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Freestyle - Above-Speed Catch

Posted by Glenn Mills on Dec 15, 2009 10:58AM (14,009 views)

Add to Cart View Cart - Watch the best "catch" in swimming with the Kara Lynn Joyce DVD


Moving fast through the water requires a couple things: a great catch and a high-speed turnover.  Sometimes, the harder you try, the less return you get on the water.  By using tools, this becomes easier to feel.

Why Do It:
This is a hard exercise, to be done at TOP speed.  If you do it correctly, you'll get a feel for how to keep the power out front in your freestyle.

How to Do It:
1.
  You'll be alternating lengths of very easy, slow swimming, with lengths of very fast, high-intensity swimming.  To aid this, and to get you moving above race speed, or very fast, put on fins and paddles.
2. The "drill" will be done in two stages:  head up, and head lowered.
3.  Start sprinting with a high-speed turnover, with your head held out of the water.  You'll need to catch the water quickly, and let go of the water quickly.  Keep the hands out front.
4.  About half way down the pool, lower your head to a more swimming-like position, but keep the hand speed the same.  Don't let them slow down.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
As you lower your head into the water, you'll feel the release of resistance.  At this point, it's important to keep your focus on the front part of your stroke.  Continue kicking hard so your velocity stays up, and remember to "let go" of the water soon enough in the back, or you may end up losing your paddles.




Responses

Responded Dec 16, 2009 10:10PM

Cool drill indeed - funny he lost one of paddle at near end

Responded Dec 17, 2009 04:10PM

At least during this time of the year I am not going to get into any argument here...but I really don't understand this drill and its purpose...even for sprinters, let alone mid-distance swimmers!!!

Responded Dec 17, 2009 04:17PM

To me (and I haven't tried this yet), it looks like the drill would teach you to engage early and to put your power in the first 1/4 to 1/3 of the pull. Many swimmers wait until after the first 1/4 or 1/3 of the pull to REALLY engage, and this represents wasted opportunity on each pull. Btw, nice work, Kyle.

Responded Dec 17, 2009 04:28PM

Hey Barbara!!!.....isn't it true that in the first 1/4 of the pull you shouldn't apply power? or is this a misunderstanding between power and engagement???

Responded Dec 17, 2009 05:53PM

In sprinting, there is NO dead space. Grab immediately, and get the connection right away. I can't stress enough that for sprinting, especially for younger swimmers... teach them to catch immediately. This is an incredibly tough drill, and unless you can do it at high speed, it's not going to do much for you.

Responded Dec 17, 2009 07:43PM

LOL, if you don't exit the hand in time the water will steal your paddles. And if you don't engage the catch in time your face unsurfaces.

I've got to get some paddles and flippers to try it out. I however practice head-up 25's without gadgets, makes me feel like I worked hard enough.

Has anyone employed a dolphin kick with the head-up portion of the drill yet? It's a little easier but replaces some of the vivacity with rhythm. One drawback though is you have to hold your breath because your face dips in every stroke.

Responded Dec 18, 2009 06:57AM

i tried that drill yesterday and it i great but very tiring

Responded Dec 18, 2009 08:08PM

Hey Glenn...that is a very nice way to describe sprinting...NO DEAD SPACE!!!

Responded May 08, 2010 05:13PM

Hello - I have a question. Can't find a drill vid that answers it and since I am a self-taught swimmer - here I am - wondering about the following:

Speed of recovery (out of water) in freestyle.

Assuming my under-water technique is good enough for now, and bearing in mind the desired quick arm speed in backstroke (which I do a lot of - since fly is, tragically, off ze menu due to snapping hip) - I figured that a quick freestyle recovery was lacking - and - can say that things get interesting when I do this, quite high and all.

What are your thoughts on arm speed in recovery, please y'all?

Responded May 08, 2010 05:21PM

Let me add about the "sensations" a fast recovery has given thus far: let's say that a fast arm feels altogether lighter (of course) and like a missile, thus giving whole entry into water a (she writes optimistically and imaginatively) great boost of kinetic energy which moves me forward - thus my focus is now not so exclusively on reducing drag and a good catch in pull phase.

Hmm....


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