Catch-Up Drill

The Catch-Up Drill is a swimming drill you do in a pool. It trains you to keep one arm stretched forward while the other arm completes its stroke and "catches up" to it. This builds patience in your stroke, a longer body position, and strength through your lats (the large muscles along your back), shoulders, and core.

Start in the water on your stomach with your face down and your eyes looking at the bottom of the pool. Extend both arms straight out in front of your shoulders so your body forms a long line. Keep your hands just below the surface and your fingertips pointing forward.

Begin a freestyle stroke with one arm. Keep the other arm still and fully reached forward. Do not move the waiting arm until the stroking arm finishes its pull, leaves the water, swings forward, and enters the water next to the waiting arm. When both hands meet or pass each other out front, the waiting arm can begin its stroke. Repeat, switching sides each time. Reach long on every entry, and enter the water fingertips first without letting your hand cross the centerline of your body.

Breathe by turning your head to the side as the stroking arm swings forward, then bring your face back down before the next pull. Keep your belly and lower back braced so your hips stay near the surface. To make it easier, keep a steady light kick. To make it harder, slow the stroke way down and keep your legs still so your core has to do more work.

Fault: The waiting arm starts pulling before the stroking arm has caught up. Fix: Hold the lead arm straight and still until the recovering hand enters the water next to it; count "one-thousand-one" if that helps.

Fault: The entering hand crosses the centerline in front of your head. Fix: Aim your fingertips toward the same shoulder on the entry side and keep your hand in line with that shoulder, not past your nose.

Fault: The body sinks or the hips drop. Fix: Brace your core as if you are about to be tapped in the stomach, keep your head in a neutral position, and maintain a small flutter kick.