The final step in this short progression adds the use of med ball to overload the pressure of the catch.

The goal is to apply force in an UPWARD direction, making the swimmer apply constant force to hold the head out of the water, and then slowly drop into the proper position, lose the resistance, and maintain the stroke rate and pull pattern.

1 - Have the swimmer hold the med ball between her knees, squeezing so the ball won't fall out.
2 - The swimmer should keep the entire head, including the chin out of the water.
3 - To accomplish this, the swimmer will need to have the hands enter in a catch position, pushing the head and torso UP.  (You may notice the elbow dropping half-way through the pull, this is caused by the UPWARD press.  Remember to focus on the front, and don't worry about the drop).
4 - When the swimmer gets about half-way, she starts to lower the head and torso into the water, and into a proper line.
5 - When the swimmer gets into the proper swimming line, she releases the med-ball and starts to kick.
6 - Trying to maintain the same arm tempo and patter, the swimmer then sprints to the end of the pool.

This quick progression, all steps, can be done in one session with a more advanced swimmer, but each step can also be spaced out over time for a developing athlete.

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Step 5 - Building a Better Catch