For most adult swimmers, the thing that turns swimming from exhausting-and-panicky into smooth-and-sustainable is breathing — and it’s the single most-botched part of the stroke. The sunswim guide: why breathing is the barrier, how to breathe with rhythm and how to practice.

The Breathing-Is-the-Barrier Case

Why breathing makes or breaks swimming: the it’s-the-most-botched-part (the breathing being the most-botched stroke-element from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-botched; the commonly-wrong), the bad-breathing-causes-panic (the poor-breathing causing gasping-and-panic from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-panic; the gasping), the good-breathing-makes-it-sustainable (the rhythmic-breathing making swimming smooth from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-sustainable; the smooth-and-sustainable), the the-exhale-is-the-key (the the-underwater-exhale being the key from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-exhale; the exhale-underwater), and the reframe (the swimming-breathing as the most-botched, panic-or-smoothness-determining, exhale-keyed part).

The How-to-Breathe Breakdown

How to breathe with rhythm: the the-exhale-underwater (the exhaling continuously underwater (the key) from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-exhale; the exhale-under), the the-don’t-hold-your-breath (the not-holding-the-breath (causes panic) from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-no-holding; the don’t-hold), the the-turn-don’t-lift-the-head (the turning the head to breathe (not lifting) from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-turn; the turn-not-lift), the the-breathe-in-the-bow-wave (the breathing in the head’s bow-wave/trough from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-bow-wave; the the-pocket), the the-rhythmic-timing (the a-rhythmic breathing-pattern (every 2-3 strokes) from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-rhythm; the rhythmic), the the-bilateral-breathing (the bilateral (both-sides) breathing from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-bilateral; the both-sides), the the-relaxed-not-rushed (the relaxed, unrushed breathing from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-relaxed; the relax), and the the-quick-inhale (the a-quick inhale, long-exhale from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-inhale; the quick-in-long-out).

The Practice-It Notes

Practicing swimming breathing: the the-practice-exhaling-underwater (the drilling underwater-exhaling first from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-exhale-drill; the drill-the-exhale), the the-bubbles-drill (the a-bubbles/breathing drill at the wall from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-bubbles; the bubbles-drill), the the-practice-the-turn (the practicing the head-turn from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-turn; the practice-turning), the the-rhythmic-practice (the practicing the rhythm slowly from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-rhythm; the slow-rhythm), the the-relaxed-swimming (the swimming relaxed to breathe-better from the freestyle-swimming-basics chapter — the the-relaxed; the relax), the the-build-up (the building comfort gradually from the swimming-technique-beginners chapter — the the-build; the build-up), the the-full-body-benefit (the swimming’s full-body benefit once breathing-clicks from the swimming-full-body-workout chapter — the the-benefit; the the-payoff), and the frame (swimming-breathing as exhale-underwater-turn-and-rhythmic-timing, drilled-with-bubbles-and-relaxed — stop gasping and breathe with rhythm. Breathe with rhythm swimming — exhale continuously underwater (the key), don’t hold your breath, turn (don’t lift) your head to breathe in the bow-wave, and use a rhythmic pattern (every 2-3 strokes), relaxed — drilled with underwater-exhaling and bubbles: finally stop gasping and breathe with rhythm.

For most adult swimmers, the thing that turns swimming from exhausting-and-panicky into smooth-and-sustainable is breathing — the single most-botched part of the stroke. How to breathe with rhythm: exhale continuously underwater (the key — don’t hold your breath), turn (don’t lift) your head to breathe in the bow-wave, use a rhythmic pattern (every 2-3 strokes), try bilateral breathing, and stay relaxed (quick inhale, long exhale). Practice it — drill underwater exhaling and bubbles at the wall, practice the head-turn and the rhythm slowly, and build up. Finally stop gasping and breathe with rhythm.