Freestyle - Donut Catch

This drill comes from our good friend and coach, Asphalt Green's Craig Keller.

Building a great catch in freestyle takes focus.  Using simple, inexpensive tools adds a creative way to get your swimmers to focus out front.

Why Do It:
No part of swimming is more important than developing a good catch in all strokes.  Getting as much of your arm pulling you forward, as early as possible, can help you swim faster and more efficiently than you imagined.

How to Do It:
1.  At almost all pools, there are spare lane-line "donuts" lying around.  These are the little separators between the diffusers in the lane-lines.  Grab a couple and hold one in each hand.
2.  Start by swimming a few lengths with a donut in each hand.
3.  Then alternate by either length, 50, or 100s with one donut in your right hand, then in your left.
4.  Finish your set by dropping the donuts and swimming regular freestyle, but focusing on the part of your arm you were using while holding the donut.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
Whenever you hold something in your hand, there could be a tendency to allow that hand to slide UP a bit.  Make sure you're driving your hand directly forward, and getting ready to get your elbow over the top of that hand.  Also, don't take apart lane-lines to do this drill... just use the spare parts.

Also thanks to our friend Marko for swimming!