The freestyle catch is one of the most confusing parts of the stroke — and that’s exactly why so many swimmers either avoid it or get it completely wrong. In this episode, we’ll break down what the catch actually is, how to do it right, and why it’s the key to real propulsion in your freestyle.
If you’ve been swimming for a while but not seeing much progress, this might be the missing piece. I’ll share what I’ve learned from watching thousands of swimmers, coaching nearly 10,000 people in our freestyle clinics here in Australia, and studying what truly makes a great catch work.
By the end, you’ll understand how the freestyle catch ties into your whole stroke — and how to use it to swim with more grace, speed, and efficiency the next time you hit the pool.
01:20 Parts Of The Stroke
2:00 Anchor Your Arms In The Water
02:46 Beginning Of The Catch
03:17 Fingers Below The Wrists, Wrists Below The Elbow
4:57 Catch-Slow To Fast
05:33 Initiating The Catch
7:23 Pulling Straight Back
11:43Angle At The Elbow
12:16 Rotation
12:50 Pull/ Press Phase
13:29 Power Diamond
14:37 The Exit
17:30 Recovery
18:20 Skinny “S”
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Grab the freestyle checklist here:
https://effortlessswimming.com/freestyle-checklist/
Work with us (stroke analysis coaching):
https://effortlessswimming.com/training-and-membership-plans/*
Join a camp:
https://effortlessswimming.com/camps
5-Day Catch Challenge ➡ https://members.effortlessswimming.co…
The easiest way to improve your catch and shave 5 seconds off your 100m free.
Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIWDNw9-sFk
