Swimming

sawtooth

sawtooth

Tour Winner
Joined
Jul 1, 2009
Messages
5,249
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
Since the turn off the year I've been swimming (and Gym-ing) regularly. Its not mid life crisis just want to lose about a stone and tone up a bit.

However, I've never really been shown how to swim bar a few lessons at primary school!

That said I can front crawl OK and i got some tips online, getting better and stronger slowly. Up to about 40 lengths to an hour now.

However, try as I do I cannot master breathing. Tried things i read online but can't get timing right at all. I try all sorts of things but can't nail a regular repeatable pattern. I often swim lengths now holding my breath the whole length!

Any swimmers on here? I need some good tips please.

Or are proper lessons the only way?

I like swimming but would enjoy it more I think if I can do it better. Determined to conquer it ☺
 
You are obviously a lot better than you think you are.
Do you mean you can swim 40 lengths in an hour.

How many lengths do you do at a time?
How often do you breathe at the moment when your not holding your breath for the whole length?
 
Ok...as you reach out with your left arm you also twist your torso somewhat so you're not now facing the bottom of the pool. As the left arm pushes down through the water and your right arm exits just turn your head slightly towards the space under your right armpit, grab some air and repeat. Make sure you force the air back out when your head is submerged or you haven't got any lung space for more!

Sounds easy and when you get it - it is :-)

http://www.swimsmooth.com/breathing.html
 
For what it is worth I think the answer maybe to swim as slowly as you can and match your breathing to your stroke and not vice versa.
If you can do 40 lengths you already are a very capable swimmer.
Dewsweeper
 
pokerjoke said:
You are obviously a lot better than you think you are.
Do you mean you can swim 40 lengths in an hour.

How many lengths do you do at a time?
How often do you breathe at the moment when your not holding your breath for the whole length?
Click to expand...

Yes that is the most I racked up but thats not continuously!, I take time out at each end often to get my breath back, then go again. Maybe most I have done is 3-4 straight in a row with about a break but thats not the norm. My breathing varies, I've tried to come up for air on 2nd, 3rd,4th,etc strokes, I've tried trickle breathing out under water and I've tried breathing out in bursts. I guess my most normal length is to breathe 2-3 times a length but my head invariably comes completely out of the water gasping.

AmandaJR said:
Ok...as you reach out with your left arm you also twist your torso somewhat so you're not now facing the bottom of the pool. As the left arm pushes down through the water and your right arm exits just turn your head slightly towards the space under your right armpit, grab some air and repeat. Make sure you force the air back out when your head is submerged or you haven't got any lung space for more!

Sounds easy and when you get it - it is :-)

http://www.swimsmooth.com/breathing.html
Click to expand...

Thanks I will try that, the problem is that when I come up for air I find myself exhaling first then breathing in. Its a lot more difficult then I thought it would be.

dewsweeper said:
For what it is worth I think the answer maybe to swim as slowly as you can and match your breathing to your stroke and not vice versa.
If you can do 40 lengths you already are a very capable swimmer.
Dewsweeper
Click to expand...

I have tried varying my pace nothing I try yet has worked very reliably. I watch other swimmers and they make it look so easy and smooth.



chrisd said:
Would have been worse if the "S" had fallen off your Speedo's !!
Click to expand...

:rofl:
 
My wife and daughter are qualified swimming teachers, and I used to coach at a club in our area when my daughter swam for them.

Holding you breath for a quick 25 metres is fine, but you will be knackered afterwards.;) You need to get a regular breathing pattern for longer distances, and every three arm pulls would be fine to start with. You will then be breathing alternate sides, and not put too much pressure on one side of your neck. Master this and you could increase to every five arm pulls.

Ideally you should breath in with your mouth as close to the water as possible, so your head stays low. You should then exhale under the water, so you are ready to take your next breath. As well as keeping your head low, you need to keep it as still as possible, don't roll otherwise you will lose your streamline position.

Personally I would get a lesson, not only for your breathing but also for your stroke in general. It is so much easier to swim with the correct technique, but the longer you keep swimming with potentially the wrong one the harder it will be to break any bad habits.

If it doesn't work, you could always swim breastroke, as the breathing is much easier.;) Backstroke is probably not the best stroke for a crowded public pool.;)
 
richart said:
My wife and daughter are qualified swimming teachers, and I used to coach at a club in our area when my daughter swam for them.

Holding you breath for a quick 25 metres is fine, but you will be knackered afterwards.;) You need to get a regular breathing pattern for longer distances, and every three arm pulls would be fine to start with. You will then be breathing alternate sides, and not put too much pressure on one side of your neck. Master this and you could increase to every five arm pulls.


Ideally you should breath in with your mouth as close to the water as possible, so your head stays low. You should then exhale under the water, so you are ready to take your next breath. As well as keeping your head low, you need to keep it as still as possible, don't roll otherwise you will lose your streamline position.

Personally I would get a lesson, not only for your breathing but also for your stroke in general. It is so much easier to swim with the correct technique, but the longer you keep swimming with potentially the wrong one the harder it will be to break any bad habits.

If it doesn't work, you could always swim breastroke, as the breathing is much easier.;) Backstroke is probably not the best stroke for a crowded public pool.;)
Click to expand...

Yes thats me.

The closest thing I got to a regular, sustainable pattern was by breathing out in 3 big bursts, then I was more or less ready to come up for air on the 4th stroke.

Breastroke is OK breathing wise but I'm very slow at it.

I will try for a few more sessions with some fresh suggestions on here then if no improvement will get some lessons. And if that doesnt do it then I will try one of those special front snorkels for swimmers - might not look as knobbish as the normal snorkel shoved in the side of my goggles.
 
sawtooth said:
Yes thats me.

The closest thing I got to a regular, sustainable pattern was by breathing out in 3 big bursts, then I was more or less ready to come up for air on the 4th stroke.

Breastroke is OK breathing wise but I'm very slow at it.

I will try for a few more sessions with some fresh suggestions on here then if no improvement will get some lessons. And if that doesnt do it then I will try one of those special front snorkels for swimmers - might not look as knobbish as the normal snorkel shoved in the side of my goggles.
Click to expand...

Blow steady bubbles underwater, rather than big bursts. My daughter struggled with her breathing when she first joined the swimming club, and had a very jerky stroke. Over night she mastered the breathing, and she had one of the best front crawl strokes at the club. She also used to do 3,000 metres in a training session at 12, so you need to get your finger out.;)
 
It does sound like your ain issue is not breathing out under the water in order to then take a smooth, controlled breath when you turn your head. Just not enough time to exhale and inhale without disrupting the stroke. Plus breath holding is hard work. Perhaps try standing at the shallow end, bend forward so your head is submerged and front crawl arms to get a feel for how to breath out under and in above the water?
 
I'm actually banned from my local swimming baths!
Last time there I thought I'd have a sneaky pee, as I suspect most people do.
Unfortunately the life-guard noticed what I was doing.
He shouted so loudly ................................ I nearly fell in!



Slime.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Meeko
New to the forum with a couple of questions!
Replies
19
Views
3K
London mike 61
L
MikeH
Golf Monthly forum - please read this
2 3
Replies
43
Views
6K
Mark_G
Mark_G
Top