Breathing

**FitnessPhotos** · January 30th, 2006, 09:46 AM

I've never been a swimmer, but it's something I'd like to try to learn to do properly; I can swim, mind you, just the head up with legs and legs working - not very effective for any kind of distance.

How does one go about learning the whole 'tilting head to breath' technique without gulping in water?

swimmerfan · January 30th, 2006, 09:53 AM

Try over-rotating and looking at the ceiling of the pool as you inhale. It's a skill that will easily develop over time. After you twist your torso, tun your head, too. This exaggerated motion should get your mouth far enough out of the water for a breathe. The other thing to remember is that you will get a mouthful now and again. Don't panic just put put it back wherre it came from...Good luck. I believe it's the single best form of exercise and one that's entirely underrated.

**FitnessPhotos** · January 30th, 2006, 09:57 AM

Okay, I'll give it a try and let you know what happens.

I tried swimming some laps yesterday and with a strong upper body and legs, I could do lengths quickly. However I was sucking wind at the end as I was barely breathing and had to gulp air at the other end to recover - clearly not going to work when you have to swim more than a length at a time.

thecameraguy99 · January 30th, 2006, 11:05 AM

As weird as it sounds you will get used to it and it becomes natural. Your body's momentum often is enough to keep your head enough above water that a slight turn will get your mouth out of the water to take a breath (in a pool at least). In the ocean its a bit more challenging since waves tend to go wherever they want.

**engr** · January 30th, 2006, 11:52 AM

Hey FP, glad to hear you are giving swimming a shot. Here are some good links for freestyle form. You'll find that while the head up, flail mightily, kick like crazy method will get you from point A to B, it takes a lot of energy. As your form improves, you will use less energy and gulping for air will decrease.

http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Sports/...imming-01.html

Ideally, your body should remain as streamlined as possible while stroking as well as when breathing.

Here is a great article on technique and how to avoid injuries. It is different than what I learned as a competitive swimmer, but what is said makes sense to me and I have seen my share of the types of injuries discussed.

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/...03/johnson.htm

Good luck!

Just don't let this happen to you....

**FitnessPhotos** · January 30th, 2006, 01:18 PM

I'll check those links out. Today didn't go as well as I would have liked. I started out with the kickboard and trying to just work on my head and breathing - seems to go okay, but I didn't like blowing bubbles up into my goggles; so I worked on blowing bubble back.

Then I tried swimming, but that didn't go so well. I find I need more time to take in more air, so as my arm was coming over, I ended up pushing my head into the water and taking in some water. I guess I need to either breath in air quicker or breath more shallow?

I can see how the energy thing works; I can swim like heck across the pool, but then I'm winded because I wasn't breathing very well and ended up holding my breath most of the way across.

I'm going to spend more time working with the kickboard for the next week or so - and read those articles. Seems almost like a hopeless cause at this point, but it must just take some more practice.

**wevodau** · January 30th, 2006, 02:35 PM

My old lady was a college swimmer and still is very competitive in the sport. I could never understand how someone could move so fast in a pool until she explained it too me. She described it just like jogging or sprinting. The faster a person moves in a pool has a direct relationship with the amount of oxygen they're getting. She told me when she swam she would almost have to turn her head almost 180 degrees and get the biggest gasp of air she could. This would maximize her speed within the duration until she had to turn for air again. So try turning your head as far as you can go to get air.

**engr** · January 30th, 2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitnessPhotos

I'll check those links out. Today didn't go as well as I would have liked. I started out with the kickboard and trying to just work on my head and breathing - seems to go okay, but I didn't like blowing bubbles up into my goggles; so I worked on blowing bubble back.

Then I tried swimming, but that didn't go so well. I find I need more time to take in more air, so as my arm was coming over, I ended up pushing my head into the water and taking in some water. I guess I need to either breath in air quicker or breath more shallow?

I can see how the energy thing works; I can swim like heck across the pool, but then I'm winded because I wasn't breathing very well and ended up holding my breath most of the way across.

I'm going to spend more time working with the kickboard for the next week or so - and read those articles. Seems almost like a hopeless cause at this point, but it must just take some more practice.

It'll come. Just takes time and practice...bet you've never heard THAT before lol.
It's hard to do the breathing properly with the kickboard because the breathing motion should be integrated into your stroke. The kickboard is good to get head position correct, body posture correct, etc. but, IMHO, is not the best for figuring out your breathing rhythm. That is best accomplished while swimming, and yes, you will half drown yourself a couple of times.

One other way to work the breathing motion is to practice it out of the water. Lay on a weight bench, coffee table, floor, whatever and move your arms in the freestyle stroke. As your arm comes to the point where it would be exiting the water there is a natural tendency for the body to roll this is the time to turn your head to take a breath. The breath begins as your arm exits the water and is completed by the time your arm is passing your face. Your head should be back straight and your head and body in line as your hand enters the water ahead of you. Easy enough to practice this at home, not to mention providing a good show for Mrs. FP and the FP girls

Let me know how it goes next time in the pool. Keep at it.

**whatabetty** · January 30th, 2006, 07:57 PM

WOW, FP, in the pool! Rightous!!! Baby if I can come as far as I have in the pool, you can swim at least a "250" Using the kickboard helped me the most to get my breathing down. Also I got a good tip. When I turn my head to breath, turn your head to where your lying your ear on your arm. Does that make sense? Good luck!!

**FitnessPhotos** · January 30th, 2006, 08:40 PM

Yeah, big suprise. It's part of my Out Of The Box Challange post I made in the other section; trying something very different from my usual stuff.

I think I have water in my ears..... sigh*

**engr** · January 31st, 2006, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitnessPhotos

I think I have water in my ears..... sigh*

LOL, get used to it...A few drops of rubbing alchohol will help that out.

jcs777 · January 31st, 2006, 11:31 AM

Another quick note on breathing...
When swimming the freestyle/crawl stroke, one arm will be extended in front at the point you take a breath, right? So you turn to the opposite side, and if you are moving as fast as a burly dude like FP would be, your forehead creates an automatic "trough" in the water flow right in front of you mouth. That should make it so you don't have to crank your hips/neck quite so far to the side.

HOWEVER... good hip/shoulder rotation is VERY key to a fast and efficient crawl stroke. Watch guys like Michael Phelps(he lives close to you, FP) or Josh Davis swim, and you'll see that with every stroke they rotate nearly 180 degrees. This twisting motion helps their stroking hand get deeper into the water below them, allowing them to grab the colder, denser, and more immobile water down there.

That's a lot to get, but I would recommend what everyone else has- practice, practice, practice. Perhaps more in swimming than any other sport, time in the water is the most crucial factor in improvement.

Good luck, and have a blast.

jcs777 · January 31st, 2006, 11:40 AM

Oh yeah, FP, I live the the DC area too, and would be willing to give you private lessons (from an NCAA championship swimmer) for the low, low price of say, $500 per hour. Cheap cheap! Let me know when you want to start- payments can be made through PayPal...
Josh

**FitnessPhotos** · January 31st, 2006, 01:35 PM

Thanks, Josh; I'll keep that in mind and such a bargain!

Today (Day 3) was a little better, did kickboard the whole time and worked on my twisting and breathing. One thing I notice is that I tend to take in alot of air, typical of working out where you take deep breaths and exhale during the lift; seems I need to work on breathing a little "shallower".

I'm going to do a little reading and try to spend 2-3 days a week practicing.

**engr** · January 31st, 2006, 01:47 PM

Glad to hear it's going better.

I wouldn't worry too much about how deep your breaths are until you've got the technique down, then we can work on all kinds of niggly things like stroke speed, rotation while breathing, breathing to both sides, etc, etc, etc....

**whatabetty** · January 31st, 2006, 05:57 PM

first things first, relax and breathe, BIg Daddy!

**biscuitman357** · February 1st, 2006, 05:35 AM

For someone just starting back up the pool again, I'd suggest getting a snorkel. It takes the pressure off of your shoulders and neck from the constant turning and it makes the breathing issue less of an issue in the beginning.

After you get more comfortable, then ween yourself off the snorkel. Folks who try to work on their technique and breathing at the same time often pick up some kind of bad habit.

KAG55 · February 2nd, 2006, 05:37 AM

It sounds to me that you're building up toward nailing down front crawl, yes? I lifeguard/instruct swimming in the summers and breating does tend to throw off a fair share of swimmers initially. As others have already mentioned, the key really is just repetition/practice, but to help clarify a little (I hope)... when breathing, you want to turn your head directly to the side, parallel with the surface of the water. The general rule of thumb is that when you breathe between strokes for front crawl, your ear should be flat in the water when you turn your head to the side. If it's not, that means that either you're not lifting your head high enough to allow for enough air (and probably gulping some water) or you're lifting your head too high, which will in turn throw off your body rotation during the stroke, slow you down, and give you less control over your direction.

Hope that was somewhat clear.