General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Need BASIC swimming help with breathing Rss Feed  
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2006-10-26 10:48 AM

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Subject: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
I have read through the many many threads on improving swimming, but I need to back WAAAAYYY up and get some basic help. I have always had a fear of water, and I think I have narrowed it down specifically to breathing while swimming. I love doing the backstroke or side crawl, and I am SCUBA certified. I couldn't believe the day I actually took my mask off 30 feet underwater, put it back on, and cleared the water out. But despite all of this, and generally being a daredevil, I can't get down breathing during a front crawl.

I was wondering if anyone had an anecdote of getting over that feeling of panic which results in crazy breathing and probably hyperventilating. (I'm a sinker, too) I have gotten a little bit better by using my dive mask to cover my nose (laugh if you must), while I wait for a nose clip and a new pair of swim goggles. But I still am not breathing comfortably when I do breathe, despite trying to expel all of my air and take a good breath when I come up for air.

So, any thoughts? I'm willing to try anything... I hired a private swim coach, but for a first lesson we didn't get around to more than 4 strokes at a time and that was okay because we would stop and chat about technique and so I never got out of breath.


2006-10-26 11:54 AM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
When I started swimming I couldn't even put my head under water, so you're one step ahead of me. First of all, you're not a sinker, you just need to work on body position, and your coach will help you with that. As for the breathing, you need to first calm yourself and stay relax, you'll use less oxygen. What I did to start was to stand at the shallow end of the pool, hold me breath and go under water. Relaxed, and exhaled through my nose. Came up more air and did this for 1 week 30 min at a time. once I was okay, then I could start working on swimming.

Its all going to come together, but remember you're not going to hit the water and swim 2000m in the first week. Swimming is much different than running or cycling, its all about technique. But you're on the right path, and in 3 months you'll post that you swam your first mile.

Edited by snake111 2006-10-26 11:58 AM
2006-10-26 11:59 AM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing

I'm not a coach or anything and have only been swimming for a couple of years, but you could try a long pause in the TI 'Sweet Spot' on your side and kick along with your face out of the water for a while.  In fact, TI has some great drills that you could do right now that would probably help.  It's all about balance and relaxation in the water...the more relaxed you get, the better you can breathe, which makes you more relaxed.  Unfortunately, the other cycle is also true - you're nervous about breathing which makes it harder to breathe which makes you more nervous... 

Maybe try kicking on your side for awhile - the underwater arm extended and the above water arm laying along your side...do 10 kicks or so, then do three strokes so you come out on the other side and kick along on that side for awhile.  Then just decrease the length of the pause until you're swimming along.  If you get out of breath, you can do this anytime... 

The one thing I'm sure of is that you WILL get it! 

2006-10-26 12:02 PM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing

Good for you on attacking the problem.  I think you have already found the answer by having a coach.  Hands-on and in-person is a heck of a lot better than on-line. 

 There are several drills that you can use to help get the proper rythem and timing while swimming free. One of the very basic drill that kids do to get their   timing and rythem is bobs or bobbing while holding onto  the side of the pool.  This helps with the feeling of having to exhale in the water and inhale above the surface while the water is in your face.  Also help you learn to control the water that might seep into your nose by practicing blowing out by your nose at the same time. If at all possible try not to use the nose clip.  You are at a stage in your swim training that you can get beyond the use of the clip with proper technique at the start.  

Good luck.  Keep us posted on your progress

2006-10-26 12:04 PM
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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
soloryder - 2006-10-26 12:02 PM

Good for you on attacking the problem.  I think you have already found the answer by having a coach.  Hands-on and in-person is a heck of a lot better than on-line. 

 There are several drills that you can use to help get the proper rythem and timing while swimming free. One of the very basic drill that kids do to get their   timing and rythem is bobs or bobbing while holding onto  the side of the pool.  This helps with the feeling of having to exhale in the water and inhale above the surface while the water is in your face.  Also help you learn to control the water that might seep into your nose by practicing blowing out by your nose at the same time. If at all possible try not to use the nose clip.  You are at a stage in your swim training that you can get beyond the use of the clip with proper technique at the start.  

Good luck.  Keep us posted on your progress



Yes, I took a TI workshop and this is the technique they stress for "breathing" issues.
2006-10-26 12:13 PM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
Nearly everyone who isn't a swimmer starts out hating the swim part, so you're not alone. Keep that in mind!

Start out by practicing breathing on one side, whatever you're most comfortable with. Roll and breathe on that side with every stroke on that side; don't try to hold your breath so much as practice rolling your body and face out. Don't try to lay flat on the water and just turn your head; roll your whole body and make sure to keep kicking a little so that you don't lose momentum. Also, begin the roll with your midsection...let the middle of your body start the roll towards air and let your face follow it.

But the key is probably proper body position in the water to begin with. Look STRAIGHT down at the bottom of the pool and don't tilt your head forward so that you can see where you're going. You want to have only the back of your head out of the water, typically. Like you're swimming downhill. Most people who have body position trouble are too upright in the water with their upper body, which means that they are basically giving their legs a head start to sink. Watch some videos online, like this one:

http://www.faculty.sbc.edu/mcalarco/hackett1.mpeg

Notice how he is reaching forward with his arms. I really feel like reaching helps me maintain a neutral body position.


2006-10-26 12:18 PM
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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
I agree with whoever mentioned ditching the nose clip. It can become a crutch, and what happens if it gets kicked off in a mass start? Also, exhaling through the nose AND mouth insures that all your air is gone, making your lungs empty and ready to accept air when you turn. Part of the breathing issue is related to an arms issue. People tend to take these UBER FAST UBER HARD strokes, expelling a TON of energy just to move through the water. Swimming is sort of zen in the way that effective, fast swimmers typically don't have that much arm splash. The drive of the strok comes from pulling your hand from shoulder to hip, not from slapping the water people! Consider slowing down your arm turnover. Also, pick a breathing pattern. I'm a HUGE HUGE advocate of the 3 breath breathing pattern because it forces you to breathe bilaterally, but if you've got water issues, don't push it, pick a pattern that's comfortable for you. I will say, however, a 3 or more stroke pattern gives you more time to push out your air (I'm assuming you've got a pretty good capacity--sounds like you do).

Good luck, keep at it. It can be very hard to learn as an adult, and so few do, so kudos to you for taking a big step.

Edited by phoenixazul 2006-10-26 12:19 PM
2006-10-26 12:45 PM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing

good on you for starting to swim - you'll come to love it i promise!

my advice would be practice your breathing as stated above whilst holding on to the side and just move your head from facing straight down and exhaling fully and then tilt your head to take your breath in.

ditch the nose clip - you need both breathing orifices available, and always always breathe out fully when your face is in the water; sounds basic but by not breathing out fully you then try to do both when your face is out the water and that leads to hyperventilating.

good luck!

2006-10-26 3:54 PM
in reply to: #579912

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
Thank you everyone! I think I better start with the holding to the side of the pool and just breathing and work up from there. I am having thoughts like "Maybe I'm just cut out for duathlons..." but I don't want to give up yet! I will look forward to posting my "I finally got it!" thread

Oh - and I love the long pause idea. When I am panicking I know I stop kicking, so that would be a great drill. I hadn't heard that one before.

Edited by BikerGrrrl 2006-10-26 3:55 PM
2006-10-26 4:09 PM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
When I was coaching and teaching adults to swim, the one thing that help MOST is bubbles. Sounds kind of dumb, but one reason you feel panic is because you are holding your breath under water, and exhaling and trying to breath in when your head is up. You don't have the time to do this. As was mentioned in a previous post, you must exhale all your air while your face is in the water. Practice blowing bubbles. Before you start your laps, go under water a couple of times and blow out all your air, come up just enough time to breath in once, then immediately go back down. Do that a couple of times to get into the rhythm. I also agree that a nose clip is crutch. You really need to try not to use it at all. But if it gets you going, try swimming with it at first, but make sure you swim some laps every time without it, eventually never.

*no matter when your face is in the water, concentrate on “blowing bubbles.” Meaning – when you wash your face, when you take a shower anything.. Make it a daily occurrence. I have had a lot of positive response to that.

It really takes a lot of practice.
I actually swim with my mouth slightly open. It helps me let all my air out. If I get water in my mouth, it just comes out with the bubbles. A lot of x-comp swimmers do this. Just another idea.
2006-10-27 5:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
BikerGrrrl - 2006-10-26 2:54 PM

Thank you everyone! I think I better start with the holding to the side of the pool and just breathing and work up from there. I am having thoughts like "Maybe I'm just cut out for duathlons..." but I don't want to give up yet! I will look forward to posting my "I finally got it!" thread

Oh - and I love the long pause idea. When I am panicking I know I stop kicking, so that would be a great drill. I hadn't heard that one before.


Note that soloryder talked about "bobbing" while holding onot the side of the pool, not laying flat while holding onto the side and turning yoru head to breath. Part of breathing well is learning to rotate yoru body so you don't have to pick up or turn your head. Practicing a "swim breath" holding on to the side of the pool might interfere with you learning proper technique later.

The TI progression of swim drills incorporates good form from the start, like the side lying drills mentioned above.


2006-10-29 5:00 PM
in reply to: #579725

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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
When learning to breathe properly in the water, I practiced by using a kickboard.  I'd  use alternate hands on the board while swimming with the other. With the kickboard, I could hold my face underwater and practice turning sideways slightly to breathe in a steady rhythm, without having to worry about keeping myself afloat.
2006-10-29 9:24 PM
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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing

without reading all the replys, I will suggest this:  work on your body position.

Do side kicks with your head looking upward out of the water.  It's not ideal body position, but it helps get you used to your face in that position.  Once you do a few on the left and the right, add the zipper switch.  To do this, you start on your side with your bottom arm extended out in front and your top arm at your side.  Look straight down at bottom of the pool.  Take your top arm and slide it underwater until your hand is up by your head.  As you extend that arm further, you are going to fall over to the other side while pulling your bottom hand back to your hip.  I say fall beacuse you are balanced on your side and rolling between sides is really falling to a new stable point.  When you practice this, you will feel what I'm talking about.

Okay...it seems like I'm addressing swimming and not breathing....but the reason I am is because if you can hit that ideal body position, then your head is automatically put in the proper position to breathe.  Before I wasn't rolling fully and could only breathe to my right.  Once I drilled the heck out of my body position, i could suddenly bilateral breathe.  Breathing to my left was just as easy.  It was all because of my body position.

2006-10-29 9:36 PM
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Subject: RE: Need BASIC swimming help with breathing
vortmax - 2006-10-29 8:24 PM

without reading all the replys, I will suggest this: work on your body position.

Do side kicks with your head looking upward out of the water. It's not ideal body position, but it helps get you used to your face in that position. Once you do a few on the left and the right, add the zipper switch. To do this, you start on your side with your bottom arm extended out in front and your top arm at your side. Look straight down at bottom of the pool. Take your top arm and slide it underwater until your hand is up by your head. As you extend that arm further, you are going to fall over to the other side while pulling your bottom hand back to your hip. I say fall beacuse you are balanced on your side and rolling between sides is really falling to a new stable point. When you practice this, you will feel what I'm talking about.

Okay...it seems like I'm addressing swimming and not breathing....but the reason I am is because if you can hit that ideal body position, then your head is automatically put in the proper position to breathe. Before I wasn't rolling fully and could only breathe to my right. Once I drilled the heck out of my body position, i could suddenly bilateral breathe. Breathing to my left was just as easy. It was all because of my body position.



Exactly!
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