Feeling out of breath in your freestyle swimming?
An effective breathing technique is crucial for swimming efficiency and preventing fatigue in freestyle. Feeling completely exhausted after every length could be a result of your breathing mechanics.
Key aspects of effective freestyle breathing technique include:
Exhalation:
It is essential to exhale while your face is underwater.
Full exhalation helps remove carbon dioxide (CO2). A buildup of CO2 is the primary trigger for the urge to breathe, not necessarily a lack of oxygen.
Exhaling deeply and clearing stale air from the lungs is one of the most important things you can do.
You can exhale through your nose, mouth, or both
Some swimmers exhale slowly throughout the time their face is underwater, while others hold their breath for a few strokes and then release air more forcefully just before inhaling - find what works for you.
Regardless of the method, ensure you exhale effectively so you are ready to inhale fully.
Inhalation:
The inhale should be quick and full, utilising your diaphragm.
Just opening your mouth as it clears the water can often allow air to fill your lungs naturally because of the pressure difference between air and water.
Some swimmers close the lower side of their mouth to prevent water from entering.
Timing:
The breath happens in correlation with your stroke cycle.
Try to breathe in conjunction with one arm pulling down, finishing the breath as that hand recovers and enters the water.
One cue is that, as your hand is about to pass under your shoulder in the pull phase, your head should start to turn to the side. By the time the hand is finishing past your hip, you should be inhaling.
Another cue for finishing the inhalation is, as you initiate the catch at the front of the stroke, the recovering arm comes over the top, using the hand passing by the head as a cue to put the head back into the water and exhale.
Alternatively, a key cue for timing the breath is to "pull yourself into your breath".
Avoid turning your head too late, as this can disrupt stroke coordination
Body and Head Position:
Do not try to breathe by lifting your head - Instead, breathe by using body roll (rotation) to bring your head to the air, keeping your head aligned with your spine
Maintaining a neutral head position is important when not inhaling
When breathing, keep your hips high and, with your body rotation, turn your head to the side, ideally keeping one eye and one ear underwater
Forward momentum creates a small air pocket (bow wave) just big enough to take a breath
Looking forward before turning your head can cause your hips to drop, increasing drag and fatigue
Aim to keep your eyes looking down at the bottom of the pool when not breathing. This can range from looking about 10 degrees in front to 45/50 degrees. Find what works for you.
Breathing Pattern:
Establishing a consistent breathing pattern is crucial for comfort and for swimming for longer periods
During moderate swimming, breathing every two, three or even four strokes is recommended, and sometimes a mix of these rates can be used, especially in a pool.
Bilateral Breathing: Many coaches recommend breathing to both sides (bilaterally) for a balanced and symmetrical stroke, although some elite swimmers breathe to only one side.
Bilateral Breathing: The ability to breathe on both sides can be important in open water, to prevent breathing into the wind or waves, or to help maintain direction.
Practising bilateral breathing helps ensure you are comfortable with it, but it is not essential to breathe bilaterally all of the time.
Connection to Rotation:
Breathing should be incorporated into your body rotation
Proper rotation is fundamental to an efficient freestyle stroke.
As you rotate, your legs also rotate with your hips
Rotating along your long axis allows for greater reach, generates more power from your core, back, and chest muscles, and contributes to overall stroke efficiency
Aim to rotate your body and head together when you breathe
Avoiding Panic:
The urge to breathe is driven by CO2 build-up.
Blowing out more forcefully can help alleviate the feeling of being out of breath
Common Breathing Mistakes to Avoid:
❌ Poor body and head position, such as looking forward before turning or lifting the head
❌ Not having a consistent breathing pattern
❌ Not training your breath control
Incorporating specific drills can help refine your technique and make breathing easier
Corkscrew: Improves breath control and core stability by slowly rotating 360 degrees while kicking, maintaining a neutral head.
Both Arms at Wall: Good for beginners; holding the wall and kicking, doing single arm strokes and breathing to that side, focusing on keeping one eye and ear in the water.
616: Integrates rotational momentum; take one stroke, turn towards the extended arm, balance on your side for 6 kicks, then switch sides. Turn your head away from the extended arm to breathe, looking down when not breathing
Paddle on Head: Helps maintain a neutral head position while breathing by placing a paddle on the crown of your head and swimming freestyle. The paddle will fall off if you lift your head - this is a fairly advanced drill, and some paddles are better than others for this drill.
Single Arm Freestyle: Works on rotation and incorporates the breath into the rotation; swim freestyle with one arm tucked, focusing on rotating and turning the head away from the moving arm to encourage rotation. Wearing fins is recommended for this advanced drill.
Kicking on Side (KoS): Practice kicking on your side with one arm extended. Focus on exhaling slowly while on your side with your face down, and turn your head in a controlled manner to breathe in. A kickboard can be used initially, and fins may help if your kick is weak.
Hypoxic Sets: Swim with a set breathing pattern (e.g., every 3 or 6 strokes, or an odd number for bilateral), focusing on exhaling underwater. These can help improve lung capacity and energy efficiency. Start with shorter distances like 50s or 100s .... Avoid holding your breath during these drills as it can be dangerous.
Breathing Pattern Drills: Practice breathing to your non-dominant side or mixing up your breathing frequency (e.g., breathing every 2 or 4 strokes if you usually breathe every 3) to improve balance.
Improving Breathing Outside the Pool:
You can also work on your breathing and lung capacity outside of swimming.
Slow Down Your Breathing: Consciously reducing your breath rate at rest (e.g., to 8-10 breaths per minute) can signal relaxation.
Train Your Breath: Practice exercises to train your lungs to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide, which can help you hold your breath longer in the pool. An example exercise is inhaling for a count of four, holding for seven, and exhaling for eight.. Stop if you feel lightheaded.
Stretch Your Breathing Muscles: Mobilise your diaphragm and intercostal muscles with stretches, such as standing tall, inhaling deeply while raising arms overhead, focusing on breathing into your belly, then exhaling while lowering arms.
