End of Controversy - No catch-up or straight arm catch
Former Member
I know everyone has been watching the Olympics and if anyone sees someone (in any stroke and at any distance) not showing an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) stroke please point it out to me. In the men’s 400 Fr Relay, Lezak’s better EVF stroke helped him touch the wall before Bernard who dropped his elbows in the last few strokes. These Olympic Games should put to rest the controversy of the catch-up stroke (never once performed by any freestyler in these Olympics). So what you see someone do in a drill (catch-up) is not done in competitive swims when it counts!! The high elbow at the front quadrant of every stroke is so pronounced that every lay-on-a-straight-arm proponent has to become a convert (I know it’s not ever going to happen). I’m anxious to hear the rationalizations and support from the opposition. If you’re watching with your eyes open, there’s no catch-up and no straight-arm catch - PERIOD!!!
If you want to make significant gains in your swimming focus on improving your Early Vertical Forearm technique. Improving your EVF should take about 6 to 8 weeks and when that becomes better you should focus on improving a good streamlined position by spending as much time as possible on your side while making sure that your catch begins early. Of course athleticism goes hand in hand with improvement. But you get my drift. Nuff-said.
Parents
Former Member
I suppose it's because we have different definitions of a catch up stroke. My definition is that the arms aren't 100% diametrically opposed. In other words, one arm catches up to the other since they are not 100% symmetrical. So the hands don't have to touch one another (as they do in drills) to qualify as a catch up stroke.
Here's what I'm talking about: www.youtube.com/watch
Check out the attached picture - Phelps' arms are not at opposite ends of the cycle. His right hand is catching up to his left. That's why I called it a catch up stroke.
This video counters your point or supports mine. When one arm is pulling the other isn't. Phelps does not use a catch up stroke even in this video. I have seen Phelps perform a catch-up stroke swim in a drill series.
www.trinewbies.com/.../tno_swimarticle_14.asp
A definition I found on About.com
Catch-up: to isolate one arm, to practice a long stroke and a long body position. Swum like regular freestyle, except one arm is stationary, always extended When the working arm moves forward and "catches-up" with the stationary arm, they change places.
I suppose it's because we have different definitions of a catch up stroke. My definition is that the arms aren't 100% diametrically opposed. In other words, one arm catches up to the other since they are not 100% symmetrical. So the hands don't have to touch one another (as they do in drills) to qualify as a catch up stroke.
Here's what I'm talking about: www.youtube.com/watch
Check out the attached picture - Phelps' arms are not at opposite ends of the cycle. His right hand is catching up to his left. That's why I called it a catch up stroke.
This video counters your point or supports mine. When one arm is pulling the other isn't. Phelps does not use a catch up stroke even in this video. I have seen Phelps perform a catch-up stroke swim in a drill series.
www.trinewbies.com/.../tno_swimarticle_14.asp
A definition I found on About.com
Catch-up: to isolate one arm, to practice a long stroke and a long body position. Swum like regular freestyle, except one arm is stationary, always extended When the working arm moves forward and "catches-up" with the stationary arm, they change places.
