form follow into the pull for beginners. It's an anomaly, really, and a brief note that the same type of catch may not work for everyone.

How to get better? I'm a big fan of doing this in shallow water, bent over at the hips, so that you're not worrying about kicking, rolling, or anything else ... you can really just isolate (and watch!) how the catch feels and what to do next.

Edited by TriAya 2007-11-12 2:33 PM

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6838

Tejas

Subject: RE: Hey Swimming Gurus....

The catch is something that eluded me for quite a while. I'm still not there yet, but improving. Another BTer suggested to watch that your arm is not crossing over the centerline of your body as you extend for the catch. That was huge for me. Another biggie is not pushing toward the bottom of the pool with your hand during the catch-stroke. I was doing both. The drill Triaya mentioned is an excellent tool to develop feel. Just try it making the two mistakes I mentioned. You will feel the power translating to vertical propulsion. Concentrate on doing it Triaya's way and you will feel forward propulsion. Forward is good...

Pro

4189

Pittsburgh, my heart is in Glasgow

Subject: RE: Hey Swimming Gurus....

^^ Ahh the centerline. That all important and oft neglected part of the stroke.

.

All of the above are good. To me and my semi-coach, former swimmer turned tri-slug self, the catch is the entry part of the stroke, pretty much the first 1/4 of the stroke (assuming the stroke "starts" at entry). There's actually very little torque or power application that can happen in this part of the stroke. Lots of people who overreach and cross their centerline do so because they feel like they're not getting enough power in the stroke from the catch. This is misguided, putting too much downward pressure when your arm is extended can stress your shoulder at worst, and is at least a waste of energy. The torque in your stroke comes from slightly in front of your shoulder to just before your hip, right before you draw your arm out. Focus on really forcing that water back and away from your hip, and drawing your arm up, as if you were taking a wallet out of your front pocket.

In terms of "form" for the catch, make sure your elbows are nice and high. Do the "thumb drag" drill, where you drag your thumb all the way up to your arm pit and then complete the stroke.

I prefer to enter thumb first because it encourages roll by forcing you to kind of draw a "curvy" 7 in the water...pushing slightly away from your body, then drawing back in towards the center, and finishing at your hip. Entering finger tips first, or index first, can upset that roll or stop it, and again can strain your shoulders (and fingers, ouch!).

And as always, watch your center line. Your arms should enter in front of your shoulder, not your head. Over reaching causes side to side (think dancing baby from Allie McBeal, or hoola hooping) movement from the hips up, which disturbs your roll and is a waste of energy.

Happy swimming.

****ETA: completely missed the point of the post.
The function of the catch is to essentially continue the stroke and keep momentum until your body can get into the position to really apply power. Its sort of like a rolling start really. Since you can't apply (effective) pressure there, it helps you to put your body in the best possible position to apply power.

Edited by phoenixazul 2007-11-12 3:32 PM

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Master

1420

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: Hey Swimming Gurus....

phoenixazul - 2007-11-12 4:30 PM

^^ Ahh the centerline. That all important and oft neglected part of the stroke.

.

All of the above are good. To me and my semi-coach, former swimmer turned tri-slug self, the catch is the entry part of the stroke, pretty much the first 1/4 of the stroke (assuming the stroke "starts" at entry). There's actually very little torque or power application that can happen in this part of the stroke. Lots of people who overreach and cross their centerline do so because they feel like they're not getting enough power in the stroke from the catch. This is misguided, putting too much downward pressure when your arm is extended can stress your shoulder at worst, and is at least a waste of energy. The torque in your stroke comes from slightly in front of your shoulder to just before your hip, right before you draw your arm out. Focus on really forcing that water back and away from your hip, and drawing your arm up, as if you were taking a wallet out of your front pocket.

In terms of "form" for the catch, make sure your elbows are nice and high. Do the "thumb drag" drill, where you drag your thumb all the way up to your arm pit and then complete the stroke.

I prefer to enter thumb first because it encourages roll by forcing you to kind of draw a "curvy" 7 in the water...pushing slightly away from your body, then drawing back in towards the center, and finishing at your hip. Entering finger tips first, or index first, can upset that roll or stop it, and again can strain your shoulders (and fingers, ouch!).

And as always, watch your center line. Your arms should enter in front of your shoulder, not your head. Over reaching causes side to side (think dancing baby from Allie McBeal, or hoola hooping) movement from the hips up, which disturbs your roll and is a waste of energy.

Happy swimming.

****ETA: completely missed the point of the post.
The function of the catch is to essentially continue the stroke and keep momentum until your body can get into the position to really apply power. Its sort of like a rolling start really. Since you can't apply (effective) pressure there, it helps you to put your body in the best possible position to apply power.

Excellent advice here - crossing over and dropping the pull underwater too far are two of the more common ineffeciencies in many new swimmers strokes. Another tool that will give you a good idea of where you may be loosing some effeciency are paddles. They will very clearly allow you to feel when you are pulling correctly vs. not correctly. My only caution would be to not use the paddles too frequently at first as they can cause shoulder problems if used extensively when you are first trying them out. Best of luck!

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6582

Melbourne FL

Gold member

Subject: RE: Hey Swimming Gurus....

Disclaimer, I'm definitely not a guru!

Get a pair of these! I've found these to be the perfect tool in learning the essence of a "stroke", from the beginning to end. I've been borrowing a pair from a friend and within 2 uses I transformed my stroke and began to understand it all. I'm so impressed by them I'm buying a junior pair for my son. He's 8 and been on the Y swim team for 3 years now. The coach said in Jan it is time for him to progress to the next level for technique learning and training intensity, and said no problem for him to have these for Freestyle training.

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