Hi,
I started swimming a couple of months ago following a running injury. I can't run at the moment so I thought I would keep fit by swimming, but my problem is I don't know how to breathe... I can barely do 25 mt and then I have to stop and rest for 30-60 seconds. I have no problem running (I completed my first half marathon in March) so I can't understand why this is so difficult..
I'm working with a teacher to improve my freestyle crawl technique (which was quite poor as I hadn't had much practice in the last 20 years or so...) and she says the breathing will come naturally, but after 2 months swimming twice a week I can't see any improvement... still cannot swim continously for more than 25 metres. I can do *** stroke or back stroke without stopping, it's just the freestyle what gets me completely out of breath.
Is there anything I can do to improve my breathing technique?
Thanks
I hope that I am not hijacking this thread with this question:
Freestyle breathing: alternating sides, or one side? It seems that the experts push one or the other in my readings. There does not seem to be a consensus. Or maybe I need to do more reading?
Whatever is comfortable. I was a bilateral breather for years and years. Then as a post-grad I had a coach tell me I should try just single side breathing. Took me a few months to get the hang of it, but it actually improved my freestyle races (especially 400/800/1500 and the yards equivalents) drastically.
A key thing here is to pick a side that feels most comfortable. Since I was learning it for the first time I just chose the side that felt most natural (I breathe to my right, so when my left arm is extended out to start my catch). That has caused me to have minor shoulder soreness at times in my left shoulder, but ice and prehab take care of that for the most part. Also it is still important to work the opposite side. I usually do this when I am doing a hypoxic set, and will just single side breathe to whichever side is where I break out. Also when I swim easy (and sometimes in warm up) I will mix in single side breathing to the opposite side as well. But when it's time to go fast, I am sticking to my strong side.
I hope that I am not hijacking this thread with this question:
Freestyle breathing: alternating sides, or one side? It seems that the experts push one or the other in my readings. There does not seem to be a consensus. Or maybe I need to do more reading?
Whatever is comfortable. I was a bilateral breather for years and years. Then as a post-grad I had a coach tell me I should try just single side breathing. Took me a few months to get the hang of it, but it actually improved my freestyle races (especially 400/800/1500 and the yards equivalents) drastically.
A key thing here is to pick a side that feels most comfortable. Since I was learning it for the first time I just chose the side that felt most natural (I breathe to my right, so when my left arm is extended out to start my catch). That has caused me to have minor shoulder soreness at times in my left shoulder, but ice and prehab take care of that for the most part. Also it is still important to work the opposite side. I usually do this when I am doing a hypoxic set, and will just single side breathe to whichever side is where I break out. Also when I swim easy (and sometimes in warm up) I will mix in single side breathing to the opposite side as well. But when it's time to go fast, I am sticking to my strong side.
