* work in progress…I will continue to add material used during our swim clinics at Brenau University.
Exhalation.
Do you hold your breath while swimming? Many of the swimmers I view hold their breath while swimming and often take 4 to 6 strokes before lifting their head to exhale and inhale with head above water before returning their face to the water. Holding your breath while swimming is never a good idea. Your muscles require oxygen for performance. Holding your breath is most likely due to the fact that you have never learned to breathe properly and just do not know how or when to breathe in the stroke cycle. I see swimmers go like mad for 6 strokes without a breath, slow down, lift their head, gasp, and continue to stroke 6 times fast. These swimmers are gassed after a 50 and become frustrated.
Simple Rule – when ever your head is in the water you should be exhaling with the majority of exhalation coming from the mouth and some from the nose. This way when you rotate to breathe - all you need to do is inhale.
First Drill: Start in the shallow end and get comfortable going up and down vertically only inhaling above water and blowing out air completely through your mouth and nose creating bubbles when submerged. It is OK to get water in your mouth – get comfortable with water in your mouth while practicing this drill. Once you are ready and can easily submerge and exhale and surface and inhale at least 20 times we can move on to the timing of the breath and rotation to get your air.
More to follow…
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thank you i always wondered that, im 11 and i have won 200 races in nevada