Distance Swimming Breathing: Fundamentals, Frequencies, Drills, and Common Mistakes

How to do distance swimming breathing?

Mastering distance swimming breathing involves a synchronized, rhythmic pattern of exhaling fully underwater and quickly rotating the head to inhale, primarily utilizing bilateral breathing to maintain balance, efficiency, and consistent oxygen supply throughout extended efforts.

The Importance of Proper Breathing in Distance Swimming

Efficient breathing is not merely about getting enough oxygen; it's a cornerstone of effective distance swimming. Poor breathing technique can disrupt body alignment, increase drag, waste energy, and ultimately limit endurance and speed. For distance swimmers, the breath is intrinsically linked to stroke rhythm, body rotation, and overall hydrodynamics, making it a critical skill to master for sustained performance.

The Fundamentals of Distance Swimming Breathing

Developing a robust breathing technique requires understanding several key components and their interaction with your stroke.

• Exhalation Under Water: This is arguably the most crucial and often overlooked aspect. Instead of holding your breath, you should be continuously, gently exhaling into the water from the moment your face enters the water until you rotate to breathe. This prepares your lungs for a quick, full inhale and helps maintain a stable, buoyant body position. Holding your breath increases CO2 levels, creates tension, and makes the inhale feel more desperate and less efficient.
• Head Position and Rotation:
  • Keep your head in line with your spine: When not breathing, your head should be neutral, looking directly down at the bottom of the pool. Avoid lifting your head to look forward, as this drops your hips and creates significant drag.
  • Rotate with your body: Your breath should be an extension of your body's natural rotation. As your body rotates to one side (e.g., left shoulder rotating up for a right-side breath), your head rotates with it. The goal is to get one goggle out of the water just enough to clear your mouth for air, with one goggle remaining in the water.
  • Lead with your chin: Imagine your chin leading the rotation, not your forehead lifting. This keeps your head low and minimizes disruption to your streamlined position.
• Timing with the Stroke:
  • Your inhale should occur as the lead arm (on the side you are breathing towards) is extending forward or just beginning its catch phase. This allows maximum body rotation and leverage.
  • The breath itself is a quick, sharp inhale. You should be able to get a full breath in the brief window your mouth is clear of the water.
  • Immediately after inhaling, your face should return to the water, and you should resume exhaling.

Breathing Frequency for Distance Swimmers

The frequency of your breath impacts oxygen delivery, symmetry, and rhythm. Distance swimmers typically employ specific patterns.

• Bilateral Breathing (Every 3 Strokes): This is the gold standard for distance swimming.
  • What it is: Breathing alternately to the left and right sides (e.g., breathe right, then left, then right).
  • Why it's crucial:
    • Symmetry and Balance: Prevents muscular imbalances that can arise from consistently breathing to one side, leading to a more balanced stroke and reduced injury risk.
    • Improved Body Roll: Encourages equal rotation on both sides of the body, which is vital for efficient propulsion and streamlined movement.
    • Situational Awareness: Allows you to scan both sides in open water, crucial for navigation and safety.
    • Reduced Drag: Often leads to a more consistent and lower head position.
• Every 2 Strokes (Unilateral): While less ideal for long-term symmetry, breathing every two strokes (always to the same side) can be used:
  • For short, high-intensity bursts where maximum oxygen intake is prioritized.
  • When learning the basic mechanics of breathing to one side before transitioning to bilateral.
  • In open water when needing to constantly monitor a specific side (e.g., sighting buoys).
• Every 4, 5, or 6 Strokes (Reduced Frequency): Occasionally used in training to:
  • Develop lung capacity and CO2 tolerance (hypoxic training, see below).
  • Focus intensely on stroke mechanics without immediate breathing demands.
  • It's generally not recommended for sustained distance swimming due to potential oxygen deficit and increased CO2 build-up, which can lead to fatigue.

Common Breathing Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Identifying and correcting common errors is key to improving your distance swimming performance.

• Holding Your Breath:
  • Mistake: Swimmers hold their breath underwater, then gasp for air.
  • Correction: Practice continuous, gentle exhalation into the water. Blow bubbles consistently. Use a snorkel during drills to focus solely on exhaling.
• Lifting Your Head Too High:
  • Mistake: Lifting the forehead out of the water, rather than rotating the head low. This causes the hips to drop and increases drag.
  • Correction: Focus on rotating your head with your body. Imagine your ear staying in the water as your mouth clears. Use a kickboard for side-kicking drills, keeping one goggle in the water.
• Gasping for Air / Inhaling Too Much:
  • Mistake: Taking a large, noisy, panicked breath that disrupts rhythm.
  • Correction: Trust your exhalation. A proper exhalation creates a vacuum, allowing for a quick, natural inhale. Practice rhythmic breathing with a consistent stroke count.
• Breathing Only to One Side:
  • Mistake: Developing a unilateral breathing pattern exclusively.
  • Correction: Integrate bilateral breathing (every 3 strokes) into every training session. Use drills that force bilateral breathing, such as alternating side-kicking.
• Lack of Body Rotation:
  • Mistake: Trying to breathe by just turning the head, rather than rotating the entire torso.
  • Correction: Focus on driving your shoulder and hip rotation. Imagine pressing your lead shoulder down into the water as your breathing shoulder comes up. Drills like "6-kick switch" emphasize rotation.

Drills to Improve Your Breathing Technique

Incorporate these drills into your training to refine your breathing.

• Side Kicking Drill:
  • Execution: Push off the wall on your side, lead arm extended, bottom arm against your side. Kick gently, keeping your head in a neutral position (looking down, one goggle in, one goggle out). Practice exhaling into the water, then turning your head slightly to inhale, maintaining body alignment. Switch sides.
  • Focus: Head position, body rotation, continuous exhalation.
• 6-Beat Kick with Breath:
  • Execution: Perform 6 strong kicks (3 per leg) while holding a streamlined position, then take one breath. Continue this pattern.
  • Focus: Integrating breathing with a strong kick, maintaining body alignment during the breath.
• Fist Drill with Bilateral Breathing:
  • Execution: Swim freestyle, but clench your hands into fists. This forces you to rely more on body rotation and core engagement for propulsion. Practice bilateral breathing.
  • Focus: Enhances body rotation, which directly aids in easier head rotation for breathing.
• Bilateral Breathing Every 3 Strokes (Main Set):
  • Execution: Consciously commit to breathing every 3 strokes for entire lengths or sets.
  • Focus: Building the habit and rhythm of bilateral breathing.
• Hypoxic Training (with caution):
  • Execution: Swim a set distance (e.g., 50m, 100m) with a reduced breathing frequency (e.g., breathe every 5, 7, or 9 strokes).
  • Focus: Improves CO2 tolerance and lung capacity. Important: Only attempt this when you have a strong foundation in breathing mechanics and under the guidance of a coach. Do not push to the point of severe discomfort or dizziness.

Advanced Considerations for Optimal Performance

Beyond the fundamentals, advanced swimmers can consider these aspects.

• Oxygen Debt and Recovery: Understanding how to manage your breathing during high-intensity efforts can help minimize oxygen debt and facilitate faster recovery between sets or during races. A deep, controlled inhale followed by a full exhalation helps flush CO2.
• Mental Focus and Rhythm: Your breath is a powerful tool for maintaining rhythm and mental focus. Synchronizing your breath with your stroke can create a meditative flow that helps manage effort over long distances.
• Open Water vs. Pool: In open water, you'll need to incorporate "sighting" (briefly lifting your head to look forward) which will temporarily alter your breathing rhythm. Practice integrating sighting with your normal breathing pattern, often on a bilateral breath. Environmental factors like chop or waves may also necessitate breathing to one side more frequently.

By consistently applying these principles and drills, distance swimmers can transform their breathing from a potential hindrance into a powerful asset, unlocking greater efficiency, endurance, and enjoyment in the water.