Freestyle Breathing - How to breathe while swimming

We cannot breathe underwater, so the moments we have to breathe are limited. This limitation complicates swimming. It adds a stressor to the body. Being relaxed and breathing properly delivers oxygen to your muscles and helps you swim more efficiently and comfortably. The more efficient your breathing technique, the less impact it has on your stroke.

[mrtonywu]

As a self taught swimmer, this has been the biggest challenge to me. Trying to go back and master this at 39!

[rahulviveka]

The main concept is relaxed while breathing. Breathing should feel like in land. Continuously breathing out beneath the water and allowing air to fill when one turns the head. The main mantra is relaxed breathing and not forcing anything. Once one can master breathing swimming becomes natural like walking. I can now swim 1 hour continuously without getting tired and I am a obese person. One doesn’t have to be fit for swimming. It’s all technique relaxed and natural.

[s]

I was the best swimmer at my school and thought I was good but had absolutely no clue about proper breathing techniques as I just taught myself. When I saw real club swimmers I was overwhelmed and quit. Now at 30 I’m getting back into it learning correct technique. Thanks for this.

[douweodh]

Doing this now for 5 months at age 44 and finally getting the hang of it. Most important for me was to keep one goggle under water when inhaling (don’t look to the ceiling which will ruin your balance, drain your energy and hurt your neck).

[lalithavikas]

I am asthmatic still I wanted to learn swimming. 2 months back I started and it was absolutely difficult and challenging in each level of freestyle. But crossing 25meter was my goal and yesterday I was able to achieve that. Still lot of practice is required to improve/correct. I am doing back kicking also. I believe
GoalHardworkPatience is the key .

[christopherpitts]

My breathing limits my workout and speed. I’ve gotta get this figured out. Looks so easy

[christopher]

The air pocket will only be big enough if you generate enough (and constant) speed. Compare a ship which is only slowly floating through the water: it will hardly have a bow wave. In this video, the swimmer is clearly swimming at a good speed. People who swim marathons / those who swim in open water / older people will use a different technique, with more lifting/rotating of the head and body, and usually less leg movement. A lot depends on your stature and mobility as well. So, in all, this video is fairly theoretical for many people.

[MNmp]

It is so clear to understand here that not many people are able to explain this correct breathing technique to the point. Great explanation with the right details needed to understand the timing.

[opnwatta]

not all human are blessed with ability to swim and breath properly, be grateful huhu

[OptimusPrime]

I watched several videos with different advice and techniques. I like this one the most. I’m gonna try this way tomorrow. 😬

[marytornetta]

I was literally in the pool before I could walk and when I was a kid I was a strong swimmer. As a teen I could swim miles in the lake without feeling tired. Then decades passed and I got older and fatter and forgot how to breathe! Sounds so stupid, but I get half way across an Olympic sized pool now and have to grasp the side or the ropes so I don't drown. I plan to try to practice these breathing techniques this week. Please pray that I don't suffer the humiliation of needing a lifeguard at the YMCA. Thank you for the pointers!

[LRyan-liwr]

As a true blue beginner, this is an excellent video. I particularly like the "slow-motion" demonstration. Learning on my own, without any instruction, I found that wearing goggles helps immensely.
The next thing I learned is that you need to exhale while underwater, whether through your nose or mouth I have yet to determine, but nevertheless you must "exhale".
Holding your breath does not work
However, I found that "exhaling" under water HAS caused water to get into my goggles which forces me to stand up and stop!
I am still working at obtaining a "natural" swim, breathing like I'm on land, and hopefully I will find the rhythym and be able to master the beauty of a natural rhythmic swim!

[chims]

This is by far the best video explaining breathing while swimming! 👍🏼

[FrancesWhite-wr]

I'm a pensioner learning to swim and my instructor says I'm doing really well but I'm finding it hard to learn to breathe which is so annoying! I found your video very helpful and I shall try my hardest to master this technique! Thank you.

[Trenasist]

The outward breathing you describe is contrary to a lot of coaches' advice about *replacing* your air from fully exhaling.
Fully inhaling and exhaling prevents the Co2 build-up in your blood.
Try examine the way you breathe while running. You wouldn't breathe out only 50% because then your intake will be a constant 50/50 mix, which creates a thing called 'oxygen debt' which happens when your body is having to catch up.
Your 50/50 decreases to 40/60, 30/70, 20/80, then you'll feel you're suffocating. This would feel worse in the water, for you have the risk of becoming critically lethargic and accidentally swallowing water.
But like anything, the more relaxed you are in your rhythm of breathing, the less need for you to *gasp* for air. Emphasizing the need to be relaxed will give the swimmer the grace of having oxygen in their system, compared to the 50/50 method in which you describe, that provides little oxygen saturation

[KorbinKorbinGutierrez]

Nothing more to explain.Understandable and detail explanation.Clear video. Thank you. Excellent work Thank you so much .

[Vinz_THE-RAVEN_]

when i was young i swim almost every sunday with my dad, pool and beach. Then when i came out to work, i barely touch swim anymore. Now I'm 32 and out of a sudden i feel like swimming again, i need to learn breathing more than posture, my body remember the movement but my lungs can't do that quick exchange anymore😅😅thanks to video like this to remind me a little before i go swimming next time.

[umanambi]

Nothing more to explain.
Understandable and detail explanation.
Clear video. Thank you

[imranshamsuddin]

i have watched many videos and been practicing for last few weeks, but still couldn't ace breathing yet. hope this video will help me at next session

[Gigismum]

Fantastic video! I will be saving it to re-watch and re-watch.