Hi,
I’m a roadie, mostly TT-er, who is thinking about doing an ironman in a couple of years, if I don’t get a (semi-)pro contract before that time (that is what I dream of). I was a competitive middle-distance runner when I was younger, so running should be OK in some time. Swimming, however, is a (very) weak link for me.
Buy the DVD “freestyle made easy”.
There’s probably not a single definitive answer other than to keep swimming and keep working on your technique. There are probably lots of reasons that it is happening from body position, to timing, to balance, to your overall comfort in the water.
One thing you are going to want to do is forcefully exhale all your air before you turn your head at all. You also want to roll your body to breathe and not just with your neck. Finally keep your mouth more parallel to the water rather than over rotating it upwards. If you are doing it right the water will actually dip down a little below the normal surface. That is usually where you want to breathe. Does that make sense?
I would start with some side kicking drills and then do some one arm drills. You can google for descriptions of these. You might also want to work on bilateral breathing from the start. Whether you do that or not in a race is one thing but doing it in practice will help your balance. It’s going to be a lot easier to find someone who is a good swimmer to help you than to try and figure it out yourself. If you can have them video your stroke you will be amazed at what you will see… hth
Not claiming to be a good swimmer, BUT, what really helped me was to get fast enough to make a wake with my head…this pushes the water away and makes a little depression at about mouth level. So, when I’m making good speed, it’s MUCH easier to turn my body, and therefore head, enough to get my mouth clear of the water and into the air. This is one reason I don’t swim for longer periods than I can swim relatively quickly (remember, I’m not talking about actual good swimming speed, I’m not a good swimmer). Get someone knowledgeable to help you…it’s definitely so technique oriented that you’ll get it so much quicker with help.
Breathe out through your nose/mouth while your head is under water, breathe in through your nose/mouth while your head is above water. It’s really easy! If you get the above order wrong you will drown.
One thing I noted is the same as someone else said…swim faster. The other thing is that you should have enough body roll to get (if breathing to the right) your right side of your face well above the surface. After a while you’ll get the rhythym right. Also, if you can only breathe to one side DON’T WORRY…some of the top swimmers only breathe to the right or left. I personally almost always breathe to the right, and even after years of training myself I am still just way more comfortable breathing right. It really doesn’t matter a bit.
Walser - either go to a local tri club that could coach you, or get some lessons. Asking questions on the internet isn’t going to provide a magic answer as we can’t see what else is going wrong with your stroke.
Swimming is so much more techncal than any of the other disciplines…
You mean I can’t diagnose what is wrong with his car over the net, either?
Yes, find a coach. I will say many breathing problems are because people are not allowing their body to roll enough. They are swimming flat. But you really do need a good swimming coach to watch you. I always recommend a masters program with on deck coaching. Spend your time effectively.
seriously you need to get someone on the deck or in the water with you. You could be breathing late, lifting your head, not rolling your body enough - which could be a function of other stroke flaws. Diagnosing a swimming problem on ST is like getting married without ever seeing the bride…probably not the best idea in the world.
Thank you for all the good advice. The Total Immersion DVD looks good, so I probably will buy that one.
Roll to the side and swivel your head and look a little bit back over your shoulder. the water will move around your mouth and leave a pocket for you to breathe in.
This is EXACTLY what my high school coach told us 40+ years ago. It works best if you tuck your chin towards your shoulder while breathing, rather than lifting your nose/head up as you turn your face to the side. Blowing forcefully out thru both mouth and nose as the head rotates also helps push the water away from the breath holes when they “surface” - just like a dolphin or whale.
the water will move around your mouth and leave a pocket for you to breathe in
My swim coach keeps telling me this. Every week she tries to explain it to me as I do it a different wrong way. Other people can get this. WHY CAN’T I GET IT, TOO???
I am not expecting answers. I just feel frustrated. I had this idea that if I threw myself 100% into fixing my swim over the next coupla months that I actually could fix it. I think now I was overly optimistic.
Susan
I had this idea that if I threw myself 100% into fixing my swim over the next coupla months that I actually could fix it. I think now I was overly optimistic.
Susan
You are no longer an optimist. You are an optimist with experience, which makes you a realist. Realists progress faster anyway, so, from this point forward you should be optimistic that realism will allow you to get much better (as long as you are doing realistic things to help you improve). Really, don’t get discouraged, all you need is good instruction and dedicated practice…then you’ll surprise yourself at the improvement.
Thanks, Titan. Every time I get into the pool, I think, “Maybe this will be the day I have the breakthrough.”
In addition to good instruction and dedicated practice, I am also watching Steve Tarpinian’s Swim Power II DVD and the video clips of the 2004 Olympics that somebody posted on another swim thread. I hope maybe filling my brain with images of good technique might help my body get it.
I am not watching the Total Immersion DVD. While TI was a major improvement over my original gasp-and-flail method, real swimmers do NOT “roll to sweet spot” to breathe.
Susan
Exaggerate to looking back. Turn your head and face to the rear–almost as if you are looking back over your shulder and back. Almost try to look back at the end of the pool from whence you came.
When I learned to breathe on my left, I had the same problem. When I see swimmers struggling to breathe or dropping their legs and hips to breathe, they are virtually all turning their heads forward, at least a little bit.
You don’t have to turn to the sweet spot, just turn your shoulders for every stroke, at least 20-30 degrees, otherwise you are creating much more drag and straining your shoulders to boot.
If you want to get a feel for where the “pocket” is, put on some fins for a couple of laps, that will give you enough speed to make a pocket.
I wish I would have done that when I was learning how to swim, that and used a pull bouy.
jaret.
Turn your head and face to the rear
That’s a lot like my swim coach said Saturday–“look at your feet.”
I have some fins. Maybe I’ll try those today and see if speed helps.
Susan
Good luck. Let us know.
Turning your head to breathe is timed with your shoulder roll which in turn is timed with your hip rotation. Each part requires split second timing. If you turn your head too early, late, up or down you send your body off its axis and cause you to swim as a snake.
I teach people to swim in the following sequence - hip, shoulder, elbow hand. Initiate your hip rotation as the hand on the opposite side enters the water, as soon as your hips starts to rotate it will cause your shoulder to rise slightly, your extended hand on that (hip) side is flexed with your fingers pointing downward. As soon as that hand starts to move backward turn your head to breathe. You will notice that it barely moves because your shoulder is rotating and your head is moving in sync with your shoulder.
Exhale fully just before you turn your head. Inhale and return your head to its neutral center position. Your head will lead your shoulder back into the water.
If you can master this breathing technique your head will never cause malalignment of your stroke. You can also practice this technique on any side.
The key is to start your head roll when your arm just starts to pull back. Your arm will be under your shoulder when your head clears the water.
Your arm will be under your shoulder when your head clears the water.
Yes, yes! I watch my coach swim and this is exactly what she’s doing! I hate that you’re in NY–too far away for me to come and have you show me how. I can’t understand your explanation at all.
Apologies to the person who started this thread. I really am not trying to wrench it away.
Susan