When and How to Breathe For Front Crawl

When and how to breathe for front crawl? Can we hold our breath for some time then breath? Can we breathe whenever we want or do we have to breathe for every stroke?

The short answer to both of your questions is that it is completely your own choice. There is no right or wrong way to breathe. However consider the following:

There are two types of breathing for front crawl: trickle breathing and explosive breathing.

Trickle breathing requires you to breathe out into the water as you swim. This is usually considered the easiest method because when you turn your head to take a breath you only have to inhale as you have exhaled all your breath out into the water.

Explosive breathing is where you hold your breath until the point of turning your head to breathe again. This involves a short sharp breathing action by exhaling and then inhaling again in the brief second the head is turned. This can be energy consuming and tiring.

As for when to breathe, that will depend on your fitness level and the distance you intend to swim.

Short distance front crawl sprint swimmers (50 to 100m) take very few breaths during their swim. Longer distance swimmers, such as triathletes, breathe every stroke in order to maintain a manageable pace as they swim.

If you are learning front crawl as a beginner your fitness level will play a huge part as you will become tired and breathless quickly. As your front crawl technique improves and your swimming stroke becomes more efficient you will be able to swim longer distances without getting so tired or out of breath.

Our best-selling book 'The Complete Guide to Swimming Front Crawl' contains over 20 separate swimming exercises to help all parts of front crawl, including breathing. It is perfect for beginners. You can download it, print out the parts you need and take them to your pool to try out. Click the link below for more information.

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