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Swim drills for better Catching.

KkauferKkaufer
in General Training Discussions

Thanks to NJ AG seminar, I now know that the problem with my swim is not my body position as I thought, but my CATCH (or lack thereof).  I've started scouring the internet, but was wondering if there are any specific drills anyone can recommend for improving the catch? thank you!

Comments

  • CarlCarl
    That was sooooo meimage. You will love it when corrected cause it just makes swimming sooo much easierimage
  • russGrussG
    Hi Kate,

    I definitely do.
    I like this description: http://www.swimsmooth.com/catch.html
    For drills - doggy paddle (yes, doggie paddle) and one-arm drills aka the unco (because the until you get comfortable with the drill you feel so uncoordinated when doing it) best done with fins.
    http://www.swimsmooth.com/unco-drill.html
    Dog paddle is self explanatory... but I'll let you know if I find a good drill video on it.

    I like the Swim Smooth Catch DVD.

    r
  • Michael JohnsonMichael Johnson
    Fist Drill. Swim with hands into a fist. Then open hands and you will feel the difference. I think it's the best swimming drill there is
  • cgres123cgres123
    Check your in box for Nigel email he sent to all of us an awesome PDF with everything you need.
  • russGrussG
    Checked... can he send to me?  Interested!
  • KkauferKkaufer

    Russell - here's the document Nigel sent the folks who attended the NJ age group seminar.  I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but plan on doing so real soon!

    Thanks Nigel!

  • KkauferKkaufer

    second try w/ attachment...

  • russGrussG

    Hmmm - great try but no boom yet...  not seeing it here ... you can try sending it to russ (dot) green (at) gmail ... or try to figure out how to post atts... 

  • Brenda RossBrenda Ross
    Not only do I need to work on my catch, but I need to work on my legs being higher in the water. i found this video that does a great job of explaining how to do it. Although I am not sure why the guy on the video is wearing those weird hats etc.... he does doe a great job of giving the reasons why our legs drop and what to do about it. I was saying the other day that my back often hurts when I swim in my wetsuit. I now know why - my legs are up at the surface when I wear my wetsuit and my back muscles are engaged. I am going to work on getting them up with the drill that he has given and see if I can make it happen in the pool. I think my catch is improving with the drills that Coach P gave me at my client 3 weeks ago.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_483019&feature=iv&src_vid=F2n_AceCr-c&v=oW5nE5FBPsQ
  • nigelfranklynnigelfranklyn
    @ Russell - the information is the "overglidders" swim correction pamphlet from swimsmooth.You may already have the information. If you don't have it shoot me a note nigelsfranklyn@gmail.com and I will forward it to you. Would you recommend the catch master dvd???
  • russGrussG
    Hi Nigel,



    I do have the OverGliders pamphlet, and I have the DVD, and I find the DVD to be very helpful.

    I refer to it regularly



    When I wrote SwimSmooth to say that the pamphlet wasn't that useful to me, they refunded my money.

    One of their coaches, Adam Young, reached out to me soon thereafter, and I decided to buy the DVD.



    Three points -

    1. It's very helpful to see people doing the drills

    2. It's great to see examples of people with very different but excellent strokes swimming at 1m/100 like it's easy to do that; every time I watch the footage of their expert swimmers, I go back to the pool excited to try something new or a little differently.

    3. Love that Aussie accent.



    This will give you a sense of what to expect - but the DVD is much better than the youtube footage.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8SEJpvZSOY

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HhNlysFDs



    Best!

    Russ


  • Satish PunnaSatish Punna
    I just started working with a swim coach and she identified my catch as a problem area for me to work on. We are doing sculling drills- dog paddle and arms straight with hands out in front to work on the catch. Also one arm swim with the non pulling arm by the side (not in front).
  • Brenda RossBrenda Ross
    Satisha - videos please. I am visual.
  • KkauferKkaufer

    Thanks for the replies, peeps!  I swam this AM, and I think the most important thing for me is to be aware that I need to catch.  Of course, I started being so focused on catching that I forgot to breathe -- and thus almost ended my triathlon career half-way down the pool...  Note to self: don't forget to breathe while remembering to not forget the catch...

    @ Satish - B. took the words right out of my mouth.  Do you have any videos of your drill you can share? 

  • Satish PunnaSatish Punna

    @B and K.  Sorry I don't have any videos.  I will look on youtube to see if there is something similar when I get a moment,

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    I think using paddles pretty good way to get feedback on your catch, at least with respect to what your hand is doing. Basically it forcibly gives you feedback on what your hand is doing once it enters the water.The fist drill is great too for how you're pulling with your forearm.
  • Peter WickPeter Wick
    I don't have any advice to give you but I will say this. Well, before I say that, I will preface it with the admission that if there's anything wrong with the way a person can swim I am certain to have been doing it (or still am). This morning I went to the pool and did the GF workout and tried to pay attention to one specific thing from one of those video links. It was the one about trying to extend your reach and ending up slowing yourself down because you're dropping the wrist joint (and lifting the fingers & palm to create a snow plow effect). I paid close attention to that one thing during the warm up and then started timing myself on the intervals.

    Sure enough, I was doing that all over the place. I wound up taking off a couple of strokes per 25 yards (on average) and was regularly doing them in 18-19 seconds instead of 20-22 when I fixed it.
  • DanJacqueminDanJacquemin
    If you're looking for a good resource to help with the catch, but missed the clinic, this book is pretty nice:



    Swim Speed Secrets for Swimmers and Triathletes: Master the Freestyle Technique Used by the World's Fastest Swimmers

    -- Sheila Taormina

    -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934030880/



    She is all about the catch! I recommend it to all my swimmers.
  • oscar_poscar_p
    @Dan - thanks for this. Read the book, attempted the high elbow and wow can I feel the difference! I've a long way to go in perfecting the technique but it's a breakthrough in my swim. I keep on going back to the Shelia videos (the tubing one) on YouTube to check what I should be doing.
  • susanosusano

    @Brenda and the rest of the visual people:

    Sculling drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC7T...mp;index=6

    One arm freestyle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80-7...mp;index=3

    I would say that I scull closer to the surface than the video shows, but it gives you an idea.  I would say these work more on feel and roll than catch, but those are the big 3 in swimming (in my humble opinion): feel, roll, and catch.

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