I've never seen (underwater video) a catch-up stroke used in freestyle in any meet. I've seen more of a mirror stroke pattern than catch-up. I've been told that during the 800 meter free, Ian Thorpe used a modified catch up but when I look at frame by frame I don't see it. I'm confused when I look at the webstie below that tells me that the catch-up stroke is the way freestyle should be done. Tell me what you think. Coach T.
windnseaswim.com/catchup2.html
Former Member
This may or may not be an underwater video of the catch up stroke??? It sure looks close to a catch up stroke but we can throw around any name you wish. It could be labled wrong but who am I to say. www.youtube.com/watch
A 6-beat freestyle kick would absolutely destroy my freestyle stroke. I have always used a 2-beat kick because it allows me to swim with a better front quadrant swim stroke and rhythm. Most of my freestyle swimming is done from my upper body with great rotation. My kick just balances my body in the water.
Backstroke is different; I need a 6-beat kick.
That's right George.
Thorpe is one of the few swimmers where both arms can be seen forward of his shoulder and underwater at the same time.
Unlike most FQ swimmers who have one arm wet and one arm dry...Thorpe comes very close to having a near catch-up stroke ...but not quite.
www.youtube.com/watch
This is a great clip of Front Quadrant swimming.
www.youtube.com/watch
This is a great clip of Front Quadrant swimming.
www.youtube.com/watch
We should note that this clip is mislabeled. That's actually Larsen Jensen, not Grant Hackett.
Thorpe is very close, it also depends which hand you watch, but he is swimming front quadrant with both arms for sure. I think we sometimes miss name front quadrant by calling it catch up crawl???
That's right George.
Thorpe is one of the few swimmers where both arms can be seen forward of his shoulder and underwater at the same time.
Unlike most FQ swimmers who have one arm wet and one arm dry...Thorpe comes very close to having a near catch-up stroke ...but not quite.
www.youtube.com/watch
This is a great clip of Front Quadrant swimming.
www.youtube.com/watch
We should note that this clip is mislabeled. That's actually Larsen Jensen, not Grant Hackett.
That's right Kirk...it is Larsen shown during the 1500 (in the clip referenced to FQ style).
The ones that George & I posted of Grant however, is indeed him.
I've never seen (underwater video) a catch-up stroke used in freestyle in any meet. I've seen more of a mirror stroke pattern than catch-up. I've been told that during the 800 meter free, Ian Thorpe used a modified catch up but when I look at frame by frame I don't see it. I'm confused when I look at the webstie below that tells me that the catch-up stroke is the way freestyle should be done. Tell me what you think. Coach T.
windnseaswim.com/catchup2.html
In my humble opinion...no one swims a true catch up style.
The intention is to keep the lead hand out in front...for as long as possible...while waiting for the stroking arm to get into the FQ zone.
A misconception is that the catch up is taking place under water.
In reality the "wet arm" begins pulling as soon as the "dry arm" has made it past the shoulder.
It is not at all like the handing off of a baton...in which both arms are out front playing tag with each other. (Even though this is the way we do catch-up drills.)
I tell all my kids that the lead arm is a body line extender.
By keeping the lead arm momentarily extended up front...drag gets reduced...and they will take less strokes per lap. It works.
Grant Hackett has exactly this type of rhythm to his freestyle...
Watch his dry arm get into the range of his shoulder...and only then does his wet arm begin pulling back.
www.youtube.com/watch
