Freestyle crawl
Raleigh/Cary, NC
I am new to swimming as an elderly adult. I have read books, watched DVDs, and watched YouTube over and over again regarding proper kicking, posture, rotation, high elbow catch, hand entry into the water, and breathing.
When I use an ordinary snorkel, I can swim length after length, 100s and hundreds of meters, without fatigue and with reasonably good form. (Still, I continue to work on strengthening my lats, pecs and core for even more strength and stability.)
But, as soon as the snorkel comes off and I have to breath, I can't get breathing into a rhythm. After 25-50 meters I am huffing and puffing and very discouraged. I am sure I am just turning my head for that "quick breath" (looking straight down to the pool bottom the rest of the time), breathing out from my nose while my head is in the water, but something I cant figure out is terribly wrong.
To be able to swim "forever" with a snorkel and swim hardly at all without a snorkel just doesn't make sense to me.
It's very discouraging.
Any ideas or help you can offer as to 1) why this is happening and 2) how to fix it will be truly appreciated.
Nathan
Are you sure you're just rotating your head, and not lifting it, to inhale? The book I'm using (Fitness Swimming by Emmett Hines--yes, I realized I've crossed the line into obnoxiously plugging it) has you spend a great deal of time kicking while lying on your sides, arms held still, so you can feel just where the water line should be when you're properly positioned. Once you get comfortable with that, you learn to turn your head without changing anything else that your body is doing. Might be worth a try.
Are you sure you're just rotating your head, and not lifting it, to inhale? The book I'm using (Fitness Swimming by Emmett Hines--yes, I realized I've crossed the line into obnoxiously plugging it) has you spend a great deal of time kicking while lying on your sides, arms held still, so you can feel just where the water line should be when you're properly positioned. Once you get comfortable with that, you learn to turn your head without changing anything else that your body is doing. Might be worth a try.
