I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
A simple timing trick that makes breathing in front crawl feel natural
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What if your breathing timing was the one thing holding back your whole stroke? Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you. This week we are talking front crawl breathing - and more specifically, the timing of your breath. If you’ve ever felt your breathing “throws you off” in front crawl, you’re not alone. It’s one of the hardest parts to coordinate - but once you get the timing right, everything flows more smoothly. My full guide is right here. What timing meansIt’s not just when you breathe, but how arms, legs, and breath sync together. Most beginners start with a six-beat kick (six kicks per full arm cycle) - it gives balance and momentum. Where the breath fits
Keep it relaxed — rushed strokes make breathing harder. Quick practice tips
Full breakdown here: Front Crawl Breathing Timing. You’ve got this - small tweaks in timing make a huge difference. Happy swimming. PS - have you missed any of my previous newsletters? Click here for a list of them all. PPS - did someone forward this to you and you're looking to subscribe? Subscribe here. |
Hi! I'm Mark, creator of Swim Teach
I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
What’s the one thing that can instantly re-energise a tired swim class? Hi there, Mark here - hope you’re doing well. Over the years I’ve found that no matter how much experience we’ve got as swimming teachers, a few simple tweaks can make a huge difference to how our lessons run—and how much our swimmers get out of them. I’ve pulled together some of my best tips that I use myself, and I thought you might like to try them out in your own lessons: My Top Tips for Better Swim Lessons ✅ Know...
Always wondered why confident swimmers look so relaxed in the water? Hey, Mark here. Hope you're doing well. For many beginners, putting your face underwater feels like the biggest hurdle in swimming. But once you get comfortable with it, everything changes. Swimming becomes calmer, smoother, and far more enjoyable. Here’s a simple 3-step way to build confidence underwater. 1️⃣ Get the face wet Start gently. Splash water on your face, blow bubbles, or chase a floating ball at the surface.This...
What’s the biggest challenge you face when teaching an adult to swim - fear, technique, or simply unlearning old habits? Hey, Mark here, I hope you’re doing well. This week, I'm tackling that sometimes tricky task of teaching adults how to swim, inspired by an article I wrote a while back. Why adapting your style matters Adults come to the pool with all kinds of backgrounds: varying fitness, flexibility, and confidence levels. The key is to meet them where they are, not push them into a...