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Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips
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 2009-01-26 7:28 PM |
Master  1887     Loveland, Ohio |  Subject: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclipsI've been wearing noseclips since I started swimming last year. I've just never been able to stand the burn. My philosophy was I can either choke on water or I can not choke on water. I choose the latter. However, I'd hate for something to happen during a race and me lose them and be out of luck. Plus, I've come so far in my swimming, weaning myself off them seemed like a great next step. Well, recently I lost my pair and wasn't close to a place that sold them. I figured, "Well, there's no better time than now to go cold turkey." For the past 3 swims, I haven't used the clips. It's taken me a while to get used to it and I'm starting to feel much more comfortable without them. My problem is when I come up for air. There's water in my nose and when I tilt my head w/ my roll and grab my breath, the water from my nose goes back into my throat and I burn and choke on it. Until I learn how to deal with this, when I need to take a breath, I just look straight ahead and push the water out and down. No swallowing. No burn. Obviously, I can't do that forever. It's just an interim adjustment as I've taken this time to get comfortable. My question is, what do I do with that water in my nose? Do I just need to learn to hold it in there while my mouth catches the air and release it back in my exhale underwater? Did I even give you guys enough information to even begin to give me some advice? Thanks a lot, fellow BTers. Ya'll rock! |
| 2009-01-26 7:45 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Master 1651 Breckenridge, CO | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips lkagop - 2009-01-26 6:28 PM My question is, what do I do with that water in my nose? No water should get in your nose. Standing in the pool drop your head under the surface and exhale bubbles out of your nose. No water can get in because air is coming out. Next do the same thing but gradually blow less and less air out of your nose until no bubbles are coming out but no water can get in either. What you've done is you've equalized the air pressure in your nose with the water pressure so that water can't enter. While you're swimming you must be doing one of the above so that no water can get in your nose. It gets even harder in a flip turn because as your head gets deeper in the water the pressure increases. I can't remember when I started doing this without thinking about it but I bet it will take you some practice. Edited by breckview 2009-01-26 7:47 PM |
| 2009-01-26 8:02 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Expert 1144 Kansas City, MO | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips Same thing as mentioned above - I normally exhale through my mouth, except for when I go to inhale - I exhale the last of it through my nose. I don't consciously do it, as I've been swimming for two years now, but I had to work at it. I'm also a firm believer that if you don't like something strong enough, you'll find a way to avoid it.  |
| 2009-01-26 8:11 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Extreme Veteran 495 Denton | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips I don't know if this is the best answer, but I do a constant exhale whenever my face is underwater, and keep doing it except for when I'm above water and breathing in. You mentioned that it is getting more comfortable since you've started doing it - chances are, the more you keep doing it, the more you'll adapt. Just know that you should be (in a controlled manner) breathing out while your face is submerged, and breathe out through your nose right before you come up to keep water from being in there. If there's water in there, then yep, it's going to be pretty uncomfortable! |
| 2009-01-26 8:28 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Expert 1139 Austin | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips Just use the nostrils for exhaling they're pretty good at it I usually exhale through my nose while swimming and give it a little extra umph when I'm lifting my head to make sure the last little bit doesn't flow down into the back of my throat. |
| 2009-01-26 8:30 PM in reply to: #1930547 |
Extreme Veteran 495 Denton | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips F1longhorn - 2009-01-26 8:28 PM Just use the nostrils for exhaling they're pretty good at it
Haha. Yeah. |
| 2009-01-26 9:01 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Master 1887 Loveland, Ohio | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips You guys have been extremely helpful and what ya'll said makes so much sense. I'll be taking it to the pool this week. Thank you so very much. |
| 2009-01-26 10:34 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Extreme Veteran 419 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips Take it from someone who had to give up the noseclip - it IS worth it. I swam for a year and a half with one and was SURE I needed it. Then I joined masters and my coach gave me a couple weeks to give it up last November. I had a really hard few weeks but I kept at it and it DOES get better. Just keep with the exhaling out your nose under water and you will get used to clearing water and even swallowing while holding the pressure with your nose. Now I can't even imagine wearing a clip again and don't want it - I am much happier without. Keep up the good work - you will get more comfortable! |
| 2009-01-26 10:36 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Extreme Veteran 401 Texas | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips Extra thought on the blowing out thing told to me by my swim coach. Your body doesn't register lack of oxygen it registers the amount of carbon dioxide in your body, so to minimize the exhaustion I feel, she told me to stop holding my breath before I blow out, and to do it continuously till I take the next breath. Also if you are taking in water when you turn to breath you might not be rolling enough. One goggle eye in one out whole nose and mouth out of the water. She also gave me the example earlier that somebody mentioned, except she had me face down holding my arms out straight onto the side of the pool kicking and blowing out, then turning to breath. Funny I had to ween myself ON to wearing a swim cap, my head got SOOOO hot wearing it I would put it on then take it off in the same practice. I think my original swim coach must have thought I was nuts. But in the end being faster with it made the decision. |
| 2009-01-27 2:36 AM in reply to: #1930425 |
| Member 58 | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips I am by no means an expert on this - since last week was the first session in the pool where I swam the whole time underwater (!) - but the tip that got me through it was to exhale all the time under water (as above) and if you are having trouble getting air-into your mouth without it going in your nose then move your chin towards your shoulder and "look behind you" as you inhale , the head makes a deeper trough in the water and you get more air to capture.
im sure its pretty crappy as swim strokes go but if it helps you get off the noses maybe its of use. I cant comment on what it does to stroke Im still breaststroking it (albeit underwater now) next week is the "freestyle-under-water-not-drowning" sessions. |
| 2009-01-27 7:07 AM in reply to: #1930783 |
Master 1524 Reston, VA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips muppetdog - 2009-01-26 11:34 PM Take it from someone who had to give up the noseclip - it IS worth it. I swam for a year and a half with one and was SURE I needed it. Then I joined masters and my coach gave me a couple weeks to give it up last November. I had a really hard few weeks but I kept at it and it DOES get better. Just keep with the exhaling out your nose under water and you will get used to clearing water and even swallowing while holding the pressure with your nose. Now I can't even imagine wearing a clip again and don't want it - I am much happier without. Keep up the good work - you will get more comfortable! I, too, have come along way with swimming, but I still use my nose clips. I have tried for a few laps to go without and it is THE most uncomfortable thing ever. immediately water up my nose. i never make it more than a 75 (miserable) meters. I thoughtt about trying to break the habit, but then I noticed more than a few of the olympic swimmers last summer wearing them. So, what is so great about not using them? I would be interested in hearing from a recovering addict. I admit, they are not cute, but the cap doesn't really look sexy either yes, it is something else to bring with you, but I don't have problems remembering my cap and goggles. yes, there is a chance they get kicked off in a race, but I wear my usual ones to start and have a pair on a string under my wetsuit in case of emergency (which I have never needed) so, is there something else that makes the pain of breaking the habit worth it? my concern is that it takes me SEVERAL times to feel comfortable and I feel like I really can't get in a full workout now without them. I worry my training will suffer (and my brain will be soggy). I am so glad this thread was started. This is a great debate for me. |
| 2009-01-27 7:23 AM in reply to: #1930425 |
Champion 7558  Albuquerque, New Mexico | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips Hum. If your exhale is HHHmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm the whole time your face is in the water you shouldn't get water in your nose and it helps control your breathing. |
| 2009-01-27 7:34 AM in reply to: #1930425 |
Master 1420 Reston, VA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips For most people this just takes time and repetition swimming without them. Give yourself 2-3 weeks of consistent swimming without them and you will not need them again. The trick is to get your mind off of thinking about the water going up your nose. A few ideas: Breathe an odd breathing pattern - if you breathe every 2 strokes normall, try every 3. If you breathe every 3 normally, try every 2 (plus this can help with your balance and feel of the water). Don't use the noseclips for your hard set. Do 10x25 or 10x50 hard - you will concentrate so much on going hard, you will hopefully forget about the water up your nose. It is not easy and takes time but is worth it in the end as you will not have to worry about them falling off or getting knocked off. Plus some people breathe and exhale through there nose. Having the noseclips limits you doing this. |
| 2009-01-27 7:55 AM in reply to: #1930957 |
Master 1887 Loveland, Ohio | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips hooslisa - 2009-01-27 8:07 AM muppetdog - 2009-01-26 11:34 PM Take it from someone who had to give up the noseclip - it IS worth it. I swam for a year and a half with one and was SURE I needed it. Then I joined masters and my coach gave me a couple weeks to give it up last November. I had a really hard few weeks but I kept at it and it DOES get better. Just keep with the exhaling out your nose under water and you will get used to clearing water and even swallowing while holding the pressure with your nose. Now I can't even imagine wearing a clip again and don't want it - I am much happier without. Keep up the good work - you will get more comfortable! I, too, have come along way with swimming, but I still use my nose clips. I have tried for a few laps to go without and it is THE most uncomfortable thing ever. immediately water up my nose. i never make it more than a 75 (miserable) meters. I thoughtt about trying to break the habit, but then I noticed more than a few of the olympic swimmers last summer wearing them. So, what is so great about not using them? I would be interested in hearing from a recovering addict. I admit, they are not cute, but the cap doesn't really look sexy either yes, it is something else to bring with you, but I don't have problems remembering my cap and goggles. yes, there is a chance they get kicked off in a race, but I wear my usual ones to start and have a pair on a string under my wetsuit in case of emergency (which I have never needed) so, is there something else that makes the pain of breaking the habit worth it? my concern is that it takes me SEVERAL times to feel comfortable and I feel like I really can't get in a full workout now without them. I worry my training will suffer (and my brain will be soggy). I am so glad this thread was started. This is a great debate for me.I noticed some Olympic swimmers using them last summer, too, and I didn't feel as weird about using them. There's a guy on the '08 Kona video using them, too. You ask a really great question: What's so great about NOT using them? As I said in my OP, I decided that I could choke on water or I could not choke on water, and the last option makes sense; hence the use of noseclips. However, for me, being able to swim without them is an empowerment issue, I suppose. Maybe I watch too many spy/action movies, but if I'm ever in a situation where I need to swim for my life, I wouldn't be able to unless I had a pair in my pocket. Thanks for all the other advice. I'm really excited to swim this week! |
| 2009-01-27 9:51 AM in reply to: #1930425 |
| Extreme Veteran 505 Lakeland, FL | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips You should never hold your breath, keep a constant exhale going through your mouth and nose. This will also help in the feeling that you need to take a breath, the urge to breath comes from a build of C02 in your lungs, so by exhaling, you don't get a build of CO2. And it will also help keep water out of your nose. |
| 2009-01-27 10:59 AM in reply to: #1931025 |
Master 1524 Reston, VA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips but if I'm ever in a situation where I need to swim for my life, I wouldn't be able to unless I had a pair in my pocket. Good point. I would have to backstroke to safety  Oh, and i saw the same person in the Kona video and was pleased! Edited by hooslisa 2009-01-27 10:59 AM |
| 2009-01-27 11:26 AM in reply to: #1931497 |
Master 1887 Loveland, Ohio | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips hooslisa - 2009-01-27 11:59 AM but if I'm ever in a situation where I need to swim for my life, I wouldn't be able to unless I had a pair in my pocket. Good point. I would have to backstroke to safety
Oh, and i saw the same person in the Kona video and was pleased!That's true. I can backstroke pretty well. |
| 2009-01-27 11:57 AM in reply to: #1930425 |
Master 1651 Breckenridge, CO | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips I think people that are extremely prone to chronic sinus infections may want to make 100% sure that zero water gets in there. That's about the only reason I could imagine a high level competitive swimmer wearing them. |
| 2009-01-27 12:19 PM in reply to: #1931025 |
Elite 3683 Whispering Pines, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips lkagop - 2009-01-27 8:55 AM hooslisa - 2009-01-27 8:07 AM muppetdog - 2009-01-26 11:34 PM Take it from someone who had to give up the noseclip - it IS worth it. I swam for a year and a half with one and was SURE I needed it. Then I joined masters and my coach gave me a couple weeks to give it up last November. I had a really hard few weeks but I kept at it and it DOES get better. Just keep with the exhaling out your nose under water and you will get used to clearing water and even swallowing while holding the pressure with your nose. Now I can't even imagine wearing a clip again and don't want it - I am much happier without. Keep up the good work - you will get more comfortable! I, too, have come along way with swimming, but I still use my nose clips. I have tried for a few laps to go without and it is THE most uncomfortable thing ever. immediately water up my nose. i never make it more than a 75 (miserable) meters. I thoughtt about trying to break the habit, but then I noticed more than a few of the olympic swimmers last summer wearing them. So, what is so great about not using them? I would be interested in hearing from a recovering addict. I admit, they are not cute, but the cap doesn't really look sexy either yes, it is something else to bring with you, but I don't have problems remembering my cap and goggles. yes, there is a chance they get kicked off in a race, but I wear my usual ones to start and have a pair on a string under my wetsuit in case of emergency (which I have never needed) so, is there something else that makes the pain of breaking the habit worth it? my concern is that it takes me SEVERAL times to feel comfortable and I feel like I really can't get in a full workout now without them. I worry my training will suffer (and my brain will be soggy). I am so glad this thread was started. This is a great debate for me.I noticed some Olympic swimmers using them last summer, too, and I didn't feel as weird about using them. There's a guy on the '08 Kona video using them, too. You ask a really great question: What's so great about NOT using them? As I said in my OP, I decided that I could choke on water or I could not choke on water, and the last option makes sense; hence the use of noseclips. However, for me, being able to swim without them is an empowerment issue, I suppose. Maybe I watch too many spy/action movies, but if I'm ever in a situation where I need to swim for my life, I wouldn't be able to unless I had a pair in my pocket. Thanks for all the other advice. I'm really excited to swim this week! If they get knocked off in a tri, you'd be hurting. Triathletes in the water aren't exactly your friends. |
| 2009-01-27 12:25 PM in reply to: #1930957 |
Champion 11989 Philly 'burbs | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips |
| 2009-01-27 12:30 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Expert 1040 SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips I want to add to what others have said: While your face is in the water you should be breathing OUT through your nose and mouth, concentrate on zero breath-holding. As you rotate to breathe, take just what you need, don't gasp or try to take a huge breath. I bought a nose clip when I started learning but then quickly threw it away. Again, you should be breathing out through the nose and mouth the entire time your face is in the water. I bet you breathe out through the nose and mouth while running and cycling, so you should do the same thing in the pool. |
| 2009-01-27 6:39 PM in reply to: #1930957 |
Extreme Veteran 419 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips hooslisa - 2009-01-27 7:07 AM muppetdog - 2009-01-26 11:34 PM Take it from someone who had to give up the noseclip - it IS worth it. I swam for a year and a half with one and was SURE I needed it. Then I joined masters and my coach gave me a couple weeks to give it up last November. I had a really hard few weeks but I kept at it and it DOES get better. Just keep with the exhaling out your nose under water and you will get used to clearing water and even swallowing while holding the pressure with your nose. Now I can't even imagine wearing a clip again and don't want it - I am much happier without. Keep up the good work - you will get more comfortable! I, too, have come along way with swimming, but I still use my nose clips. I have tried for a few laps to go without and it is THE most uncomfortable thing ever. immediately water up my nose. i never make it more than a 75 (miserable) meters. I thoughtt about trying to break the habit, but then I noticed more than a few of the olympic swimmers last summer wearing them. So, what is so great about not using them? I would be interested in hearing from a recovering addict. I admit, they are not cute, but the cap doesn't really look sexy either yes, it is something else to bring with you, but I don't have problems remembering my cap and goggles. yes, there is a chance they get kicked off in a race, but I wear my usual ones to start and have a pair on a string under my wetsuit in case of emergency (which I have never needed) so, is there something else that makes the pain of breaking the habit worth it? my concern is that it takes me SEVERAL times to feel comfortable and I feel like I really can't get in a full workout now without them. I worry my training will suffer (and my brain will be soggy). I am so glad this thread was started. This is a great debate for me. A few things but primarily I find a big difference in HOW I breathe without one. It's not the same as with and it made for an improvement in my overall swimming. Yes, it's very painful at first to wean off. I just about cried my way out of the pool the first week. But it's worth keeping at it - I think there is a big difference in general comfort in the water - and especially in a race - being able to swim without one (and this is from someone who raced all the way up to 70.3s with one last year). I believe the olympic swimmers that used them were generally backstrokers - I've heard that's about the only acceptable stroke folks use them in because of body position. |
| 2009-01-28 3:17 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Master 1524 Reston, VA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips yay! i had a small swim scheduled for today. The perfect opportunity to torture myself. When I packed my swim bag I sadly took my nose clips out so that I wouldn't be tempted to grab them if my attempts started going downhill. I grabbed a kickboard, and for 5-10 minutes just slowly moved along with my face in the water, then I pretended to roll and breathe. It sucked. I wanted to go home, but I pushed through. In the end I did my full workout (1650m) with out noseclips for the very first time. By the end i was fine. Not 100%, but fine. thanks for all the advice. I never thought I would be able to do it. |
| 2009-01-28 4:23 PM in reply to: #1934122 |
Extreme Veteran 419 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips hooslisa - 2009-01-28 3:17 PM yay! i had a small swim scheduled for today. The perfect opportunity to torture myself. When I packed my swim bag I sadly took my nose clips out so that I wouldn't be tempted to grab them if my attempts started going downhill. I grabbed a kickboard, and for 5-10 minutes just slowly moved along with my face in the water, then I pretended to roll and breathe. It sucked. I wanted to go home, but I pushed through. In the end I did my full workout (1650m) with out noseclips for the very first time. By the end i was fine. Not 100%, but fine. thanks for all the advice. I never thought I would be able to do it. Great job! It really will get better in time |
| 2009-01-28 4:34 PM in reply to: #1930425 |
Expert 960 Highlands Ranch, CO | Subject: RE: Please help a girl breathe w/out her noseclips I don't think I could swim "with" a nose clip........ |
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