Believe it or not, there's more to breathing while swimming than simply inhaling and exhaling. On land, breathing is so effortless and fundamental that we rarely think about it. But in the water, factors like gravity, buoyancy, propulsion, and water resistance make breathing much more complicated. Here’s a deep dive into the fundamentals of breathing while swimming to help you stay comfortable, relaxed, and fast in the water.
Why Proper Breathing Matters (link to video)
Proper breathing techniques are crucial for effective and efficient swimming. Bad breathing habits can quickly escalate your heart rate and lead to early fatigue, affecting your overall race performance. Effective air exchange is particularly challenging for self-taught swimmers, including seasoned athletes. Ensuring both effectiveness (getting enough oxygen) and efficiency (seamlessly integrating breathing into your stroke) is key to maintaining a strong performance.
Common Misconceptions About Swimming Breathing
1. Inhaling Water is Inevitable: With proper technique, you can avoid inhaling water. Adjusting your body position, breathing to the side, and relaxing your head and neck can significantly help. Using your hip to breathe is a key factor in helping new swimmers. Watch this video to help understand more!
2. Feeling Winded is Normal: Improved air exchange will help you feel more relaxed and in control. As your technique improves, so will your stamina and speed. Think breathing like you would during a walk while swimming.
How to Inhale While Swimming
1. Timing: Inhale during the pull phase of your stroke. Start early in the phase to ensure a full, deep breath.
2. Head Position: Rotate your head just enough to inhale, keeping it in line with your body. Remember these cues:
- Keep your head neutral, avoiding neck strain.
- One goggle in, one goggle out of the water.
- Ear stays close to the shoulder of the extended arm.
3. Not A Deep Breath: Make each inhale count but don't try to inhale too much. I would suggest fulling lung capacity to aorund 90% full and exhale in the water to 50% full. This way you exhale the carbon dioxide and don't hyperventilate with a deep, full breath. Initially, this may feel uneasy, but it will soon become natural.
How to Exhale While Swimming
1. Slow Continuous Exhalation: Slight exhale when your face is in the water. Holding your breath for extended periods of time, disrupts the timing of your stroke. The next time you are on a walk, take not of your breathing and replicate that in the water on your next swim.
2. Blow Bubbles: Exhale steadily through your nose or mouth, blowing bubbles in the water. This helps prevent hyperventilation and minimizes excessive head movement.
3. Ready for Next Inhale: By the time your next inhale comes, your lungs should be empty enough to be ready for your next inhale. Do not over exhale here, this will rasise your anxiety and need for a big breath.
Tips and Tricks for Effective Breathing
1. Avoid Holding Your Breath: Similar to running, holding your breath while swimming is counterproductive and disrupts your rhythm. I focus on breathing every 2, 3 or 4 strokes. Find your rhythm that works for you.
2. Side Breathing: Instead of lifting your head out of the water, turn it to the side. Lifting your head can throw off your balance and increase drag. Lifting your head to look in front of your will drop your hips in the water, making it more difficult to swim. You will need to do this to sight, to stay on course, but not every breath.
3. Controlled Breathing Pattern: Aim for a breathing pattern every, two, three, four, or five strokes to avoid hyperventilation and maintain a steady rhythm.
Breathing Drills for Swimmers
1. Bobs: Practice bobs to get comfortable with air exchange. Submerge, exhale completely, and then pop up for a full inhale. Repeat 10 times at the start of practice.
2. Side Kicking: Streamline kick on your front with one arm extended and the other by your side. Rotate your head to breathe, keeping your body straight and balanced.
Air Exchange Checklist
Inhale:
- Maintain a long, straight body line during the pull phase.
- Lean to the side of the extended arm.
- Rotate with you hips to turn your entire body on it's side to breathe
- Ear against the shoulder of the extended arm.
- One goggle in, one goggle out.
- Rotate head to clear mouth and nose from the water.
- Look to the side during inhale.
- Take a full, deep breath.
- Rotate face down.
Exhale:
- Keep neck relaxed and head neutral.
- Force air out steadily.
- Eyes looking straight down.
- Control the rate of exhalation.
- Ensure lungs are only partially empty (50%) before the next inhale.
Mastering your breathing technique can make a significant difference in your swimming performance. By focusing on effective and efficient air exchange, you can swim more comfortably and faster, ultimately improving your overall triathlon performance. Happy swimming!
Dr. John Mendenhall II PT, DPT
@Triathlo101 on YouTube
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