Folks… I’ve come into Triathlon from a runners background, and really only learned how to swim (with face in water, anyhow) last summer and fall. I can now swim fairly comfortably in freestyle for a moderate period of time, but still find myself struggling with the breathing. Seems that I either don’t get enough air into my lungs on the breath (I do bilateral breathing, on the third stroke), or perhaps I haven’t blown out enough air and I’m just gasping in air when I don’t need it. Trouble is, I haven’t developed the instinct to understand this well enough. I end up feeling like something just isn’t right after a few laps in a 25m pool.
I mostly exhale through my nose while in face down position.
Any coaching or ideas on breathing that anybody could share? I really want to improve my ease in the water, because the minor panic that I feel a lot of the time is really hampering my progress. I soldier on anyhow, but I’m sure there’s something I could do to help move things along faster.
Congratulations on your efforts to work through this normal, although somewhat discouraging phase of learning how to swim.
I started swimming later in life as well. What I focused on was making sure I wasn’t “stacking” my breaths… not exhaling completely. I blow air out my mouth and nose while exhaling…mostly, my mouth.
Also, I made sure that during the recovery phase, my arms and shoulders were as relaxed as possible.
Thanks, I think I need to blow out more air, seems like that’s an issue. Also, I think that my breathing gets confused when I do turnaround at the wall, I think I get the counts confused…
I’d say if your count is getting confused for your breathing, you’re probably thinking too much about it. I agree with the poster who suggested going to breathing each stroke. You can swap breathing sides every once in awhile if you’re concerned about working both sides.
Breathe every 2 strokes instead of 3, you just increased oxygen supply by 50%.
Dont exhale until just before rotation. This keeps all the oxygen you inhaled available instead of letting the good stuff trickle out underwater before you can use it. It also results in a more explosive exhale which expels more air, in return means inhaling more air.
This last point will probably be argued against by swimmers far better than me. Just make sure you are more competent than my coach when you do.
I had similar issues when I started swimming. I took lessons, had others watch, no one could help. Finally, I quit kicking which lowered my heart rate, which enabled me to breathe easier! I’m slower but I can swim forever with a minimal kick. Try reading Total Immersion. That helped.
it may not be the number of times you are breathing but the amount of air you are taking in. breathing every third stroke will get you plenty of air if there is room for it. 2 reasons there is not enough room, you didn’t exhale enough or you are not relaxing your diaphram to allow the lungs to expand. try exhlaing more forcefully see if that helps. also, check to see how relaxed you are in the water, are you breathing easy and deep. try playing around in the water doing the ‘dead man’s float’ and stuff until you can relax. once you are comfortable you will not only have more oxygen to use but more air keeping you higher in the water. too many of us late swimmers just go to the pool and swim laps and do the workout. we don’t take the time to play around and get comfortable in the water.
From about 200 to about 400 meters into my workout (or race), I have to breathe every second stroke. So, during that time, I breathe left for 25 then right for 25. After a while, I can go back to every 3rd. I have a little asthma, but this happens even when I feel no symptoms of that. ???
Put your face in the water and blow bubbles until you get all the air out, that is how we start with kids then, when you stroke, try to get more air out.
Breathe every 2 or 3 strokes - it may feel more comfortable to you to breathe on one side, then learn how to alternate them.
**Also, I think that my breathing gets confused when I do turnaround at the wall, I think I get the counts confused… **
“turnaround,” LOL!!!
Learn how to flip turn, then it won’t be confusing. But don’t breathe on the stroke going into the wall, or the first one off the wall.
Find a swimmer who can do one, watch that person, and imitate. You’ll get lots of water up your nose and you’ll whack your ankles on the gutter, and you’ll get more water up your nose, and you’ll streamline right into lane lines, but eventually you’ll figure it out. Basically, you swim into the wall, somersault, and push off - on that push off, you’ll rotate such that you’re on your front.
It’s really hard to put it into words. The best way, I think, is to watch someone - ask if they’ll do it in slow motion for you - and then have them help you. They’re fun, you can rocket away from the wall
As people said, learn to let air trickle out in between breaths - bubbling like Tigerchik said.
Don’t assume that breathing more often will solve your problems: it’s the way you exhale that is causing your difficulties.
Make sure that after you inhale, you start letting bubbles of air straight away. This may seem counterintuitive as you only just let air in, but it will let your body release the CO2 gas that is causing your impulse to breathe and the “out of breath” feeling. If you are swimming bilaterally (ie every 3 strokes), think “bubble-bubble-breath” (Swimsmooth) - ie let air bubble out for the 2 strokes and then inhale again.
Avoid explosive breathing, try to feel in control. If needs be, do only 1 length at a time until you get used to this. Don’t bother changing the frequency of breathing: every 2 or 3 strokes is fine, as long as you have the right mechanics.
One simple way of determining if you are an explosive breather is to pause at the end of a length. If you did feel out of breath, and at the end of the length you suddenly feel fine again, then this is what is causing your breathing difficulties. Again I reiterate that it is not the frequency of breathing, or how much air you take in, but the stimulus of the build-up of CO2 in your lungs (due to not exhaling constantly) that leads to the need to breathe. Try holding your breath now in front of the computer, & then again separately while letting air very slowly release from your lungs and you will see what I mean.
Trickle-breathing can be tricky at first, as you don’t know how much air to release: hence the “bubble” suggestion. A little air is released (from your nose, preferably) very slowly, such that your lungs are part emptied by the time you inhale again. This will take practise. And do aim for nasal-exhalation as this well help you with other aspects of your stroke.
A coach will make you learn this much more quickly than you can on your own.
An important point to address in the meantime is to develop the ability to generate power from your core. Eg fly-kicking (front, back, side); core-rotation in back & free. Learn to do this and tumble turns will be easy, as a tumble is simply a strong fly kick, so you’ll need to learn how to execute that efficiently first.
This will probably sound stupid but have you tried to actually try to take in LESS air?
I had the same gasping problems and when I learned how to take in just enough air , that gasping and panic went away. I had been taking in too much air so I was not expelling everything out by the 4th stroke. When I learned to calm down and take in just enough, I didn’t gasp anymore.
Also, already have a wetsuit.