Swimming · Freestyle

Freestyle high-elbow catch

Front sculling, single-arm and full-stroke lengths that teach the forearm to hold the water with the elbow above the hand.

Start / 5

Setup

A lifeguard or qualified teacher on deck; three or four swimmers per lane, grouped by speed.
Circle swim: out on one side of the lane, back on the other, about 5 seconds between swimmers.
Show the catch on deck first: arm forward, then bend at the elbow so the hand and forearm point at the pool floor while the elbow stays near the surface.

2 × 25 m: front scull to halfway with a pull buoy, arms forward and fingertips down, then swim easy freestyle to the wall.
4 × 25 m single-arm freestyle, the other arm long in front. Swap arms each length. Fins are fine here.
4 × 25 m catch-up freestyle with a short pause at the catch: the hand and forearm point down before the pull starts.
4 × 25 m full stroke, counting strokes per length. Rest 20 seconds and try to hold or lower the count without slowing down.

Reach long first, then tip the fingertips down; the elbow bends but stays higher than the hand.
Think of reaching over a barrel: the whole forearm, not just the hand, presses the water back.
Press back towards the feet, not down towards the floor.
Keep the catch relaxed and steady; a slow, strong catch beats a fast slip.
Stop and tell the coach about any shoulder pain; don't swim through it.

Say it: “Fingertips down, elbow up, press back.”

Add a 25 m of fist swimming (hands closed) before the full-stroke lengths, so the forearm has to do the work.
Hold the lower stroke count at a faster pace for 4 × 50 m.

Practise the catch standing in chest-deep water, bent forward with the face in, one arm at a time.
Keep fins on for every length so the swimmer can slow the arm down.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.