Hyperventilating in the Water

I have had a similar problem, even though I am a strong swimmer. I have no problem in the pool and can keep my 100's at ~1:20 mark. What was happening in races was pretty much what you described. I'd swim for a minute or two and then lose control of my breathing and have to stop and breast stroke. Over several races i noticed that at the 10 minute mark I would get control over my breathing and be able to get into a good rhythm.

What was happening was my HR would shoot through the roof, because of the stress associated with the beginning of the race, cold water, going out to hard, wet suit... AND NOT WARMNG UP enough. I would start the swim cold. Right there was my problem. The solution was and is a 15 minute warmup swim before the start of the race. If I warm up, stop, and then hit the start I am good to go.

Try a good solid warm up before the start and see if that helps.

x2 on a good WARM UP.
You're certainly not alone. It WILL get easier as you get more races under your belt.

ditto

are you also wearing a wetsuit??  I ask only since that extra pressure on your chest can fool your mind a bit which leads to panic.. I've seen divers get a bit nervous with their breathing while tighter wetsuits.

Also when you are doing your swim training,, attempt to count to yourself like a metronome  so during a race you are not getting too excited and going out too hard.  (they sell a little device that clips to your goggles, to simulate that, but I've never used it)

In swimming you really want to build. Meaning you are not starting out at 100% but a bit lower and increasing your speed as the race progresses.    I'm always amazed that usually around the first buoy how many people are just stopping in the water since they went out way to fast,, are breathing hard and get nervous

Take your time and give yourself permission to roll to your back if you need a few extra breaths.  That allowance may alleviate the anxiety.  You might also try a total immersion video and book. It really helped with my swimming and becoming "one" with the water.  (ughhh...those metaphysical cliches, but it is somewhat accurate).

My first tri I was gasping for air the first half of the swim. Just needed to calm down, relax and swim. I've been doing some open water swims to help get more used to it. I'm sure it's natural to get nervous in the race.

One of the tips I have been practicing is to look at the sky. When you roll your head to breath just take a brief look at the sky (or sky light at the pool). This will slow everything down and give your mind a chance to calm down. In the begining keep your stroke nice and slow. Concentrate on a nice long reach and look at the sky. After a few of these calm down strokes you can settle in to the rhythm you are comfortable with.

Thanks for all the good feedback and responses. Yes, I am wearing a wetsuit. Maybe I'll try a swim without it.

I heard about that timing device but I never thought of using it in a race. I ordered one yesterday and will see if that will help keep me steady.

I think what gets me going is the feeling of being rushed and I will work on taking the time I need to get comfortable. I also try to stay to the inside because it's the shortest distance but I'm going to go to the outside where there's less people.

Thanks again.
 

I'm a stronger swimmer and had the problem at the beginning.  What I do now is:

1)  Warm up well in the water before the race.
2)  Know the course well (check out how many bouys you'll be passing before the turns; knowing where I am in the water on a long course seems to help).
3)  Start slowly, with long strokes.  Most people start the swim way too fast!  Concentrate on keeping your breathing under control.  Pick up the pace if you wish when you're confident that your breathing is under control. 
4)  Practice more often in open water.  Next year I'll practice more in cold water since that still bothers me. 

I'd recommend doing some longer pool swims while sighting a few times a length.  OWS is more difficult in part because sighting takes more energy compared to swimming normally.  If you learn to swim relatively straight you don't have to sight very often.

Also, I changed to a better fitting wetsuit.  I chose sleeveless (which everyone says is slower than sleeved); for me I think there is a psychological benefit from knowing that there is no restricion of my shoulders.

Good luck!

Brian 


Edited by famelec 2009-07-13 10:36 AM

I had a similar experience in my first race, so in the second I started at the very very back, the opposite side of the buoys.  It really helped reduce some of the thrashing and splashing at the start and I was then able to do my own thing and no panicking!

JL, I have been where you are...  A have done a couple of things to get past it. 

1) Wetsuit - practice in it/ open water in it.
2) warm up - swim at about 60-75% of your race capacity but force yourself to do more a little more than you want to.  Really helps me get used to the water.
3) AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT GETS ME PAST IT IN A RACE -

Your are on the beach, everyone is around you, yor HR is up, you feel the energy of everyone around you... the course looks so long... there's the gun (ADRENALINE/HR raging...) deep breath take your time into the water  BIG BREATH and start your swim but don't breathe!  Keep your face in the water keep your pace slow 50/60/75% max go as far as you can with your face in the water at a pace that is not challenging to you!  When you breath get a good one and repeat... use the time when your face is in the water to remind yourself you are capable of accomplishing this task...

For me keeping my face in really helps get my hr and breathing under control - my swim coach tells me it has something to with oxygen vs carbondi levels and by forcing yourself to now breath at first it will help you calm - it works for me (it could be a total lie... but mentally it works for me)

I have a buddy who breast strokes for the first 50 to 100 to get himself calm...

good luck!!!

What you're describing in not unusual. Seed yourself in the back of your wave, if needed, even give them a 10-20 second head start and take long, slow strokes. For the first few minutes focus on NOTHING more than breathing. Keep your arms really loose and slow on the recovery, rotate far enough to see the sky or the trees and just take small, slow breaths. The first 100 yards or so, you're just getting ready to swim. Like doing a 8 mile run, you don't just start sprinting and expect to feel great by mile 5...

Sometimes, I imagine that it's not a race, just me with some of my friends out for a swim.

Another vote for getting in the water early and warming up.

All good advise mentioned above. I had the same problem on my first OWS. One thing that I fellow triathlete suggested is to think about on breathing out with your face in the water. It sounds simple but it is easy to forget and you are breathing out as well as in with your face out of the water and you end up short of breath and in oxygen debt or at least I do. I found out that concentrating on my breathing along with slow steady strokes for the first 100 yards or so lets me settle into my normal swim pace that allows me to finish the swim comfortably

Thanks again to all. I did my first race this morning where I was calm enough to swim! Yeah! 

NIce job, Jill. That is a swimming 'breakthrough'.

I'm deleting my post because I saw you overcame your problem... Good for you!!

Edited by cam224 2009-07-19 10:50 PM