How to breathe in the water while swimming

Exhale Underwater: Always exhale through your nose or mouth while your face is in the

water and blow bubbles. This prevents carbon dioxide buildup and helps you feel less out of breath. You can start exhaling at the wall.

Inhale When Turning: When you rotate your head to the side to breathe, inhale quickly

through your mouth (not your nose), then return your face to the water and begin exhaling

again.

Don’t Hold Your Breath: Never hold your breath while swimming. You should be either

inhaling or exhaling at all times—never both at once, and never neither. The rhythm is:

exhale underwater, turn head to inhale, repeat.

Body Position and Rotation: Turn your head with your chin toward your shoulder, not by

lifting your head up. Your ear should be in the water when you breathe, and only one goggle should be out of the water.

Practice Drills:

• In deeper water, go up and down, exhaling underwater and inhaling above.

  
  

• Use a kickboard, pool buoy, or any flotation device to help you focus on breathing

  without worrying about floating. Hold a kickboard, kick, and practice turning your head to breathe.

  
  

• Hold the device with one hand, keep your face in the water, and practice turning your

  head to the side to breathe while kicking.

Build a Breathing Rhythm:

• Try to breathe every 2 or 3 strokes to establish a steady rhythm and ensure you’re

  getting enough air.

  
  

• Breathe on both sides (bilateral breathing) to balance your stroke, but start with

  whichever side feels most comfortable.

How to breathe while swimming front crawl

Exhale Underwater:

• As your face is submerged, exhale steadily through your nose or mouth. This can be a slow trickle or a controlled release of air.

  
  

• Avoid holding your breath, as this causes CO₂ buildup and increases the urge to gasp for air.

  
  

Inhale During Rotation:

• When rotating your head to the side (timed with body roll), take a quick, deep breath

  through your mouth.

  
  

• Only one goggle should leave the water, and your head should turn in sync with your

  body’s rotation, not lifted upward.

Return to Neutral:

• After inhaling, immediately return your face to the water and resume exhaling.

How to breathe while swimming breaststroke

In this stroke, you can breathe more easily because your head is above the water during

most of the movement. Focus on timing your breath with the arm pull.

How to breathe while swimming backstroke

Since your head is already above the water, breathing is simple. Just keep a steady rhythm and avoid holding your breath.

As your right arm exits the water and begins its recovery overhead, inhale quickly through your mouth. When your left arm starts its recovery, exhale steadily through your nose or mouth

Understand the Importance of Breathing

These are the reasons why breathing matters for beginners:

• For maintaining energy and avoiding fatigue when swimming

• Breathing helps you stay calm

• Breathing helps you swim longer distances

• Breathing in the right way ensures a continuous supply of oxygen to your muscles

• Good breathing reduces anxiety and panic attacks