I've just started practicing my freestyle kick with a snorkel and can't keep water from going in my nose. I feel I made good progress with my kicking technique tonight, but I still never even made it from one end of the pool to the other without raising my head because I was about to choke. The build-up of water was always very gradual; I felt my nostrils filling up but pushed on until I felt water go down my throat and had no choice but to stop and lift my head.
Should I get a nose plug, or should I keep practicing this way to see if I can overcome the problem? How common is this situation? Are there some people who are simply unable, for anatomical reasons, to keep the water out of their noses?
Thanks.
Keep at it. It took my quite a while to feel comfortable with a snorkel. One thing I've noticed that helps is at some point during the length exhale somewhat forcefully through your nose. This will force out any water in your nose. Before I started doing this I could use the snorkel, but whenever I finished I'd have water pour out of my nose.
Don't get a nose clip; it won't help. Just practice some more and you will get the hang of it. Keep breathing out through your nose just as you would without the snorkel.
Former Member
i breathe in thru the snorkel and out thru the nose. this keeps water out of the nose but the main benefit is that it eliminates rebreathing the air in the tube.
I had the same issue when I first started with my snorkel about 5 months ago. I just got a nose clip and now I can even do flip turns with it. Get a nose clip! I love my snorkel and nose clip now :)
Former Member
Thanks. I'll try these ideas. More than anything else, I just wanted to make sure my situation wasn't unusual. Since it sounds like this is something everyone has to deal with, I'll just keep on practicing.
Former Member
I've been trying to figure out swimming with a snorkel too. I don't know why but it's really hard for me. I'm a complete disaster without the nose clip. I don't know what kind of snorkel you're using, but Finis makes a dry top attachment for their basic swimmer snorkel (www.finisinc.com/.../Dry Top Attachment.aspx) which has also helped me out a little bit.
Good luck!
