The Wave- The official blog of SwimLabs Swim School

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Compared to the other competitive strokes, swimming Freestyle seems a relatively simple task. The arms alternatively move in large circles, from forward to back, while the feet simultaneously kick up and down. The result of these movements is forward propulsion. Freestyle, also known as Front or Australian crawl, is typically the first stroke that Americans learn to swim, and probably the stroke that people most commonly associate with the sport of swimming.
While the basic idea of Freestyle is fairly simple, in reality, to swim it with any sort of speed or power requires much more than simply moving the arms in large circles and kicking the feet. To swim with balance, efficiency, and power, one must understand that the arms move not just in large circles, but in succession from one position to the next, each one calculated to bring maximum efficiency, and therefore power to the stroke.
Of these positions, arguably the most important for you to learn takes place underwater, and is known as the Catch. The Catch is a transitional position that takes place between the entry and extension of your arm into the water, and the pulling or power portion of the stroke. It is basically composed of two steps- the Hinge and the Anchor. Combined, these two steps allow for a strong foundation for the pulling phase of the stroke.
The Hinge occurs immediately after your hand enters and extends forward into the water. As your arm reaches its full extension, rotate, or hinge your arm at the elbow, until your forearm and hand are pointed straight down towards the bottom of the pool. As this occurs, it is very important to keep the elbow as far in front of your body as possible.
Once your arm has completely hinged, it should “anchor” into position in front of your body. As this happens, the job of moving the arm backwards through the water will be transferred from your Pectoral muscle of your chest to the Lats and the Deltoids of your back, which will provide for much more power as you begin to push the water backwards. Another reason for anchoring your arm and hand this way has to do with the upcoming power phase of the stroke, in which it is better to imagine pulling your body past your hand and arm, than it is to pull your hand past your body. A simple change, but one that makes all the difference as you start to push the water backwards.
By arming yourself with a catching drill progression, you can easily master this technique of “Catching the Water”. To begin, start with a Double Hinge drill. Float face down in the water, and kick just hard enough to maintain your body position. Extend both arms in front of your body, and practice the Hinge simultaneously with both. Once the Hinge is completed, return your arms to a fully extended position in front of your body, and repeat. While this drill is being preformed, do not allow your elbows to slip backwards or downwards.
Once you feel comfortable with the Double Hinge Drill, you can move on to the Single Hinge drill. It is preformed exactly as the Double Hinge drill, however, instead of moving both arms simultaneously, alternate each arm. As before, do not allow your elbow position to change during the drill.
Once you feel that you have mastered both the Double and Single Hinge drill, you can begin to incorporate this move into your Freestyle. Be aware, this will significantly change the timing and the balance of your previous stroke, resulting in an awkward feel to the move. Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to go back into the drills if you feel like you aren‘t swimming correctly. Eventually, your timing and balance will adjust to this new move, and you will be swimming faster and better than you ever have before.