Swimming - breathing technique?
Discussion
I never learnt to swim and avoided the compulsory lessons at school for non-swimmers.
In recent years, my children have been learning to swim and i thought it a good idea to learn. My youngest is 5 and her feet dont even touch the bottom of the pool and she is not frightened, i have no excuse and hence have been taking private lessons.
I have conquered my fear of the water and now can swim, however, i struggle to get my breathing right.
What i mean is that i can hold my breath and swim with my face in the water. My teacher has been telling me to blow out as i go and when i have no more air to blow out, i should come up to take a breath. However, i panic and always stop swimming, put my feet on the ground and take a breath.
Any suggestions how i can improve? I am on lesson number 8 of 10 and want to be able to do a length before/on lesson 10.
In recent years, my children have been learning to swim and i thought it a good idea to learn. My youngest is 5 and her feet dont even touch the bottom of the pool and she is not frightened, i have no excuse and hence have been taking private lessons.
I have conquered my fear of the water and now can swim, however, i struggle to get my breathing right.
What i mean is that i can hold my breath and swim with my face in the water. My teacher has been telling me to blow out as i go and when i have no more air to blow out, i should come up to take a breath. However, i panic and always stop swimming, put my feet on the ground and take a breath.
Any suggestions how i can improve? I am on lesson number 8 of 10 and want to be able to do a length before/on lesson 10.
I'm guessing from your post that you have been learning to swim front crawl. The only thing I can suggest is when you have emptied your lungs of air (or nearly) tilt your head to the side and breathe in through your mouth. Swallowing the water isn't pleasant but it's better than sniffing it up your nose! Unfortunately practice makes perfect and it's something you will have to try and keep practising.
maturin23 said:
I'd suggest not waiting until you've fully exhaled (or close to it) - just take in a breath every couple of strokes and exhale in between.
Assuming you're learning front crawl, take a breath through your mouth by tilting your head to the side under the arm that is coming over the top. Choose whichever side is the most comfortable for you. I'd start by doing this every time that arm comes over.
I am the worlds worst swimmer, official.
I do try, but I never get it right. I gasp for air at every opportunity, to the point where I am nearly hyperventilating. I am absolutely drained after a single breadth of the pool
I just want to bludgeon the old guys I see at the pool who go up and down the lengths seemingly using about as much energy as reading a newspaper. Bastids !
I think I might need a lesson...
I do try, but I never get it right. I gasp for air at every opportunity, to the point where I am nearly hyperventilating. I am absolutely drained after a single breadth of the pool
I just want to bludgeon the old guys I see at the pool who go up and down the lengths seemingly using about as much energy as reading a newspaper. Bastids !
I think I might need a lesson...
maturin23 said:
I'd suggest not waiting until you've fully exhaled (or close to it) - just take in a breath every couple of strokes and exhale in between.
Definitely this, breathing only when you have no breath left will automatically panic you, that doesn't help at all! The key to swimming for a beginner is relaxation; feeling comfortable in the water and having the water surrounding your body and face.Try and master breathing in through your mouth whilst turning your head to the side and out through your nose. Just standing in the pool trying this will help practice.
Highway Star said:
maturin23 said:
I'd suggest not waiting until you've fully exhaled (or close to it) - just take in a breath every couple of strokes and exhale in between.
Definitely this, breathing only when you have no breath left will automatically panic you, that doesn't help at all! The key to swimming for a beginner is relaxation; feeling comfortable in the water and having the water surrounding your body and face.Try and master breathing in through your mouth whilst turning your head to the side and out through your nose. Just standing in the pool trying this will help practice.
Practise breathing in with mouth half submerged you soon learn to know the difference between air and water. The mouth can handle the difference nose will struggle. :-)
On dry land you don't leave breathing till the last minute so really don't do in water your exercising to start with.
I worked very slowly into it.
One thing that may not have been explained is that you exhale whilst still underwater because that way you can use all the above water time inhaling rather than trying to both above water which is a common mistake
I started off breathing to one side every 2 strokes. Once I could do that I then focused on exhaling properly before taking that breath.
I then started breathing both sides every 3 strokes, and tada youre breathing.
For me each stage took weeks of swimming 3 or so times a week to get comfortable with.
One thing that may not have been explained is that you exhale whilst still underwater because that way you can use all the above water time inhaling rather than trying to both above water which is a common mistake
I started off breathing to one side every 2 strokes. Once I could do that I then focused on exhaling properly before taking that breath.
I then started breathing both sides every 3 strokes, and tada youre breathing.
For me each stage took weeks of swimming 3 or so times a week to get comfortable with.
BliarOut said:
Practice bilateral breathing standing still and then add it to your stroke when you're happy you can do it without panicking 
Around March this year, I was knackered after a length doing front crawl, however, I can now do a comfortable 50 lengths (20m pool) at slow pace. I spoke to a friend who is a swimming coach (national level) and they encourage bilateral breathing.Here's a simple youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM92UiWV9b0&fea...
However, i've actually improved my breastroke to such an extent i'm faster than most people i've seen in the pool doing front crawl.
My pecs aren't particularly big yet though.
thegman said:
I find breast stroke (no pun intended) very hard work. Sure its probably bad technique, but I just seem to be constantly sinking while other people just seem to float?
Basics.Big breath in, dive under, stroke, big breath out 'just' before you surface, that way you're 'slightly' more buoyant helping you come up when you need to breathe.
Your stroke is more of a short sharp pull, dragging you upwards as well as along (not too much upwards!)
swimsmooth have a great animated film with various angles and speeds. Hope it helps
http://www.swimsmooth.com/
http://www.swimsmooth.com/
sinizter said:
wowzers - he hardly moves his legs and is flying in the water at quite some rate !!Ray Singh said:
sinizter said:
wowzers - he hardly moves his legs and is flying in the water at quite some rate !!Every single time I get in the pool I end up trying something slightly different, just a case of putting it all together.
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