I had the same issue when I started swimming.

In races, even with only a 500 yard swim, I'd get on the bike feeling a little bloated and by the run it was actual pain. I started using Gas-x bloating medicine before and it helped a little, but ultimately it was just breathing.

Once I swam more and relaxed more it started going away. I also realized that when turning I'd gasp, swallow, then gasp again when I came up for air, and that seemed to really make it worse quite quickly.

Ultimately it went away after about 6 months of being mindful of relaxed and small breaths, but even today, if we do a set at masters swim with decreasing breaths per length (makes zero sense why we do something like this, and I've just started "cheating" it more and more as time goes on), I'll get a bit bloated afterwards as I gasp and swallow more air.

That's me (except I'd be laughed out of a masters swim group).

It's swallowing air that's a problem (as you note).

For me, any swimming on the back (kicking on the back, backstroke, etc.) would guarantee a fartynoon at the office, but harder freestyle sets also caused problems.

Solution - more awareness of your breathing, breathe in quickly but not "rapidly".

But an expert would probably come up with a better solution.

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"FTP is a bit 2015, don't you think?" - Gustav Iden

Stop the Valsalva maneuver when you breathe in. Most people who have this problem take a deep breath, close their mouth then wait to exhale. You can avoid this by starting the exhale immediately which will reduce the pressure that allows you to swallow air.

ok, i see a difference. I tend to gasp to get as much air as i can when breathing in.

Since i normally breath on the alternate side every three stroke, maybe i wouldn't need as much inhalation per breath as i thought. Will try and see if just normal relax breathing in will help. Thanks!

hmmm...the present of the Valsalva maneuver has never cross my mine. Am very familiar with that as i have been diving for year, but am not aware or have never consciously observe if i'm do it during swim.

Maybe i'm doing it and exhaling against a closed airway, when my face rotates back into the wall after inhalation, instead of just exhaling immediately like you say. Will try an observe it today as i have another long set upcoming. Thanks!

I’ve always had the same issue with feeling full of air after a swim. So, for every single race, I always kept Gas-X tablets in my T1 bag. Took 2-3 before hopping on the bike. It sure seemed to make that bloated feeling go away a lot quicker than when I did not take the tablets.

Someone else here mentioned Gas-x too. Will see if it helps me.

Tried three(3) things two days back on a long session:
1. exhaling immediately upon inhaling (like just before my head re-enter the water),
2. continue to exhale throughout till the next inhale,
3. humming continuously throughout the exhale.

Found myself quite out off breath, my rhythm getting a bit out of whack and didn't feel as smooth/or in control. But on the flip side, no drop in overall pace and the gassy bloated feeling came in much later. Ended the session still gassy & bloated, but significantly less.

gonna continue trying to focuses on these 3 things and see if it can get any better.

I've dealt with this for years and have figured out that for me it's that I swallow occasionally while underwater, particularly if my allergies are worse(but also my nose runs from the chlorine anyway). Kind of gross but when there's snot running down the back of my throat I try swallow it down so I can breathe easier, but I'm also swallowing air. Just being aware of it and fighting that urge has fixed my post swim bloat.

I have never heard of this before. The things that come to mind - what sort of stuff are you eating before your swim? Are you generally a bit gassy / bloated?

Also timing of the swim and your motions may be helpful. Aka if you do a AM swim do you make a motion before hand and swim on an empty stomach or eat like bacon and eggs before hand. Or maybe do your swim at the end of the day after not eating for a few hours.

Many people also fart when they swim. I think most swimmers probably pop off once a session if they need to and then it feels weird with a big air bubble in your swimmers when you push off the wall. I dare say many life long swimmers have also done a sea poop. I have heard of many have to do a sea poop in swims like the english channel or a long crossing swim.

Good luck but imo i do not think that it has anything to do with the swallowing of water or doing a special breathing maneuver - I could be wrong but that is just my opinion. It just doesn't make any sense. For 30 minutes if you breath in and out normally on a run or a bike or sitting on the lounge you don't get bloated but swimming is somehow causing bloating? Also if swallowing water is a problem just stop swallowing water? I don't mean that to sound overly simplistic but just offering a different perspective.

I did suspect swallowing water as an issue, cause a little water getting into my mouth when inhaling seemed normal. But I have been constantly reminding myself to spit while exhaling and not swallow.

So am starting to believe is more the intake of air than water. Haha

Am not normally I gassy person. Haha! And usually my swims are in the evenings, that’s about 4-5hrs since my last meal during lunch. I can only think of the past two races when I had breakfast and food prior to the swims.

Most of the time it come around 60-90mins into the swim. Anything shorter than tt seems ok.

Maybe swallowing water and air on itself is not an issue, but maybe its the water and air in my tummy hang down and like a pendulum during swims. Haha

You're Australian. There's no such thing as a "swim-related problem"; they'd take away your passport.

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"FTP is a bit 2015, don't you think?" - Gustav Iden

we only get bloated from beer and bbq