Elbow Over Fingers
Builds an early, bent-elbow catch: the elbow stays high while the hand and forearm tip down to press water back, first standing, then swimming.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 9, Swimming – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Skills
- Front Crawl Arms, Stroke Efficiency
- Equipment
- None, Pull Buoy
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 7 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Standing practice in water where everyone can stand comfortably; give each swimmer space so arms don't collide.
What it develops
- Front crawl: rotation, early catch and bilateral breathing
- Front crawl technique held over longer distances
How to run it
- Standing chest-deep, lean forward with one arm stretched in front just under the surface.
- Keeping the elbow near the surface, tip the fingers and forearm down so they face the back wall like a paddle.
- Press the water back towards the hip and feel it push the body forward; repeat slowly five times each arm.
- Swim a width of single-arm front crawl with the other arm in front, focusing on 'elbow over fingers'.
- Finish with full stroke, thinking about the catch on every stroke.
Teaching cues
- Elbow stays high, hand goes down.
- Forearm is your paddle.
- Push the water back, not down.
- Slow catch, strong finish.
Make it easier
- Practise lying on a float held under the chest by a partner or with a pull buoy.
- Try the movement on one side only.
Make it harder
- Combine with sculling at the front (catch position scull) for a width before swimming.
- Count strokes per length before and after the drill.
Common faults
- Elbow drops first so the hand slips through.
- Pressing straight down and lifting the shoulders.
- Rushing the catch.
Corrections
- 'Reach over a barrel in front of you.'
- 'Point your fingertips at the floor, keep your elbow near the top.'
- 'Feel the water before you pull.'
Assistant / L1 role
- During the standing practice, stand opposite two swimmers and model the arm shape slowly while the teacher gives feedback; do not physically move a swimmer's arm unless the teacher has asked you to and the swimmer agrees.