
#397 : Transform Your Catch In 17 Minutes with Brenton Ford
About this episode
The freestyle catch is one of the most confusing parts of the stroke — and that's exactly why so many swimmers either avoid it or get it completely wrong. In this episode, we'll break down what the catch actually is, how to do it right, and why it's the key to real propulsion in your freestyle.
If you've been swimming for a while but not seeing much progress, this might be the missing piece. I'll share what I've learned from watching thousands of swimmers, coaching nearly 10,000 people in our freestyle clinics here in Australia, and studying what truly makes a great catch work.
By the end, you'll understand how the freestyle catch ties into your whole stroke — and how to use it to swim with more grace, speed, and efficiency the next time you hit the pool.
01:20 Parts Of The Stroke
2:00 Anchor Your Arms In The Water
02:46 Beginning Of The Catch
03:17 Fingers Below The Wrists, Wrists Below The Elbow
4:57 Catch-Slow To Fast
05:33 Initiating The Catch
7:23 Pulling Straight Back
11:43Angle At The Elbow
12:16 Rotation
12:50 Pull/ Press Phase
13:29 Power Diamond
14:37 The Exit
17:30 Recovery
18:20 Skinny "S"
Get every episode summarized
Each time The Effortless Swimming Podcast publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from The Effortless Swimming Podcast

#442 : Why Your Shoulder Hurts After Swimming with Brenton Ford
The Effortless Swimming Podcast

#441 : Deep Dive Into Freestyle Technique Mechanics with Jan Prins
The Effortless Swimming Podcast

#440 : Can Red Light Therapy Help Your Swimming? with Taryn Richardson
The Effortless Swimming Podcast

#439 : Why You're (Likely) Under-Fuelling And Under-Performing with Eliza Kelly
The Effortless Swimming Podcast