I am an Age Group and Masters Swim Coach While I am very comfortable working with strong swimmers, sometimes I teach lessons to adults who want to do triathlons and are fairly new to swimming. Every so often, I find a swimmer who has problems breathing. I have already read previous discussions where breathing is a problem and all the suggestions recommend improving stroke technique. I am very aware of the benefits of TI and like to encorporate it whenever I can. I have a very fit runner who now has pretty good stroke technique but after 25 yards is too out of breath to continue. Being a life-long swimmer, and having 8 year old swimmers who can go 1000 yards without problems, I can't fathom how anyone can't "breathe". This sounds very basic but in order to get a good diagnosis, I will try to be very specific. He is exhaling slowly, continuously, and completely through his nose before he rolls to inhale through his mouth. I generally have him breath every 3 strokes, but sometimes vary it and nothing seems to help. Has anyone encountered this and if so, are there better drills than just simple bobs?
Parents
Former Member
How much is he kicking? Unless he's doing a 2-beat kick, start by eliminating that almost entirely (ask him to swim a length without kicking at all and see what happens). Most swimmers who are getting out of breath on a single 25 do so because of over-kicking. If you find that his feet and hips sink when he eliminates or cuts back on kicking, then he's way out of balance and that needs to be corrected if you hope to solve his problem.
How much is he kicking? Unless he's doing a 2-beat kick, start by eliminating that almost entirely (ask him to swim a length without kicking at all and see what happens). Most swimmers who are getting out of breath on a single 25 do so because of over-kicking. If you find that his feet and hips sink when he eliminates or cuts back on kicking, then he's way out of balance and that needs to be corrected if you hope to solve his problem.
