Last Updated on March 27, 2024 by admin
In this article, we will provide advice, drills, exercises, hacks and tips on breathing development exercises for swimmers.
The benefits of breathing development exercises
- It’s common for a swimmer to become fatigued due to the lack of oxygen.
- Dryland and water-based breathing development exercises can help increase the swimmer’s lung capacity to enable them to breathe more effectively.
- Their lung capacity refers to the volume of oxygen in the swimmer’s lungs during the breathing cycle.
Dryland Breathing Development Exercises
Listed below are some of our favourite dryland breathing development exercises that can help to develop a swimmer’s lung capacity and breathing technique.
Puckered lip breathing exercise
Introduction: Puckered lip breathing is a simple but effective exercise that can help develop the flow of oxygen to and from the swimmer’s lungs.
How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should start this exercise by standing upright with a good posture and with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- The swimmer should then pucker (purse) their lips, as though they are about to kiss someone.
- They should breathe in (inhale) through their nose and out (exhale) through their puckered lips, in a calm and relaxed manner.
- They should feel the resistance created by puckering their lips as they exhale.
- Ideally, the swimmer should exhale for twice as long as they inhale.
- For example, inhaling for 5 seconds and exhaling for 10 seconds.
Lung capacity development exercise
Introduction: This is an excellent breathing development drill, for demonstrating to the swimmer that they have enough lung capacity to breathe effectively in the water.
- How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should start this exercise by standing upright with a good posture and with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should then exhale (breathe out) normally.
- The swimmer should now slowly count to 5 while holding their breath.
- If required, they can close their mouth and pinch their nose.
- Then they should release their nose and open their mouth and without inhaling (breathing in), they should again exhale normally for another 5 seconds.
- Most swimmers find that they still have enough breath to breathe out easily.
- Some swimmers find that they still have enough breath to repeat the exhalation exercise, without the need to inhale.
Trickle breathing exercise
Introduction: A common freestyle breathing fault, is that swimmers often hold their breath while their face is in the water.
- They then attempt to exhale and inhale quickly while their face is out of the water.
- This results in the swimmer being in a non-streamlined breathing position for longer, which increases drag and can slow the swimmer down.
- It is also an ineffective method of supplying the oxygen required to the swimmer’s muscles and organs during training and competition.
Trickle breathing
- Trickle breathing is a breathing technique that can help the swimmer develop a faster, better streamlined and more efficient breathing technique.
- It requires the swimmer to take a large quick breath, then to slowly exhale in the water via their nose or their mouth.
- This technique can also enable the swimmer to stay longer underwater while performing underwater dolphin kicking during their starts and turns.
Breathing exercise poolside
Purpose: This exercise introduces the swimmer to trickle breathing, which can aid the development of an effective breathing technique.
How to perform this drill: This exercise should be practised on the poolside/deck in a safe place away from the pool’s edge.
- The swimmer should start this exercise by standing upright with a good posture and with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should then take a large quick breath, which fills their lungs.
- They should then put up their hand.
- The swimmer should then breathe out very slowly, via their nose or mouth (‘trickle breathe’) until they have no breath left.
- When they are out of breath, they should quickly lower their hand, and then resume normal breathing.
- The coach should time and record this drill.
- This should demonstrate to the swimmer that by adopting trickle breathing, they have enough time to perform either underwater dolphin kicking or their preferred freestyle breathing pattern efficiently.
Abdominal hollowing exercise
Introduction: This exercise has the dual benefit of developing a swimmer’s breathing technique as well as developing their core.
How to perform this exercise: The swimmer should start this exercise by standing upright with a good posture and with their feet shoulder-width apart.
- They should exhale deeply while contracting and pulling in their abdominal muscles to their spine.
- The swimmer should then hold their breath for 5 seconds.
- Then they should slowly and deeply inhale while holding the contracted position of their abdominal muscles.
Related article on developing your swimming core
We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. You can view this by clicking this link: developing your swimming core.
Respiratory training devices
Many swimmers use a respiratory training device to help them develop their lung capacity.
- It can help to train the swimmers breathing muscles.
- Swimmers can measure their lung capacity and track their progress.
- They are commonly made from a plastic tube with a mouthpiece, which has the function of increasing the resistance required to inhale and exhale.
Breathing Development Exercises in the Water
Listed below are some of our favourite breathing development exercises in the water which can help to develop a swimmer’s lung capacity and breathing technique.
Breathing development drill
Introduction: A common freestyle breathing fault, is that swimmers often hold their breath while their face is in the water.
- They then attempt to exhale and inhale quickly while their face is out of the water.
- This results in the swimmer being in a non-streamlined breathing position for longer, which increases drag and can slow the swimmer down.
- It is also an ineffective method of supplying the oxygen that is required to the swimmer’s muscles and organs during training and competition.
Purpose: This drill helps to develop an effective breathing technique.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push & glide from the wall at the end of the pool.
- They should proceed by performing a slow and smooth, full freestyle stroke.
- They should ensure that when breathing, they take a large quick breath, that fills their lungs.
- When breathing, they should have one goggle lens completely in the water and with the other goggle lens, they should look across the surface of the pool.
- They should then slowly let out their breath in the water via their nose or their mouth (trickle breathe), as they swim.
- The swimmer should count how many strokes they can comfortably swim before they need to take a breath.
- They should complete this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m).
- Younger and inexperienced swimmers may find it useful to use fins when first learning this drill.
Establish regular breathing patterns
Introduction: Developing regular breathing patterns can enable the swimmer to control and optimise their breathing.
- Listed below is an introductory breathing pattern exercise for freestyle.
How to perform this exercise: 4 x 25m breathing pattern development (100m) (20 Sec RI)
- This drill should be performed as a drill pace swim
- The swimmer should start this drill by exhaling slowly into the water (trickle breathing see above) for the prescribed number of strokes.
- When they have finished exhaling, they should inhale by turning their head to the side, still with their head in the water, until their mouth is just above the water’s surface.
- 1st rep: breathing every 3 or 4 strokes
- 2nd rep: breathing every 5 or 6 strokes
- 3rd rep: breathing every 7 or 8 strokes
- 4th rep: breathing every 3 or 4 strokes
Reduced breathing drills
Many swimmers practice drills such as 25m freestyle without a breath, to help develop their lung capacity.
- Other swimmers perform drills such as 25m underwater kicking.
- When performing this type of training the swimmers should receive a longer rest interval than usual (20 to 30 seconds) to ensure their lungs have recovered sufficiently.
Safety Notice
Swimmers and coaches should ensure that these breathing development exercises and drills are performed safely and responsibly.
- These exercises and drills should be performed under supervision.
- They should be treated with care and only increased in either volume or intensity, gradually.
- Swimmers should stop these exercises or drills if they begin to feel light-headed.
- Although it’s common to experience a mild burning feeling in their lungs while performing these exercises, the swimmer should stop if this sensation becomes severe.
Takeaways
In this article, we will provide advice, drills, exercises, hacks and tips on breathing development exercises for swimmers.
The benefits of breathing development drills
- It’s common for a swimmer to become fatigued due to the lack of oxygen.
- Dryland and water-based breathing development exercises can help to increase the swimmer’s lung capacity to enable them to breathe more effectively.
- Their lung capacity refers to the volume of oxygen in the swimmer’s lungs during the breathing cycle.
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