How do you know you have a good catch?

[TIJoe]

Now we know all the theory about having a good catch -- high elbow, pulling over a barrel, early vertical forearm etc. However, when you are swimming, you might be thinkg of high elbow, EVF, but reality might be quite the opposite. So when you are swimming, what kind of feedback, if any, would tell you with some certainty that you just have had a good catch?

[KatieK]

Originally Posted by TIJoe

Now we know all the theory about having a good catch -- high elbow, pulling over a barrel, early vertical forearm etc. However, when you are swimming, you might be thinkg of high elbow, EVF, but reality might be quite the opposite. So when you are swimming, what kind of feedback, if any, would tell you with some certainty that you just have had a good catch?

Underwater video is extremely helpful for that.

[TIJoe]

Originally Posted by KatieK

Underwater video is extremely helpful for that.

Unfortunately, where I swim, no photos let alone underwater video. But in any case, what I was asking for is any kind of sensory feedback so I can judge whether I have a good catch while I am swimming.

For example, when you are rowing, you would sense whether you have a good "catch" from the feedback of the pressure of the oar. I think there should be something similar in swimming, but apparently, hand/arm pressure alone may not be the accurate feedback -- you might be pressing downwards which will create a lot of pressure on your hand/arm but it is not a good catch.

[Donal F]

This doesn't answer your question, but sometimes I close my fists for the first few pulls of each length to make sure I'm catching with the whole arm. I practiced with fistgloves until they fell apart, but now I find my stroke is balanced enough that I can fistswim without them.

[CoachBobM]

I would recommend swimming with fistgloves, forcing yourself to rely on your forearm for your catch. If you're not "reaching over the barrel" properly, you're likely to become very aware of this when you deprive yourself of the use of your hands.


Bob

[TIJoe]

Thanks Donal and Coach Bob. I agree, swimming with closed fist should give a much better feel whether one has a good catch.

[Alex-SG]

How do you know if you have the right catch?

TRY THIS...

1. UNDERSWITCH = SPEAR SWITCH DRILL with closed fists (12x25m)
2. UNDERSWITCH = SPEAR SWITCH DRILL (2x25m)
3. DRILL (25m) + FREESTYLE (25m), ......

When you condition your body with the Underswitch Drill you condition it to have the right catch.

As somebody put in an earlier thread: "You will feel as if you have some PIE-Plates on your hands. You feel you are trapping water and feel the pressure".

By the way, I have the feeling that a good propulsive catch is not just the good arm position.... It is also how the Catch Arm pulls/pushes, relative to the body position (ie. good timing/connection between the body rotation and the pulling arm).

ALEX

[TomH]

Originally Posted by Alex-SG

How do you know if you have the right catch?

By the way, I have the feeling that a good propulsive catch is not just the good arm position.... It is also how the Catch Arm pulls/pushes, relative to the body position (ie. good timing/connection between the body rotation and the pulling arm).

ALEX

I agree 100%. Also I just learned recently that proper kick timing (at least if you use a 2bk) has a big influence on how solid the catch feels.