Breathing comes naturally to all of us, whether we are focusing on it or not. However, when we’re talking about swimming, we have to learn the correct breathing technique to feel more comfortable underwater, with the help of a private swimming teacher in London or in your own area. Beginners often find themselves struggling more with breathing than with floating. That is why we’re going to shed some light on this topic.
First of all, why is it that important to control your breathing while swimming?
Because otherwise you will get tired faster, and you will swim more slowly: if you lift your head above the water every time you run out of air, you will just gasp for more. This means that you’ll consume your energy on this repetitive activity and won’t be able to swim longer distances.
Having correct breathing technique is important
Improving your aquatic skills is essential. Not only the breathing part, but also the correct movements and techniques. . If you’re a beginner, you will need extra attention and a qualified swimming teacher during your private swimming lessons. It is very important to learn everything correctly from the beginning, as your body will get used to the right movements and it will be easier for you to see the progress. For intermediate swimmers, a private swimming teacher in London also comes in handy, as he or she can help them get to another level as well as motivating them. But even the more experienced swimmers sometimes struggle with breathing while in the water.
So, let’s see how you can correct breathing technique:
1. Most of the times, having trouble with breathing becomes an issue when the swimmer keeps her or his face in the water. Swimming like this makes some people uncomfortable, that is why a very useful tip is to wear high-quality swimming goggles. This way, you won’t need to worry about the water getting into your eye, and you can stay more relaxed and focus on your breathing.
2. The next step is to get used to exhaling through your mouth immediately once you finished inhaling. You don’t have to hold your breath underwater, on the contrary, start exhaling continuously.
Tip: if you’re about to start the swimming lessons, take advantage of the private swimming instructors’ expertise. You can work together with a qualified teacher who has years of experience both with beginners and advanced students. As a first step, you will probably practice breathing in your own pool, facing the wall with your hands on the pool edge. Then, you’ll bend over at the waist and after you breathe in, you will have to put your face in the water and exhale. Repeat this exercise as many times as needed, until you get used to this routine.
3. Once your mouth is out of the water, you have to inhale quickly and fill your lungs with air. If you exhaled properly and you almost emptied your lungs, breathing in will come somehow naturally.
4. If you’re ready for the next step, you’ll need a kick board. Grab it and push yourself off from the wall, with your face down. Breathe in, then place your face in the water and repeat the above-mentioned routine: exhale immediately, until your lungs are almost empty. Be careful, because now you’ll have to rotate your head and body in sync towards the surface, inhale, and rotate towards the opposite side, repeating what you just learned.
Advice:
in the beginning, it is useful to have someone check on you and assure you that you’re doing everything correctly. It will be harder to fix the technique if you already got used to certain movements in the wrong way.
It’s important to train with a qualified teacher, especially if you want to become an advanced swimmer. The tips and tricks that we mentioned above are just the beginning. An intermediate swimmer will probably find them very basic, but they are a great help for those who have been struggling with breathing under water for some time. Also, reading about it and practicing it are two different things. These tips may sounds easy, however, when in the water, you may need the guidance of someone who’s been teaching this for years.
If you are looking for swimming lessons and a private swimming teacher in London for help, you can reach out to Adam. He is a fully-qualified private coach with years of experience. Whether you own a pool or you wish to train in a residential pool in and around SW London, Adam’s flexible schedule will make things easier for you.
Until then, don’t forget to concentrate on the following correct breathing technique:
— Rhythmic breathing: exhale when your face is under water, inhale when it’s out of it
— Swimming goggles will make breathing easier, as you’ll concentrate solely on that
— A swimming teacher’s guidance means a lot, especially if you’ve just started taking swimming lessons