It’s common knowledge that executing a great catch is key for...
Andrew Sheaff@AndrewKSheaff
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Dec 25, 2025
1
It’s common knowledge that executing a great catch is key for holding water and fast swimming but understanding how to make it happen is not common knowledge.
Here’s how to do it.
Here’s how to do it.
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The lower arm, the forearm and the hand, need to move from a forward facing position to a backward facing position.
The upper arm, above the elbow, doesn’t move much at all.
Swimmers just need to bend the elbow and rotate the hand down.
The upper arm, above the elbow, doesn’t move much at all.
Swimmers just need to bend the elbow and rotate the hand down.
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If you watch this swimmer, you can see how there is a lot of movement in the lower arm but very little in the upper arm.
It’s only when the lower arm is in position that she brings the upper arm back to power the stroke.
It’s only when the lower arm is in position that she brings the upper arm back to power the stroke.
4
While this is a freestyle video, the same concept applies to every stroke.
Set it up and then let it rip.
Set it up and then let it rip.
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Long-term development is a step-by-step process.
It only works if those steps are coordinated.
Too often, they’re not.
As a result, swimmers never develop the skills they need to swim fast.
It only works if those steps are coordinated.
Too often, they’re not.
As a result, swimmers never develop the skills they need to swim fast.