I am fairly new to master's swimming and have been swimming consistently for about 9 months. I have been a competitive athlete all my life in various sports from mtn biking to volleyball in college. So far, I have done 8 swim meets and have had a perplexing situation arise on two occasions.
I get 50 yards/meters into an event and I feel completely unable to take a breath or exhale. It feels as if my throat is totally constricted to where I have trouble finishing the event.
This has happened when I was swimming the 50 fly and the 100 *** only. I have been able to swim the free and the back without issue and even the 50 ***. After I swim, I feel like I have a lump at the base of my throat.
It is so frustrating since I am doing well in the 100 ***, but it really has hampered my racing times. I have never had any issues racing mtn bikes at altitude and being anerobic.
Any thoughts or similar experiences? e
Former Member
Do you think maybe your're pancking during the race? Does this happen when you do sprints at practice?
I think it's all about the way you control your breathing. I've known girls when I was on a team in high school that would have their breathing down pact at practice (cause it was just practice) and then when they get in the meet it's like all was forgotten cause all of a sudden they were racing and it was a big deal and I think they panicked and their heart rate elevated and made breathing like they use to difficult. I don't know just a suggestion.
Kelli,
Does it happen in only the first event that you swim in the meet? some of the people on my team were discussing this issue recently because I was feeling weirdness during my first event. We agreed that a lack of warmup was probably the cause. I was fine in subsequent events. I have adopted a more casual approach to swimming lately, and arrive later to meets which means I don't get a good warmup and wasn't able to do any sprints before my 1st race. I think they should have a 100 IM as the first event in all meets to give people a chance to do a sprint warmup.
Thanks all of you for your responses. I did some research and some looking back at old training logs and I think I found my answer. It looks more like I have exercise induced asthma and am now researching different solutions for that. I have been highly competitive in cycling and had the same issues there. The only difference is, it is much easier to adjust positions and my windpipe to get relief. And slowing down for 30 seconds in a 30 minute Time trial is not as devastating as slowing down in a 100. You just cant do that and be competitive.
So, if any one is familiar with inhalers or meds, or natural solutions, I am all ears, thanks, e:)
You might ask your doctor if you are a good candidate for Singulair. After much experimentation I found it the most effective remedy to my problem with exercise induced asthma and have not used an inhaler for years. It is a prescription drug, it's a pill that I take once a day in the evening, so you doctor and I must decide if this will work best for you.
Originally posted by seltzer
You might ask your doctor if you are a good candidate for Singulair. After much experimentation I found it the most effective remedy to my problem with exercise induced asthma and have not used an inhaler for years. It is a prescription drug, it's a pill that I take once a day in the evening, so you doctor and I must decide if this will work best for you.
Correction your doctor and you (not I) must decide if this will work best for you.
BTW, I first learned about this drug from another swimmer and have since discovered that others also use it, but of course, not universally.
*** is tough at 100 yards because its a kick stroke and you have the underwater pull that takes away your breath anyway. A kick stroke is sometimes harder on your breathing than a pull stroke. Fly is hard on the body to hold form and it will also put more demands on your breathing.
It also sounds as if you are not breathing out when your face is under the water. If your breathing is fine then it is not just sport induced asthma becasue it would affect all strokes.
You will know if this is the cause if your breathing is late in your stroke (especially at the end). Ask your coach or if you don't have one ask a friend to look at your breating timing.
