I teach lessons to a forty year old woman who is having a very hard time breathing. I have been teaching lessons for about ten years and I cannot figure out why she is having such a hard time. She seems to breathe in the correct amount of oxygen and then she slowly exhales through her nose and mouth before breathing again. She has to breathe every two strokes in order to get enough oxygen but even then after a 50 her lungs are burning. She can swim a 1650 in about 35 minutes and she can swim it without stopping but her lungs get tired before anything else. I have had her swim 25's without breathing and she can do that. I am completely stumped as to what her problem is. Any suggestions? Thanks
Parents
Former Member
SJ,
Let me toss out a different theory. How hard is she kicking? Although a rapid kick does add a little extra go to freestyle (unless she is kicking with runners' flexed 90 degrees ankles, in which case she might goes backwards with a kickboard, or simply stand still in less severe cases), it takes A TON of oxygen. If she kicks a lot, try teaching her to swim free with an easy 2-beat kick. And, if she needs a hard kick to keep her hips from sinking, teach her balance. Go look up Total Immersion or any article by Emmett Hines (we have some in the Training--Technique section of this web site) if you are not sure what I am talking about.
Matt
SJ,
Let me toss out a different theory. How hard is she kicking? Although a rapid kick does add a little extra go to freestyle (unless she is kicking with runners' flexed 90 degrees ankles, in which case she might goes backwards with a kickboard, or simply stand still in less severe cases), it takes A TON of oxygen. If she kicks a lot, try teaching her to swim free with an easy 2-beat kick. And, if she needs a hard kick to keep her hips from sinking, teach her balance. Go look up Total Immersion or any article by Emmett Hines (we have some in the Training--Technique section of this web site) if you are not sure what I am talking about.
Matt
