Swimming: Mastering Underwater Exhalation for Efficiency and Endurance

How to Breathe Out When Swimming?

To breathe out effectively when swimming, initiate a continuous, controlled exhalation through both your mouth and nose immediately upon submerging your face, aiming to empty your lungs sufficiently to prepare for a quick, deep inhalation as you rotate to breathe.

The Importance of Exhalation in Swimming

Proper exhalation is arguably the most overlooked yet critical component of efficient and sustainable swimming. Far from being a passive act, a well-executed exhalation directly impacts your buoyancy, propulsion, and cardiorespiratory efficiency.

• Optimized Oxygen Intake: By fully exhaling, you create space for a maximal intake of fresh, oxygen-rich air. Holding your breath or exhaling insufficiently leaves residual carbon dioxide (CO2) in your lungs, reducing the capacity for oxygen uptake and leading to an earlier onset of fatigue.
• Enhanced Buoyancy and Body Position: Air in the lungs provides natural buoyancy. However, holding too much air can make your chest ride high while your legs sink, creating drag. Continuous, controlled exhalation helps maintain a more streamlined, horizontal body position by distributing buoyancy more evenly and allowing your hips and legs to rise.
• Improved Stroke Rhythm and Relaxation: Exhaling continuously establishes a natural breathing rhythm that synchronizes with your stroke. This promotes relaxation, reduces tension in the neck and shoulders, and helps maintain a smooth, consistent pace, preventing the choppy movements often associated with breath-holding.
• Effective Carbon Dioxide Removal: The primary physiological drive to breathe is the accumulation of CO2, not the lack of oxygen. Efficient exhalation expels this waste product, preventing its buildup in the bloodstream, which can trigger the "gasping" reflex and lead to panic or hyperventilation.

Understanding the Mechanics of Underwater Exhalation

Effective underwater exhalation involves a conscious shift from typical resting breathing patterns.

• Continuous vs. Explosive Exhalation: While some advocate for an "explosive" burst of air just before turning to inhale, the most effective method for sustained swimming is a continuous, steady exhalation. This ensures a constant removal of CO2 and maintains a consistent bubble stream, which can also help track your breath. The final push of air can be slightly more forceful to clear the last bit of CO2.
• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Engage your diaphragm, the primary muscle of respiration, rather than relying solely on shallow chest breathing. A diaphragmatic exhalation feels like pushing air out from your core, ensuring a more complete emptying of the lungs.
• Mouth and Nose Exhalation: You should exhale through both your mouth and nose simultaneously. Exhaling through the mouth is generally more efficient for expelling a large volume of air quickly. Exhaling through the nose prevents water from entering the nasal cavity and helps maintain a consistent pressure. The blend of both ensures complete air expulsion and comfort.

Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Underwater Exhalation

Mastering exhalation is a fundamental skill that underpins all efficient swimming.

1. Inhale Above Water: As your face clears the water (e.g., during a freestyle side breath or breaststroke recovery), take a quick, deep, yet relaxed inhalation. Aim for a full breath that expands your diaphragm, not just your chest.
2. Submerge and Begin Exhaling Immediately: As your face re-enters the water, immediately begin to exhale. Do not hold your breath. This should be a smooth transition from inhalation to exhalation.
3. Exhale Through Mouth and Nose: Form a slight "O" with your mouth and gently push air out. Simultaneously, allow air to escape through your nose. The feeling should be like gently blowing bubbles.
4. Regulate Exhalation Pressure: Maintain a steady, continuous stream of bubbles. Avoid exhaling all your air at once. Instead, control the flow so that you are still exhaling right up until you rotate your head to inhale again. This ensures constant CO2 removal and prevents a build-up of pressure.
5. Empty Lungs Sufficiently: The goal is to expel about 80-90% of the air in your lungs before you turn to breathe again. This creates a "vacuum" effect, allowing for a rapid and complete fresh air intake. If you feel like you're gasping, you likely haven't exhaled enough.

Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Even experienced swimmers can fall victim to poor exhalation habits.

• Holding Your Breath: This is the most common and detrimental mistake. It leads to CO2 buildup, increased heart rate, and a feeling of breathlessness.
  • Correction: Consciously start exhaling the moment your face goes into the water. Practice bobbing drills (see below) to establish this habit.
• Exhaling Too Quickly: Blowing all your air out in the first second leaves you with no air to manage until your next breath, often leading to a panicked gasp.
  • Correction: Focus on a slow, controlled, continuous stream of bubbles. Imagine you're blowing out a candle very slowly.
• Not Exhaling Enough: Leaving too much stale air in your lungs reduces your capacity for fresh oxygen.
  • Correction: Ensure your exhalation lasts for the entire duration your face is submerged. Try to feel your lungs "empty" before you turn to inhale.
• Exhaling Only Through Your Nose or Mouth: While some preference is fine, restricting exhalation can be less efficient.
  • Correction: Practice exhaling through both simultaneously. For nasal congestion, prioritize mouth exhalation, but still attempt a gentle nasal clear.

Drills to Improve Underwater Exhalation

Consistent practice is key to making proper exhalation second nature.

• Bobbing: Stand in water deep enough to submerge your head. Inhale above water, submerge your head, and continuously blow bubbles until all air is out. Then, push off the bottom to rise, inhale, and repeat. Focus on a steady stream of bubbles.
• Wall Exhalation: Hold onto the edge of the pool. Submerge your face and practice exhaling for an extended period, focusing on a long, controlled release of air. Try to make your exhalation last for 5-10 seconds.
• Sculling with Exhalation: Use a kickboard or just your arms to gently scull across the pool, focusing solely on maintaining a continuous bubble stream while your face is submerged. Turn your head to breathe only when necessary, then immediately resume exhalation.
• Continuous Bubble Blowing: Simply stand or float in the water and practice blowing bubbles for as long as possible, focusing on a consistent, gentle flow. Experiment with exhaling primarily through your mouth, nose, and then both.

Integrating Exhalation into Your Stroke

Once the mechanics are understood, the next step is seamlessly integrating exhalation into your full swimming stroke.

• Synchronization with Arm Pull: In freestyle, begin your exhalation as your lead hand enters the water and your opposite arm begins its pull. The exhalation should continue throughout the underwater phase of the stroke.
• Rhythm and Timing: Your exhalation creates the rhythm for your entire stroke. It dictates when you will turn to breathe, and how smoothly you transition. A consistent exhalation rhythm helps maintain a consistent stroke tempo.
• Body Rotation: As you rotate your body for each stroke, this natural movement can assist with the exhalation, helping to compress the lungs and expel air.

Conclusion: Mastering Your Breath, Mastering Your Swim

Mastering underwater exhalation is a cornerstone of efficient and enjoyable swimming. It's not just about getting air in; it's fundamentally about getting stale air out. By consciously practicing continuous, controlled exhalation through both your mouth and nose, you will enhance your oxygen uptake, improve your body position, establish a natural stroke rhythm, and significantly reduce fatigue. Dedicate time to these fundamental breathing drills, and you will unlock greater efficiency, endurance, and comfort in the water.