Swimming Breathing: Optimizing Exhalation Through Nose and Mouth

Should you exhale through your nose or mouth when swimming?

When swimming, the most efficient and recommended approach for exhalation is to utilize both the mouth and nose simultaneously, allowing for rapid and complete expulsion of carbon dioxide while maintaining comfort and preventing water ingress. While a forceful mouth exhalation is often prioritized for speed, incorporating nasal exhalation offers significant physiological and comfort benefits.

The Fundamentals of Breathing in Swimming

Effective breathing is paramount in swimming, not just for oxygen intake but critically for carbon dioxide expulsion. Unlike land-based activities where exhalation is often passive, underwater exhalation requires a deliberate, active effort. The primary goals are:

• CO2 Removal: To prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide, which triggers the urge to breathe and can lead to discomfort and panic. Efficient exhalation clears the lungs, creating space for fresh oxygen.
• Maintaining Buoyancy and Body Position: A continuous, steady exhalation prevents the lungs from acting as a "float," which can cause the legs to sink. It helps maintain a streamlined, horizontal body position.
• Preparing for Inhalation: A complete exhalation allows for a quick, unhindered inhalation when the mouth clears the water, preventing the "gasping" sensation often experienced by novice swimmers.

Exhaling Through the Mouth: Advantages and Mechanics

Exhaling through the mouth is a common and often primary method, particularly favored by competitive swimmers due to its capacity for rapid and voluminous air expulsion.

• Advantages:
  • Speed and Volume: The mouth offers a larger opening, allowing for quicker and more forceful expulsion of a greater volume of air. This is crucial for high-intensity swimming where CO2 buildup is rapid.
  • Reduced Resistance: Less anatomical resistance compared to nasal passages, facilitating a more explosive exhale.
  • Simplicity for Beginners: Often feels more natural for those new to controlled underwater breathing.
• Mechanics:
  • Typically involves a steady, continuous stream of bubbles, starting almost immediately after the face enters the water.
  • For powerful or sprint efforts, the exhalation might be more of a forceful "blow" to expel air quickly before turning to inhale.

Exhaling Through the Nose: Advantages and Mechanics

While less common as the sole method of exhalation, utilizing the nose offers distinct benefits, particularly for comfort and respiratory health.

• Advantages:
  • Prevents Water Ingress: Exhaling through the nose creates a positive pressure in the nasal passages, preventing water from entering and causing discomfort or irritation. This is a significant comfort factor.
  • Sinus and Ear Pressure Regulation: A continuous, gentle nasal exhale can help equalize pressure in the sinuses and middle ear, reducing the likelihood of discomfort or ear infections.
  • Calming Effect: Nasal breathing is often associated with a more relaxed physiological state, which can be beneficial for longer swims or when focusing on technique.
  • Hydrodynamics: A subtle nasal exhale can contribute to a more stable "bubble trail" which can have minor hydrodynamic benefits by reducing drag at the front of the head.
• Disadvantages:
  • Slower and Less Volume: The nasal passages are smaller and offer more resistance, making it harder to expel large volumes of air quickly compared to the mouth.
• Mechanics:
  • A gentle, continuous bubbling from the nose throughout the underwater phase.
  • Requires conscious control to maintain a steady flow.

The Case for Bilateral Exhalation (Nose and Mouth)

For most swimmers, the optimal strategy involves a combination of both nasal and oral exhalation. This approach leverages the strengths of each method while mitigating their individual weaknesses.

• Synergy: You get the rapid, high-volume CO2 expulsion from the mouth, combined with the comfort and pressure regulation benefits of nasal breathing.
• Efficiency: A continuous, combined exhale ensures that the lungs are consistently clearing CO2, optimizing respiratory efficiency and preparing the body for the next inhalation.
• Adaptability: This method is adaptable to different swimming intensities. A more forceful mouth-dominant exhale can be used for sprints, while a more balanced combined exhale is excellent for endurance or recovery swimming.
• Prevention of "Gasping": By ensuring a full exhalation, the swimmer avoids the desperate "gasp" for air upon turning the head, which can disrupt body position and rhythm.

Practical Application and Drills

To master effective exhalation in swimming, consistent practice is key.

• Bobbing Drills: Stand in the shallow end. Inhale above water, then submerge your face and slowly exhale all the air through both your nose and mouth until no more bubbles come out. Practice this until you can exhale completely and comfortably.
• Wall Drills: Hold onto the edge of the pool. Submerge your face and practice exhaling continuously and gently, focusing on a steady stream of bubbles from both your nose and mouth.
• Focus on Continuous Exhalation: The most common mistake is holding your breath. Emphasize exhaling from the moment your face enters the water until you turn to inhale. Think "blow bubbles, blow bubbles."
• Exhale Before Inhale: Make sure you've completely emptied your lungs before turning your head for a fresh breath. This is crucial for avoiding the feeling of breathlessness.

Common Breathing Mistakes to Avoid

• Holding Your Breath: This leads to CO2 buildup, increased panic, and disrupts buoyancy.
• Exhaling Too Late: Waiting until you turn to breathe to exhale means you have no time to inhale effectively, leading to gasping.
• Exhaling Too Little: Not fully expelling air leaves residual CO2 and reduces the capacity for fresh oxygen.
• Lifting the Head to Breathe: This breaks hydrodynamics and causes the legs to sink. Proper exhalation helps maintain a flat body position, allowing for a natural head rotation to the side.

Conclusion: Optimizing Your Swim Breathing

While the choice to exhale through the nose, mouth, or both can be influenced by personal preference, comfort, and swimming intensity, the bilateral exhalation approach (using both nose and mouth) is generally recommended for its comprehensive benefits in terms of efficiency, comfort, and physiological regulation. Regardless of the precise pathway, the critical principle remains: exhale completely and continuously underwater to maintain optimal body position, maximize oxygen intake, and enhance your overall swimming experience. Consistent practice of controlled exhalation will lead to improved stamina, reduced anxiety, and a more fluid, powerful stroke.