Swim Tip

Presented by Nick Baker, Camp Director
Nike Peak Performance Summer Swim Camp in June Chicago, IL

Peak Performance Swim Camp: Freestyle Catch

ARE YOU A QUICK-CATCHER? A freestyle stroke is much more than that. It is a process consisting of four key phases including the entry, the catch, the finish, and the recovery. When one phase ends, the next phase quickly begins. After the arm enters the water and fully extends, it must transition quickly into a high elbow catch. A simple way to master the catch involves flexing and pointing the elbow upward while the upper arm remains near the surface. If performed correctly, you should be able to see the palm of your hand moving towards your shoulder and beyond. Catching early starts to propel your body early and catching late does the exact opposite. Unfortunately, very few swimmers are "quick-catchers", preferring to let their arm sink well below their body before setting up a half-hearted catch.

Learn more from Coach Baker at one of his Peak Performance Swim Camps, located at various locations across the United States and abroad. Teaching, not training, is the first step to swimming excellence. Coach Baker and his PEAK coaches are experts at teaching competitive swimming skills. They simplify the material, create an appetite for learning, and boost swimming performance. Give your child the essential skills they need to compete.

About Peak Performance Swim Camp

Unlike swim camps that only operate in the summer, Peak Performance Swim Camp is a year-round camp operation; offering camps and clinics in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Our portfolio of USA camps and clinics include 12 different coast-to-coast locations, individually distinctive, but each sharing the same holistic training philosophy.