Tip of the Week: Improving your Freestyle Catch

March 8 , 2010

Want a simple way to tell if you are getting the most out of your freestyle catch?  Watch what your hands are doing.  When you are pushing forward, the pitch of and motion of the hand should arch slightly down.  The reason is that a slight arch eliminates any bubbles beneath the hand when you start pulling.  In contrast, pushing straight forward creates bubbles above and below the hand.

A pull through bubbly water will be less powerful than a pull through clear water, as the liquid isn’t as solid.  Obviously, it would be best to eliminate the bubbles altogether.  But this is not realistic for most people (including myself).  The trick is not to avoid bubbles, but to make sure they are above the hand where they don’t affect your pull. See the diagram below

View previous swimming tips.