Learning to Breathe when Swimming

Hester

Hi all

I've recently started swimming again for the first time in a few years. I was never much of a swimmer - I took a few lessons when I was younger so I can make my way up and down the pool but I've never been able to master my breathing. I know I'd benefit from lessons but I can't really afford them at the minute (all my money went on the gym membership) so I'm trying to teach myself.

When I try to swim with my face in the water I can make it about half a lap before I have to stop. The problem isn't inhaling.. I just don't seem to be able to exhale all my air into the water, so when I end up stopping in the middle of the pool it's because my lungs are gasping to breathe out! I've tried practising at the side of the pool but I'm not even able to manage it there

I just want to master the basics so I can get the most out of my time in the pool. Any advice would be great.. Should I be exhaling through my nose or mouth? What am I doing wrong!?

Cake Fiend

It's been a while since I last swam, but you should breathe strongly out mostly through your nose to stop water getting in. IIRC, a rhythm I used to get into for e.g. front crawl was one stroke breathing in, three or four strokes breathing out underwater.

Hester

Well I tried breathing out through my nose today, without much success! I feel like I'm making a bit of progress though. I'm really making an effort to exhale when my face is in the water. I always thought that breathing out would come naturally, but apparently not!

vigos

Hester, it might be an idea to practise at the side of the pool. Just stand facing the edge of the pool take a deep breath stick your head in the water and practice exhaling over 3-4 seconds. Then just turn your head to the side to inhale and exhale again. Make sure you've exhaled completly before starting to inhale.

If you feel comfortable doing this then try doing it swimming. Like Sico said try and exhale over 3-4 strokes

rubadub

I prefer to exhale through the mouth, it is easier in a slow controled flow, rather than blurting out air.

After doing the stationary practise mentioned try holding on to the rail on the side of the pool and start kicking lightly, this way you will get more used to using energy while your face is under water, rather than just being still

rasherboy

rubadub wrote:

I prefer to exhale through the mouth, it is easier in a slow controled flow, rather than blurting out air.

After doing the stationary practise mentioned try holding on to the rail on the side of the pool and start kicking lightly, this way you will get more used to using energy while your face is under water, rather than just being still

ur method is good but dude thats the wrongg way to breath! you are technically ment to breth out through both at once! mostly ur mouth but ur nose just enough to not let water enter it! and your ment to breath every third stroke in frontcrawl..evert stroke in fly and breast and whenever you feel like it in back!

Funkstard

What!? You're supposed to breath out when swimming? I always just stick my head to the side when I need a breath, but I never breath out!

Or do I? Maybe it's something I do subconsciously, but I'm pretty sure I don't

rasherboy

so your telling me you just constantly inhale? think about it! if you kept on only inhaling your lungs would inflate so much that they would like explode or something! most peole do it subconciously!

CathalMc

Well you can vary the number of strokes between breaths, I'm not too sure how this affects swimming performance, I presume theres some "optimal" thats taught to professionals... its something I've never considered before... hmm!

Anyway, thats an interesting problem, I suggest its probably a confidence problem, so as suggested before, try puffing deliberately into the water for a few "pseudo strokes" at the side of the pool. Maybe breathe out and let yourself become accustomed to sinking under and losing any panic reflex (trying this first at the shallow end of course!). There's alot to be said for tumbling around in the water for building confidence too, doing a few head over heels and the like. Best of luck with it!

rasherboy

im a swimming teacher and iv been thought to teach the strokes i stated earlier! its ment to be the right amount of breating needed to maintain speed although some swimmers will vary theres!

Hester

I think I'm starting to get the hang of it now I went for a quick swim this evening and it just seemed to work this time. Breathing out underwater was unnatural for me, so I had to make a conscious effort to do so by blowing bubbles into the water.. I found that I can last longer without taking a breath now, by controlling my breathing like this and breathing out slowly.

I've still got a lot of work to do, but I'm so pleased with myself because it seemed like I wasn't making any progress for a while there. Thanks for the help

Gillo

Hester wrote:

I've still got a lot of work to do, but I'm so pleased with myself because it seemed like I wasn't making any progress for a while there. Thanks for the help

I'm having the same problem as yourself, it seems to be a case of getting used to it, just keep practicing, and it gradually gets easier. I've got used to the breathing but have to come up fairly soon.
I was saw a breathing exerciser thingy in Eleverys adn Great Outdoors , it's meant to help increase lung capicity, so you should be able to stay underwater longer. I'm going to get one (they are only €30 or €40) I'l let you know how I get on.

hippiechick

well are you sure you need to increase lung capacity?? in frontcrawl you breath every 3 strokes and you breath out the whole time but you dont really have to practise breathing before you swim but i guess maybe its just me

poobum

dont bother with the lung capacity machine! if you swim it will just come naturaly to you! and you arent ment to swim without breating alot anyway so if you are holding your breath you will never have your stroke right! just the way it is, to practice breathing swim holding a board in front of your head that way if you panic you can just lift your head! yet you are still geting used to exhaling!

Funkstard

rasherboy wrote:

so your telling me you just constantly inhale? think about it! if you kept on only inhaling your lungs would inflate so much that they would like explode or something! most peole do it subconciously!

What? I don't inhale, I just keep my airways shut and.......oh wait, I know what you mean. I obviously do inhale subconsciously so

poobum

exhaling subconciously is a good thing usualy! as its what all gd swimmers do it leaves them free to concentrate on technique and speed instead of worrying about their breathing!

hippiechick

it will just come naturally if you keep practising when i started i couldn't get it either but now i don't even think about it!!!!!

Phibsboro

just to confirm the general sentiments - i taught myself to swim in the last few months and had exactly the same issue. Sticking my head underwater at the side of the pool got me started and gradually over a few weeks I got the hang of it. I breathe out thru my nose only underwater, tho as others have said it may be more correct to use both nose and mouth. Also, as I'm sure you are finding, you have to expel the air a bit more forcefully than you do above water - this the thing that confused me initially You really need a few good blows to the get the hang of it.

Finally, I think this is also against standard teaching, but I find it helps me to hold my breath for a stroke or two and then let it out in one go. So, assuming a stroke is one arm going thru from front to back, I usually do this - head to the side to breathe in, hold breath for 3 strokes, at start of 3rd stroke force breath out and then breathe in again on 4th stroke. The exact timing of the when to exhale is a bit hazy in my mind I find this useful cos it allows me to get the most oxygen out the air - kinda like deep breathing. As I got fitter, I required this technique less, but I still do it.

Note as well that for fittness swimming im not sure there is a standard method for when to breathe - I usually do every 4 but sometimes (when I have missed a swim usually!) im able to do 6. When I started I could only do 2 for the first few weeks (i.e. I took a breath on the same side every time I was on that side). We had a class of NAC master swimmers in our local pool (while the roof was being repaired) and they had various methods - some did 2, others 4 etc. Masters are not kids obviously and prolly not competition standard but they could bomb along and they had a coach.

Cheers,
C

poobum

dude im a swimming tacher and its good that you can breath but you arnt doing it the right way you ar ment to do it very 3 strokes and breath out the whole time! its so as you change the side you are breathing on every breath! can you breath on both sides? if not you should try to learn!

secret_squirrel

Poobum is right - 3 is generally considered the optimum for front crawl because it means you alternate which shoulder you breath over, this helps reduce the effort you need to keep a straight line.

Another thing to note - its not a breath holding competition - you should be breathing when its comfortable to do so - not holding on for as long as possible.

poobum

secret_squirrel wrote:

Poobum is right - 3 is generally considered the optimum for front crawl because it means you alternate which shoulder you breath over, this helps reduce the effort you need to keep a straight line.

Another thing to note - its not a breath holding competition - you should be breathing when its comfortable to do so - not holding on for as long as possible.

like he said when you breath you tend to change dirction a little but if you only breathe on 1 side then this builds up wheras if you breath on both sides you even out!

Gillo

I'm gradually getting better at it.

It seems to be just a case of practiceing again and again.

poobum

gillo wrote:

I'm gradually getting better at it.

It seems to be just a case of practiceing again and again.

thats all it is eventully you will get to the stage where you dont even notice you are doing it

Recon

I find it best to breath every third stroke doing front crawl. If your racing every 7 or 9 strokes. So I'm turning my head right for first breath left for second and so on. I found swimming long distances while just turning my head to one side got a little sore. Neck cramps while swimming are not cool.

Reyman

I take Poobum's point that one breath per 3 strokes on alternate sides is ideal. But when you're swimming very fast I find you need to breath every two strokes or else run out of breath.

Is this a problem at competitive level or are my lungs just not up to scratch?

flywheel

Hester wrote:

Hi all

I've recently started swimming again for the first time in a few years. I was never much of a swimmer - I took a few lessons when I was younger so I can make my way up and down the pool but I've never been able to master my breathing. I know I'd benefit from lessons but I can't really afford them at the minute (all my money went on the gym membership) so I'm trying to teach myself...

BBC have a decent site about swimming:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/swimming/default.stm

Check the links under "LEARN THE STROKES" and some of the Video master classes.

I got 12 group swimming lessons for Eur 100 in Westwood Leopardstown so they aren't too expensive, some great advice and happy with what I learnt

secret_squirrel

Reyman wrote:

Is this a problem at competitive level or are my lungs just not up to scratch?

Its probably your breathing thats not up to scratch. It takes training both in and out of a pool to learn to breathe properly. Basically the average joe breathes from the chest whereas its more effecient and you get more clean air in you if you breath from your diaphram. There are breathing techniques you can practise to improve this.