Breathing might seem like a simple, straightforward process, but in swimming, it takes on a whole new level of importance. Proper breathing isn’t just about getting enough air—it’s a key component of swimming efficiently and confidently. Whether you’re gliding through the water during a leisurely swim or aiming to improve your techniques, knowing how to breathe properly while swimming can make a world of difference.
Many swimmers struggle with the coordination to time their breaths with their strokes. Without the right techniques, it’s easy to feel out of sync, lose momentum, or become fatigued too quickly. That’s where learning how to breathe while swimming becomes indispensable.
With the right guidance, you can master breathing techniques that help you swim longer, faster, and more efficiently.
What is Swimming Breathing?
Swimming breathing refers to the controlled process of inhaling and exhaling while swimming. Unlike breathing on land, where you can breathe naturally, swimming demands precise coordination between your strokes and your breath. This is because your face is submerged, leaving only brief moments to inhale air. So, you need to learn how to time your breathing.
A significant aspect of breathing when swimming is the focus on exhaling underwater. Many swimmers make the mistake of holding their breath while submerged, which creates tension and limits your ability to inhale efficiently when your face is above water.
Steady and rhythmic breathing helps your lungs prepare to breathe air and maintain a steady flow of oxygen for your body. When done correctly, it helps prevent fatigue, allowing you to sustain energy over longer distances. This technique is especially helpful for beginners who may feel out of breath or overwhelmed in the waters.
With enough practice, you’ll find that controlled breathing transforms swimming from a struggle into a fluid, enjoyable experience! Yet, it helps to know the techniques that can help you regulate your breathing better while swimming.
10 Breathing Techniques You Need To Know
1. Exhale Fully Underwater
One of the most important skills to master is exhaling underwater. Holding your breath underwater might seem natural, especially for beginners, but it creates unnecessary tension in your body and can leave you gasping for air when you resurface. This disrupts your rhythm and can make swimming feel more exhausting than it needs to be.
The key here is to exhale steadily and completely while your face is submerged. Doing this ensures that your lungs are ready to take in a full breath of air as soon as your head breaks the surface. A simple way to practice this is by blowing bubbles through your nose or mouth. This helps you expel all the air and keeps you calm and focused in the water.
Exhaling underwater also reduces the buildup of carbon dioxide in your body, which can otherwise create a feeling of urgency or panic. Adopting this technique makes it easier to keep your movements smooth and your breathing controlled, making your overall swimming experience much more enjoyable.
2. Inhale Quickly And Efficiently
Swimming only has brief windows to take in air. As your head breaks the water’s surface, you aim to maximise this moment with a sharp and controlled inhale through your mouth. This ensures you get the oxygen you need without disrupting the flow of your stroke.
Timing is everything here. Start turning your head slightly as your leading arm pulls through the water, aligning the inhale with your body’s natural motion. This coordination minimises resistance and helps maintain your rhythm.
This technique also helps you stay relaxed in the water. By mastering the art of efficient inhalation, you avoid overcomplicating your breathing pattern, which can lead to unnecessary tension. Over time, this approach becomes second nature, allowing you to swim freely with greater ease.
3. Practice Rhythmic Breathing
Swimming is all about flow, technique, and practice. Practicing rhythmic breathing helps keep your movements and breathing in sync. For many swimmers, a common rhythm is breathing every three strokes, but the ideal count can vary based on personal preference and swimming intensity.
A consistent breathing rhythm helps you stay in control during your swim, reducing the likelihood of feeling winded or disoriented. Following a set pattern, your body learns to anticipate when to inhale and exhale, making the process feel more natural over time. This body coordination helps avoid over-breathing or under-breathing, reducing your rhythm and impacting your performance.
To find the rhythm that works best for you:
- Start with basic drills.
- Swim short distances while counting your strokes and timing your breaths.
- Experiment with breathing every two, three, or even five strokes.
There’s no wrong or right way here, so adjust based on your comfort level and endurance.
4. Keep Your Head Low
Keeping your head low while breathing is a simple yet impactful technique that can greatly improve your swimming abilities. Your body alignment is disrupted when you lift your head too far out of the water to inhale. This creates unnecessary drag, slows your momentum, and forces your legs to sink slightly, making it harder to maintain a smooth stroke.
Instead, focus on turning your head slightly to the side during each breath, keeping one ear in the water. This position and breathing motion do not interfere with the rhythm of your strokes, keeping your movements fluid and coordinated. To practice this technique, pay attention to the position of your body during each breath. Imagine your head resting on an invisible pillow, with only a small portion of your face breaking the surface to inhale. This visualisation can help you avoid over-rotating or lifting your head unnecessarily high.
This technique may initially feel awkward, especially if you’re used to lifting your head fully. However, with consistent practice, you’ll find it becomes second nature. Not only will it improve your stroke, but it will also make breathing feel more natural and less strenuous.
5. Coordinate Your Breathing With Strokes
Proper synchronisation ensures that breathing becomes a natural part of your stroke cycle, allowing you to focus on your movements rather than worrying about when to take your next breath. For freestyle, this means timing your exhalation and inhalation to align seamlessly with the motion of your arms.
Start by exhaling steadily underwater as one arm moves back. This clears your lungs to take a quick, fresh breath when your head turns to the side with the opposite arm’s movement. When that arm moves forward again, your face should be in the water, ready to continue swimming smoothly.
This coordination keeps your movements flowing and avoids pauses that can throw you off. To practice, swim slowly and focus on timing your breaths with your strokes. Count your strokes and find the point where breathing feels natural. With practice, this technique will make your swimming more controlled and efficient.
6. Focus On Relaxation
When your body is tense, your movements become rigid, and your breathing can feel forced or shallow. Tension often builds in the face, neck, and shoulders, making breathing harder and disrupting your swimming rhythm. Focusing on staying relaxed allows your body to move more naturally and efficiently through the water.
Start by paying attention to your facial muscles. A tight jaw or clenched teeth can signal tension that spreads to the rest of your body. Instead, consciously relax your face and let your mouth and jaw feel loose. This small adjustment can make exhaling underwater and inhaling above water feel much smoother.
Your shoulders and arms are important for smooth swimming. If they’re stiff, moving freely and timing your breathing with your strokes is harder. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down to let your arms move naturally. This helps your strokes feel smoother and less forced.
Relaxation isn’t just about your body—it’s also about your mindset. If you feel stressed or rushed, your breathing can become uneven. Stay calm by focusing on a steady breathing rhythm and trusting your movements. Take your time and relax both your body and mind. This will make breathing easier and swimming more enjoyable.
7. Train With Breathing Drills
Training with breathing drills is a great way to improve your swimming technique and overall endurance. These drills help you focus on your breathing patterns and lung capacity, giving you more control and confidence in the water. Growth requires challenge, so start challenging yourself with specific breathing exercises; you can gradually build your ability and confidence during longer swims.
Breathing drills are a great way to improve your breathing control while swimming. These exercises help you stay relaxed and make your breathing smoother and easier. One simple exercise is practising steady, controlled breathing at different speeds. During slower swims, focus on staying relaxed and keeping your breathing calm. For faster swims, practice staying in control while breathing efficiently. This helps you adapt to different swimming situations and builds your confidence.
These drills are easy to adjust for any skill level. Start slow, and as you practice regularly, you’ll find it easier to breathe naturally and enjoy your swim more.
8. Use Sight Breathing For Open Water
Sight breathing is helpful for open water swimming, where you don’t have pool walls or lanes to guide you. It involves lifting your head just enough to check your position while keeping your breathing steady. This way, you can stay on course without interrupting your swim.
To do this:
- Start exhaling underwater and then tilt your head slightly forward so your eyes come out of the water.
- Look for a landmark like a buoy or a shoreline, then turn your head to the side for a quick breath.
- Once inhaled, return to your usual swimming position and continue your strokes smoothly.
Add short sighting drills to practice during your swims. Every few strokes, lift your head briefly to get used to combining sightings with breathing. The goal is to keep your movements fluid and avoid lifting your head too high, which can slow you down or throw off your rhythm.
Learning sight breathing makes open water swimming easier and more comfortable. You’ll feel more confident knowing you can stay on track without losing your flow.
9. Monitor Your Breathing Rate
Keeping track of your breathing rate is a key part of swimming comfortably and efficiently. If you breathe too often, you might take in more air than you need, throwing off your rhythm. On the other hand, if you don’t breathe enough, you might feel out of breath or tired too quickly.
To avoid this, aim for a steady, controlled breathing pace that matches your swimming speed. Pay attention to how often you’re breathing and how it feels. Are you rushing your breaths or holding them too long? Adjust so that your breathing feels natural and doesn’t disrupt your strokes.
Swimming short laps while focusing on your breathing is a good way to practice this. Make sure your lungs feel comfortable and your stroke stays smooth. Over time, you’ll learn what breathing rate works best for you, whether swimming slowly, steadily or pushing harder.
By keeping your breathing rate steady and adjusting when needed, you’ll swim more easily, save energy, and stay in control.
10. Use A Steady Kick To Support Breathing
Keeping a steady kick can make breathing while swimming much easier. Your legs help balance your body, especially when you turn your head to take a breath. A smooth, regular flutter kick keeps you in alignment so you can breathe without losing your rhythm.
If your kick is too strong or uneven, it can throw off your balance and make breathing harder. Focus on small, gentle kicks from your hips, not your knees. This creates a steady base for your body and helps you move smoothly through the water.
You can practice this by swimming a few laps and paying attention to how your kick feels. Keep it even and controlled, ensuring it supports breathing without tiring you out. A steady kick will feel natural with practice, helping you stay balanced and breathe comfortably during any swim.
Common Breathing Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Holding Your Breath Underwater
Holding your breath underwater is a common mistake that many swimmers make, especially beginners. Instead of exhaling steadily, they keep the air in their lungs until it’s time to breathe. This creates a buildup of carbon dioxide, leading to a feeling of discomfort or urgency to inhale. It also causes unnecessary tension, making relaxing and staying in rhythm harder.
Lifting Your Head Too High
Lifting your head too far out of the water when breathing throws off body alignment, increases drag, and slows down forward momentum. It also places extra strain on the neck and shoulders, making the stroke feel more tiring than it should be.
Taking Shallow Breaths
Another frequent error is taking shallow breaths. Instead of a full, deep inhale, swimmers often take quick, incomplete breaths that don’t provide enough oxygen. Over time, this can lead to feeling out of breath or tired, especially during longer swims.
Over-Rotating The Head
Over-rotating the head during breathing is a mistake that disrupts balance and alignment in the water. Turning the head too far can cause the body to twist or wobble, making it harder to maintain a smooth stroke. It also takes extra effort to realign, wasting energy.
Breathing Too Late
Waiting until the very last moment to breathe is a common issue that disrupts the flow of a swim. This often leaves swimmers feeling rushed and unable to take a proper inhale.
Inconsistent Breathing Patterns
Breathing randomly or without a clear pattern creates uneven strokes and disrupts rhythm. This inconsistency can lead to exhaustion, as the swimmer may not get enough oxygen regularly.
Tensing Up
Tension in the face, neck, or shoulders is a subtle but common mistake that affects breathing. Swimmers who feel anxious or stressed often tighten these muscles, which makes it harder to move smoothly and breathe efficiently.
Neglecting Practice For Breathing Techniques
Practice makes perfect, but many swimmers ignore this. They assume their breathing will naturally improve over time, but without focused effort, breathing remains a weak point. This oversight can limit endurance, comfort, and overall progress in swimming.
Different Breathing Techniques For Different Swimming Strokes
Each swimming stroke requires a slightly different approach to breathing. Understanding these variations is essential to properly breathe while swimming in various styles.
Freestyle Breathing
In freestyle, the idea is to coordinate your breathing with arm strokes. As one arm reaches forward, begin exhaling underwater. Turn your head to the side as the other arm recovers, and take a quick breath through your mouth.
- Focus on keeping your head low and aligned with your body.
- Practice bilateral breathing to maintain symmetry and flexibility.
Breaststroke Breathing
The breaststroke allows more time for breathing since the stroke has a natural pause during the glide phase. As you lift your head to inhale, exhale fully when your face returns to the water.
- Avoid lifting your head too high, as this can disrupt body position.
- Time your breath with the upward motion of your arms and legs for a smooth flow.
Backstroke Breathing
Backstroke is unique because your face remains above water, allowing continuous breathing. However, maintaining a steady rhythm is still important to avoid over-breathing.
- Inhale and exhale steadily as your arms alternate overhead.
- Focus on a relaxed head position to ensure smooth airflow.
Butterfly Breathing
Breathing during the butterfly stroke requires precise timing due to the power and rhythm of the stroke. Lift your head forward during the recovery phase of your arms, inhale quickly, and exhale as your face re-enters the water.
- Keep your chin low to the water to minimise drag.
- Practice the timing to avoid disrupting the rhythm of your stroke.
Open Water Breathing
Factors like waves and visibility can affect your performance in open water. Combine sighting with breathing by lifting your head slightly during inhalation. Exhale underwater as usual to maintain rhythm.
- Practice bilateral breathing to handle varying conditions.
- Stay calm and focused, especially in choppy waters.
Conclusion On How To Breathe While Swimming
Breathing is more than just something you do naturally—it’s a skill that can completely change how much you enjoy and perform in the water. By learning how to breathe while swimming and practising simple techniques, you’ll find it easier to swim efficiently, stay relaxed, and build confidence.
At Swimwerks, we believe everyone can become a confident swimmer with the right guidance. Our programs are designed to help you master essential techniques, including breathing, with the support of experienced coaches in a friendly environment.
If you’re ready to improve your swimming skills and unlock your potential, contact us and join a class today. Let’s make every breath in the water count!
Frequently Asked Questions On How To Breathe While Swimming
What Is the Best Way to Practice Breathing for Swimming?
Practice blowing bubbles underwater and timing your exhalation with your head movements in shallow water. Progress to short laps, focusing solely on your breathing rhythm.
Are Breathing Patterns Different For Sprints And Long-Distance Swims?
Yes. Sprinters often breathe less frequently to maintain speed, while long-distance swimmers use a regular breathing pattern to conserve energy and oxygen.
What Causes Shortness Of Breath While Swimming?
Shortness of breath is often caused by holding your breath or shallow inhalation. To avoid this issue, exhale fully underwater and take deep, quick breaths.
Should You Change Your Breathing Technique For Different Strokes?
Yes. Each stroke has specific breathing needs. For example, you turn your head to the side in freestyle, while in breaststroke, you lift your head forward during the glide phase.
What If I Accidentally Swallow Water?
Stay calm and stop swimming if necessary. Take a moment to recover, then focus on turning your head slightly to avoid inhaling water.
Should I Use A Kickboard To Practice Breathing?
A kickboard is a great tool for beginners. It helps you stay afloat so you can focus on timing your breathing and building confidence.