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 Happens When You Hold Your Breath and Why Is It Important To Know?
Breath-holding is often an all too common-mistake when learning to swim. It can affect other parts of a swimmer's technique and prevent progress.
Hi, Mark here. I hope you've had a great week.
When it comes to breathing technique, whichever swimming stroke is being attempted, there are two common mistakes that many adults make.
- Breath-holding
- Breathing too late
What happens when you hold your breath?
Breath-holding is an unnatural act for a human being to carry out. That is why some people find it difficult and even stressful.
The human body has several responses to breath holding and other reactions to water submerging. How we deal with these responses determines how comfortable or uncomfortable we are and, therefore, what time we can spend underwater while holding our breath.
Firstly, the amount of air we can inhale into our lungs depends on the size of our lungs. A taller person will have larger lungs, filling them with more oxygen and remaining underwater for longer.
While holding our breath, oxygen in our lungs decreases as it is carried away in the bloodstream and used, and the amount of carbon dioxide increases. Carbon dioxide is a waste product, and when a certain level is reached, a signal is sent to the brain to tell you to breathe again.
Changes in heart rate occur whilst breath-holding, and the more relaxed a person is, the slower they consume oxygen and, therefore, the longer they can remain holding their breath.
Submerging under the water brings its stresses, especially for a beginner learning about the swimming breathing technique. The experience can be made more accessible by wearing goggles or a mask so that the eyes can remain open, giving the swimmer awareness of their surroundings and keeping them relaxed.
Click here to find out how to iron out these breathing mistakes.
Fix Breathing Technique For Each Stroke
Breathing technique for front crawl requires the head to roll to the side to inhale, in time with the arm pull action. Breaststroke breathing technique involves the head lifting up and facing forwards, which is similar to the breathing technique for butterfly stroke.
Click the link above to take you to my page about swimming breathing techniques, and scroll down to find links to information about the breathing technique for front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. Or just click here if you missed it!
That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.
Happy swimming!
Cheers
Mark
ps - did someone forward this to you? 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.
Hi, Mark here. Hope all is well. You know that frustrating moment in a swimming lesson. You explain the skill.You demonstrate it.You simplify it. …and the swimmer still looks confused. It is easy to assume that the exercise is not working - or that the swimmer simply cannot do it yet. But sometimes, the problem is not the skill. It is the words. One swimmer may respond to a clear, direct instruction. Another may need an image they can picture, a rhythm they can follow or a physical sensation...
Have you ever wondered why one person can lie back and float almost effortlessly, while someone else sinks the moment they stop moving? Hi, Mark here. Hope all is well. For beginners, this can be incredibly frustrating. It is easy to assume that you are doing something wrong - or that you simply “can’t float”. But floating isn’t a test of swimming ability. Body composition, lung capacity and the way we position ourselves in the water all affect buoyancy. Some people naturally float higher...
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 means It’s not just when you...