Breathing during swim

Hey there. In the beginning I wasn't sure the right way to breath either so I just watched the other folks in the pool. So I started taking a breath every 3rd stroke, but I was not getting enough oxygen. I talked with a few tri folks and they suggested breathing on every stroke and that is what I did. I also slowed my stroke rate (and subsequent heart rate) down to find my "rythym" so I could start the endurance building. Now, after months of build, I am in a Masters swim group.

Good rule of thumb when turning your head for air is pretend you are looking up at a tree so you will turn far enough to get air and no water. The rest will come with time and practice.

Hope this helps.

John

I like to breath every other stroke, i.e. each time I stroke with my right arm I breath.

I had a masters swim coach that made us bilateral breath on every single set. I didn't like her too much.

I'm not very good at this yet either, but one piece of advice I've seen from several sources is to make sure you're exhaling sufficiently... one reason not to inhale on every stroke (once you "get it", that is)...

The reason is, it's not a lack of oxygen that causes you to hyperventilate (i.e. feeling like you're going to choke)... it's a buildup of CO2 in your lungs... which comes from not exhaling enough.

For me what seems to work best (when I "get it") is to kindof try to hold my breath but let the air leak out of my mouth and nose... kindof a natural "long" exhale... then rotate the head and breathe in quick and deep.

Long, slow, full exhales (every other stroke) seem to work better than a short, forceful one (every stroke).

I'm still pretty bad at it, though... so what do I know?

One thing I remember learning (I think in CPR class) is that our exhaled air even normally still contains about half the usual O2 concentration... which is why mouth-to-mouth works. This would seem to support the "it's too much CO2, not a lack of O2" argument...

I breath every stroke cycle...to my right side. Your whole body should be rotating and your head should just be along for the ride. If you rotate enough your face will come out of the water and your head will be making a wake that allows you to breath without actuall lifting your head. I begin to exhale before my mouth is out of the water.

Thanks folks.
i will try this tomorrow morning.

I breathe every third stroke, so I end up breathing on both sides. I'm exhaling pretty much the whole time my face is in the water. When I run out of air, I breathe. I don't know if this is right, according to the rule books, but it fits my swim rhythm and it works for me.

Andrea

Hey Ali,

My advice would be to do a few 25 yard warmup laps, slow with lots of rest in order to get your breathing settled. Even in the pool I need to do that in order to get myself ready for a swim!

Bilateral breathing is very important when you're preparing for open water swims. Sometimes waves are hitting you from one side, or the sun is shining like crazy. It's nice to have the ability to avoid discomfort. But, everyone's different, so just do what feels natural for you!

Good luck!

Agree with all the above....Nothing wrong with breathing every stroke, No reason to go anaerobic in the swim if you need to breath. DOn't feel like you have to wait every thiord one. Good advice on the roll. Your body shoujld turn, not your neck

GOod luck tomorrow!

Chris

I always breath facing the windows if it's light outside, and facing the wall if its dark outside. It usually ends up being about every 2nd stroke. That way I get breathing practice to both sides, but breathing every 2nd stroke fits my cadence better than every 3rd stroke.

WHy windows by day, wall by night? It's too scary to look out of those big black windows that line the poolside at nighttime!

I breathe on every third stroke; when learning the technique I thought I'd drown, too.
I guess that you either go too fast or forget to exhale under water. If you don't exhale all the air, you cannot get enough fresh air in. Perhaps you can practise exhaling under water specially (not while swimming), just a few times... Not exhaling sufficiently used to be my main problem.

Judith

I really need to learn to breath to my left. I have a 100% chance of chugging pool water every time I attempt it. I know it's important to drink lots of water but that's taking it a little too far I think.

One thing I would suggest is that when your face is underwater, be sure to continually exhale the entire time, slowly, evenly, and completely.

25 yard warmup? Thats all I can go without a break!

Keep in mind I'm a total rookie when it comes to swimming, but I am currently taking swim lessons which is based on the "Total Immersion" technique. For me breathing is either between every 2nd or 3rd stroke depending on how high my heart rate is. Although I shoot for every 3rd because of the very reason Jasmine mentioned above.

In regards to exhaling, I find that I have to SLOWLY exhale while under water...preferably through the nose so you're not taking in water. If I don't exhale slowly, I sink like a rock, no matter how hard I push on my upper body to stay afloat. When I turn, not lift, my head to finally breathe, I exhale completely to make room for fresh oxygen.

BTW, the "Total Immersion" technique is a wonderful thing!

Mike

I alternate my breathing. Sometimes it's every two strokes, three strokes, or four strokes. Also, when I am really bored in some sets that I am doing, I deliberately force myself to only breathe on the left side. Practice makes perfect.

As far as you go, I would just breathe every other stroke until you get the hang of it (every right-side). The more you do it, the easier this will get. Don't pressure yourself to be the fastest swimmer in the pool, just take it easy and work on a good rhythm.

I also breathe every 3rd stroke - it's a balance thing. When I'm tired, I'll breathe every stroke, to the right, until I get my breathing under control again.

Not exhaling was a problem for me at first so I made an effort to breathe out on every stroke and as rolled to the point when I inhale.

With time, and practice, you’ll find your rhythm.

Best of luck,
Rob

Another "TI" thought about breathing...the "sweet spot" is a position that is side to back lying, with your underwater arm stretched forward underneath you, the other arm resting on your thigh, your head resting on the shoulder of your underwater arm and turned with your body up towards the sky. YOu should be in a stretched out position as if your turning your body to extend your underwater arm to the opposite wall of the pool. THe drills always begin with finding your sweet spot. when you find this position, and can be completely relaxed (no neck strain from lifting, no sinking,etc), you can practice kicking lengths on both sides. ONly after you know this feeling of the sweet spot does breathing during your stroke start to seem effortless.

THe first time I "got it" I was shocked, I just rolled to the side, my head created a small wake and suddenly air was available. I now strive for this feeling with every breath. By doing a full length breathing every 2 strokes (that is, only to one side), I can concentrate on the feeling of breathign on that side. On the return length, I breath to the other side (so I'm actually facing the same way in the pool when I roll), and can focus on each side independantly...fewer changing variables to deal with.

ali....my two cents, (along with all that has been said by the others) is to forcefully (mentally) start your swim out VERY VERY slow...you have to tell yourself...GO SLOW...and RELAX. this will likely help you get through some intial breathing adjustment. second, i will reiterate how important it is to get rid of all the air before coming up for air. i breathe out through a combination of nose and mouth. i think nose is a bit more important as it keeps the water from going in. i breathe every third stroke and its a comfortable pace for me. if you don't have all the air out by the time you come up for air then you first have to awkwardly get rid of some before taking new air, (or worse as someone mentioned leave the CO2 in). keeping the breathing flowing naturally helps to swim effortlessly. the thing to try is not kicking so hard..you use up quite a bit more oxygen with the kick. if you look up total immersion there are great drills and explanations.

adventureBear.... i am familiar with the drill you explained...or something close. i was just wondering if the sweet spot you mentioned is also the sweet spot for coming up for air while normal swimming (non-drill)? or were you just referring to sweet spot for the drill? i still don't come up for air using the small wake created...at least i don't think so. i'm a very slow swimmer so i'm aiming to concentrate on drills. thanks.

Keep swimming!

I have always been a left-handed (that is breathing just to my left) swimmer, which seems to be the opposite of the way most people learn. But for many of the reasons Jasmine said, I'm trying to learn to breathe to my right too and it's turning out to be kinda difficult. Are there any drills or methods that specifically make you more comfortable breathing to your weak side?

Normally I breath every third stroke. This allows me to pratice breathing from the left and right. As others have written, this is especially important for triathlons due to unpredictable race conditions. Also, I recommend doing drills where for 50 yards you breath every other stroke. Take a minute break and the next 50 yards breath every third stroke. Take a minute break and the next 50 yards breath every fourth stroke. Keep going and push yourself. This will allow you to compare and see for yourself the advantages and disadvantages of your breathing in relation to your swimming.

Many people will tell you to breathe bilaterally, and I agree with this, but not necessarily all the time. Beginners sometimes need to breathe on their strong side only for a while until their endurance increases, and balance in the water gets better. So don't feel like you must breathe every 3 strokes all the time. Do what it takes to get air, and work in bilateral breathing in warmups and warm downs.

Also, work on some balance drills in the water to make breathing easier altogether.
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Cheers,
Kevin

:-)

And she is rendered speechless...

- Breathe as often as you need to to get enough air (duh), don't worry about stroke count - for instance, at the beginning of a workout you may breathe every 3rd stroke, but as your HR goes up, may move to every 2nd stroke later...nothing wrong with that, do what's comfortable

- I personally breathe on each 3rd stroke - this has gotten easier as my aerobic endurance has increased, but more difficult as my stroke length has increased. You may need to adjust over time as well.

- A number of posters have shared breathing technique (sweet spot, roll, look upward, exhale thru the stroke, don't turn your head, etc.) so I won't rehash any of this...

- I'll reemphasize the poster that warned about using too much kick in the tri swim...if you use your legs for the bulk of your propulsion, it's inefficient and a really quick way to blast your HR into the stratosphere - and run out of air. Try a couple laps with dead legs or a float (this will make the swim easier, help with swim posture, etc) where you aren't using legs at all...

- Develop the capability to breathe bilaterally...even if you plan to breathe every 2nd stroke. Short anecdote...I did a duathalon Swim - Run - Swim - Run in Florida 10 years ago, and we were swimming in the Gulf parallel to the shore going south. I could only breathe on my right side, so basically with every breath it was a crapshoot whether I'd get a mouthful of incoming wave or air...so after dropping the ocean level an inch or two through consumption, finished the 1st swim leg, got out of the water to run, heaved mightily, and quit the race - couldn't even start the 1st run. Moral: there's value to being able to breathe both sides.

- Log some laps. The Total Immersion program will tell you that it's all technique, not so much time in the pool...but I'd tell you it's both. As you begin logging more time in the pool (hopefully w/good technique), your breathing will naturally evolve & grow...

- Finally, have an experienced swimmer or coach help review your technique...the single hardest thing about swimming is trying to coach yourself, because you may feel 'right' in the water but have atrocious technique. Plus, unless you've got significant resources, you can't videotape yourself. If you have a friend, coach, resource with a practiced eye for proper technique, they may be able to help you make slight adjustments that will make all the difference.

Rick