Ok, I know this a dumb question, but well anyway…What is “The Catch”. I am sure it has something to do with you extended arm and the water, but be more specific. Does it matter how I hold my hand? Should it be cupped, flat or what? What is meant by early entry of the extending arm? What is early release…is it when you get out of the drafting penalty box early?
i call the catch what i feel when i first feel the pressure of the water against my palm (slightly curved, fingers slightly apart). i enter my hand w/ my ring finger being the first thing into the water and think that this works for me to “set up” my catch. i think previous posters have referred to over extension on their push through, and my only suggestion there is to make sure that your palm never goes past vertical when it’s by your hip, i.e. don’t extend your wrist/hand to a horizontal position on the push through. hope this helps
wdrhoads
The catch refers to what your hand does when entering the water and when you start pulling back with that arm. It can be done with a cupped and or without. Fingers together or apart. It doesn’t really matter. What you’ll want to focus on is using your stroke to propel you forward and not up or down or to stabilize you left to right. Some people think of it as using the whole surface from your fingertips to your elbow as a paddle. Others think of it as swimming with high elbows, or like swimming over a barrel. A proper catch feels like you’ve anchored your arm in the water and you’re pushing your body past it (as opposed to your arm slipping through the water).
Don’t mean to hijack your thread, it’s all stoke related 
I have a question for Doug Stern about the other end of the stroke - or the end of the pull (push?)
Catch, pull then at the end of the stroke when should the hand (arm) exit the water. I was pulling to my hip in line with my speedo, hand out and start recovery. A swim coach recently had me extending to more of a push from about bottom of ribs extending arm so that is is straight - with hand still at 90 degrees to the arm or finger facing the bottom of the pool. Then start recovery.
So my question is how long should the stroke be? Full arm extension to straight or recover from hip area instead of upper thigh.
Thanks.
Here is the most basic answer. The “catch” is the point where your hand stops slipping through the water and you are able to apply force to your hand and convert it into forward motion.
Fast swimmers “catch” very early in the stroke, almost as soon as the hand enters the water and well above the head. When a fast swimmer catches - their hand basically stops moving and the body passes over it. Slow swimmers never really “catch” at all or if they do, it is very late in the stroke. They swim like Fred Flintstone runs - that is way they can’t go fast.
“Release” refers to the point in the stroke where the swimmer stops “catching” and transistions into recovery. Again, fast swimmers do this consciously at some point down by the hips. There is debate over exactly how far back is optimum but worriying about that unless you are really fast is putting the cart before the horse. Slow swimmers “release” somewhere under there belly, about 4 to 6 inches after their “catch” hence their inability to go fast. Contrast this with the “effective” stroke length for fast swimmer which is a couple of feet long.
The term arises from the fact that it was discovered, - by Doc Councilman, - coach of Indiana University.
After extensive underwater analysis of elite swimmers, it was discovered that rather than pull through the water, - the hand and arm enters the water and the swimmer’s hand actually grabs a hold of the water and stays relatively in the same place and their body passes over their hand. (Of course, - some slippage occurs). Films of swimmers verified that their hand entered the water at a certain point and held onto the water, catching it, as though one were climbing a wall horizontally. (BTW: these films also showed that swimmers press straight down with their hand as part of the initial hand entry/catch).
This is why, given an account for the increase in resistance, faster pools are ones that are dirtier with thicker water: (Taking into account gutters, waves and drainage). One can acquire a better “catch” with less slipping. (In college, our womens swim team had a pool that was cleaned with bromine gas instead of chlorine. We used to hate it because the water was thinner, cleaner, and we therefore swam slower).
yes, - closing your fingers, with a flat hand, (more surface area than a cupped hand), helps give you a firmer grip allowing for less slippage. Also, - it’s important to stay with the “catch” for the longest amount of time. Catch it early, and hang with it…
hand …stays relatively in the same place and their body passes over their hand.
The great sprinter Alexander Popov’s hand actually exits the water in front of where it enters. Amazing. An extreme example of catch and forward momentum.
Go to http://www.martygaal.com/. Marty is a fellow Slowtwitcher and coach, and his site contains an article on the swim stroke (including catch) that is both illustrative and easy to understand. It made a real difference in my swim stroke.
litherland
yes, - closing your fingers, with a flat hand, (more surface area than a cupped hand), helps give you a firmer grip allowing for less slippage. Also, - it’s important to stay with the “catch” for the longest amount of time. Catch it early, and hang with it…
That is a great explanation. Thanks I really enjoyed reading that. Now if I can absorb it and apply it.
Here is the most basic answer. The “catch” is the point where your hand stops slipping through the water and you are able to apply force to your hand and convert it into forward motion.
Fast swimmers “catch” very early in the stroke, almost as soon as the hand enters the water and well above the head. When a fast swimmer catches - their hand basically stops moving and the body passes over it. Slow swimmers never really “catch” at all or if they do, it is very late in the stroke. They swim like Fred Flintstone runs - that is way they can’t go fast.
“Release” refers to the point in the stroke where the swimmer stops “catching” and transistions into recovery. Again, fast swimmers do this consciously at some point down by the hips. There is debate over exactly how far back is optimum but worriying about that unless you are really fast is putting the cart before the horse. Slow swimmers “release” somewhere under there belly, about 4 to 6 inches after their “catch” hence their inability to go fast. Contrast this with the “effective” stroke length for fast swimmer which is a couple of feet long.
Have you ever saw plts of applied force in front crawl swimming? Maglischo’s book have some real good ones from several different fast swimmers. Take a look at those and then come back.
yes, - closing your fingers, with a flat hand, (more surface area than a cupped hand), helps give you a firmer grip allowing for less slippage.
Actually, this depends on the point in your stroke and some other factors, but in most cases you would benefit from slightly splayed fingers. Hydrodynamics, vortices, etc. Not that interesting, but considering all the chatter about dimples on Zipps, I’m surprised this doesn’t come up more.
I won’t have time to pull the book down off the shelf tonight (in-laws coming in town) so what’s your point?
Andy G,
What makes you think I read this stuff?
Your description of your stroke seems right. Your arm should exit the water just before full extension. Your hand is facing back not up and your elbow leads the recovery.
To all those finger together people - as you move faster through the water your fingers should be slightly apart. The fast moving water will not get through thus effectively enlarging your hand. If you watch underwater videos of super swimmers you will see their fingers slightly apart. This does not work as slow speeds.
DougStern
I wasn’t trying to be a smartass. Just that after you see that, maybe your views on how fast swimmers swim will change.
Campyguy71,
One of my beginner swimmers came up with a cool drill. We were working on the catch of the stroke. I had asked my beginners to flex their wrists and look for their hands before they began the stroke. Will Sanchez started kicking down the length of the pool with his arms extended. He flexed both his wrists three times and then took a stroke with his right hand leading fingers down elbow moving forward and then fingers to forearm back. He recovered his arm and did the same on the other side. He did the same with flexing his wrists twice then once. He developed a credible catch to the front of his stroke.
I used the “Will” drill with my more advanced swimmers with great success.
DougStern
Doug,
Can you please elaborate on how you think flexing your wrist helps to achieve a high elbow position? As a rule i don’t like my swimmers to flex their wrists, it makes them do the catch earlier and not achieve a high enough elbow.
Smartasscoach,
Way back in the 70s we used to think of putting our hand into a whole in the water. It went fingers, wrists, forearms and then elbows.
Many swimmers press straight down when they initiate the catch (pull). This action is wasted motion and is not propulsive. It creates a tremendous stress on the shoulders. Think finger tips down - elbow forward. Flexing your wrist helps you lock onto the water as you initiate your hip rotation. You are now into your stroke while keeping your shoulder high in the water.
DougStern
To everyone, thanks. This has been helpful. I am injured, no run and little bike. So this means I start swimming more.
I loved the visual of “Pushing my body over my hands” I will try it next pool time.
I will also stop cupping my hand so much.
Yes, I know all that… what I feel is that if i allow the wrist to flex, then the catch will be initiated sooner, and that is not good. it’s a question of giving the right or the wrong mental cue for the right movement pattern. I feel that allowing the wriste to flex gives the wrong mental cue.