Swimming Breathing Help and Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
I need help with swimming breathing. I am 57 and learning to swim. I have a great instructor and love it. The problem is getting my head out of the water to get a breath when I need it. I end up sputtering and getting water in my mouth and nose. It is almost as if I forget how to inhale a breath. The other adults seem to have the same problem with breathing technique. We even put ducks in the water so that I will know that I am out of the water. I may get the breath once or twice but then it just doesn't happen. Again, I love swimming and plan to make it a part of my life forever. I feel like the water and I are one, but I have to be able to breathe. I am able to hold my breath for 20 seconds under water, but when I don't get the breath I begin to feel desparate and stand up in the pool (a habit I don't want to continue). The water is one of the most freeing places I have been and although I respect it, I am not afraid of it. Don't know what took me so long to get in.
There are a few things that can contribute to your problem of raising your head out of the water to breathe. Firstly as you have not mentioned which stroke you swim, I will assume you are doing breaststroke. If you are not then I would very much encourage it. As an adult learning to swim, it is the easiest to learn and the easiest to breathe.
A couple of points to consider about breathing first:
1) Make sure you exhale slowly when your head/face is submerged (blow bubbles!). That way, when you need to breathe in it is much easier. If you hold your breath, when you raise your head to breath, you need to exhale and then inhale again in the brief second you have face above the water - which is far more difficult.
2) If you forget to exhale, then you will constantly be inhaling until your lungs can inhale no more! This will give you the feeling of 'forgetting how to breathe'.
3) Try to breathe before you really need to. In other words, don't swim to the point of nearly running out of breath - breath long before that. This can sometimes make breathing more comfortable and natural instead of gasping for breath. As your swimming develops, your lung capacity and fitness will grow and you will be able to go for longer without breathing. Keep it simple and comfortable for now.
There are a few exercises to help you with your swimming breathing if you
click here.
The act of getting your head and face out of the water to breathe comes with a combination of technique and relaxing during your stroke. A good breaststroke leg kick and arm pull with give your body the lift needed to raise your head.
Relaxing during your stroke will make you more buoyant and therefore make it easier to move and breathe in general. Feel your way through the water, don't fight with it!
There are loads of e-books and exercises to download on our site to help all aspects of your swimming and swimming breathing.
Do you need some help with your swimming breathing? Click here
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