I took lessons when I was a kid and never mastered the breathing technique for freestyle swimming so I gave up on swimming. Now it is 30 yrs later and I am determined to learn how to swim and have been taking a group class at the local natatorium.
I have been making a lot of progress and learning things that I don't remember from my childhood lessons (keep your chin to your chest, making the S-pattern during the pull stroke, etc). I have also been focused on rolling of the body more - and especially rolling to breathe so that my head is on my left arm/shoulder (breathing to the right).
However, I'm still struggling with the breathing in that I am sucking in water and end up choking. I've had multiple people watch me and they say that my form looks good and even the part when I roll to breathe - but they are unsure at what point I am getting water in my mouth.
It's been hard for me to figure it out - here's some of my thoughts - it's a bit hard to self-diagnose and so far the people watching are not catching it -
Is the timing of the opening and closing of my mouth just a bit off that I am sucking water when I turn to breathe and return to face down?
I'm not the best at exhaling underwater so I wonder if I'm trying to exhale and inhale during the short time that I am turned?
Do I need to turn my head more (look at ceiling)?
Am I slowly sucking in water when my face is down since I'm not exhaling correctly?
Any thoughts on how I can figure this out or other things to look for?
Thanks
Mike
it could be that you are rushing it. try exhailing before you start to turn your head, and when you inhail, do not take such a deep breathe. maybe then you will have time to close your mouth before it goes back underwater.
I do not have my mouth fully out of the water when I swim, and I almost always have water in my mouth. I didn't know that until i started swimming in sea water. it's hard not to notice saltwater in ones mouth.
you can try kicking with a board, holding the very end with your hands, and face down in the water, drop one arm and turn your head to breathe, and then kick a few seconds and try again. if you don't have a board, hold the wall, it works well too.
in my experience with older swimmers learning to swim free, it usually has to do with their comfort level in the water. the less comfortable they are having their head underwater, the harder to learn to swim.
it could be that you are rushing it. try exhailing before you start to turn your head, and when you inhail, do not take such a deep breathe. maybe then you will have time to close your mouth before it goes back underwater.
I do not have my mouth fully out of the water when I swim, and I almost always have water in my mouth. I didn't know that until i started swimming in sea water. it's hard not to notice saltwater in ones mouth.
you can try kicking with a board, holding the very end with your hands, and face down in the water, drop one arm and turn your head to breathe, and then kick a few seconds and try again. if you don't have a board, hold the wall, it works well too.
in my experience with older swimmers learning to swim free, it usually has to do with their comfort level in the water. the less comfortable they are having their head underwater, the harder to learn to swim.
