The Freestyle Catch: What it is & Why it Matters for Swimming Speed
What is this episode about?
INTRO 0-3:10
Liz and Amy discuss seasons and the torture that is Spring (according to Liz!).
What is the Catch and Why does it Matter?
The catch is the part of the arm stroke that sets your arm up in a position to "catch the water". Catching the water is key to getting forward movement with your pull. The catch is a small movement but important. It's a movement from the elbow, not the shoulder like most of our movements for swimming.
The catch is a refined movement and is a skill Liz teaches once an athlete has reached a certain level of comfort in the water and is comfortable with freestyle basics. It's a very important part of developing an effective freestyle but not a skill that should be rushed.
For a visual of the catch and the high elbow see the ~3 minute video below.