April 2023,  COACH,  EXTRA,  Top Tips,  Training and Technique

Front crawl tips: don’t get caught out by the catch

There is a lot to work on before you start thinking about the underwater phase of front crawl, says Jonathan Cowie.

The ‘catch’ is the least instinctive part of front crawl, but one that many swimmers obsess over without having a full understanding of what it is and how it fits into the mechanics of their stroke.

To see all the online content from the April 2023 issue of Outdoor Swimmer, visit the 'Underwater' page.
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Jonathan is a year-round skins swimmer with a particular love of very cold water. He has competed in ice swimming competitions around the world. He is a qualified open water coach with a particular love of introducing new swimmers to the open water.