7.2. What does it mean to “catch the water”?

A common mistake I see in swimmers who learned to swim as adults is letting the entire arm and hand fall from the shoulder all the way down with zero catch or pull force during the first half of the stroke. This free fall of the arm toward the bottom causes a missed catch at the start of the stroke.

So what does it actually mean?

Catching the water means having your hand in the correct position from the very first centimeter of the stroke — at the right depth, correctly angled, with a firm palm and no bubbles — and beginning the pull with proper alignment, whether at the surface or slightly below. Imagine trying to grab a rope at the surface of the water to pull yourself forward — that’s what a good catch should feel like.

If, on the other hand, your hand just slips through the water without anchoring until midway through the pull, you’re missing the part of the stroke that gives you something solid to push against — and your hand ends up sliding through the water instead of driving you forward.

To improve your catch, try these 3 things:

• Be careful not to let your hand drop down before you’ve finished inhaling.

Every time your fingers enter the water, let your hand glide forward and then anchor about 10 cm below the surface — as if you’re trying to touch the far wall under water with your fingertips. From that anchored position, begin the pull phase with pressure instead of a drop.

• Include sculling drills in your swim training.

Practice this using a snorkel and pull buoy — no kicking, just focused paddling with your palms.

• Try swimming lengths using the fewest number of strokes possible.

Swim a whole length using one arm only. Count your strokes and focus on engaging from the very beginning of the pull all the way to the end — don’t shorten it.

Don’t let your arm drop. Instead, initiate your stroke from the surface or just below, apply consistent pressure throughout the pull all the way to your thigh, and maintain complete control over your hand and fingers. Aim for zero sudden changes in direction, angle, or tempo.