Common Freestyle Breathing Mistakes

Common mistakes that can trouble freestylers during the breathing portion of the stroke. Whether you're just learning to swim, or are already a seasoned pro, these tips will have you breathing easier in no time.
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[@MrMatthewhg]

First time I've heard the tip about where to be looking when you breathe. Will try it tomorrow!

[@USMastersSwimming]

Great to hear this could help!

[@batlin]

Not even 3 minutes long yet this is packed with extremely important information. I wish more videos were done like this. Looking forward to hitting the pool tomorrow now!

[@USMastersSwimming]

Thank you for your kind words. We appreciate it!

[@richarddury1]

THIS WORKS FOR ME: I found regulating breath-intake difficult; then I thought that perhaps I could learn from how I breathe when SINGING. This too also involves taking a quick breath of as much air as you plan to use and then controlling the exhaling. So I started to sing "to myself" as I swim-easier because I breathe every four strokes, and there are a lot of songs in 4/4 so one line of the song will work out as one cycle of strokes (I started with "Up a Lazy River"). It works really well-helps you relax, coordinate movement and, if you think of singing to yourself around the house at a low volume (not reaching the back of an opera house), it helps you take small breaths too. And it's fun.

[@USMastersSwimming]

FANTASTIC!

[@ldgnotebook]

I saw this one 7 years ago and forget to say thank you, my boy at 5th grade can swim half a mile in ymca, 25 yards length for 32 laps, contest. Totally worked. Very grateful.

[@4daveb]

2.46 minutes of simple but sound advice. The exhalation advice is a gamechanger for me and everything else has just clicked into place. Top man

[@USMastersSwimming]

We are so happy to hear our content helps!

[@ldgnotebook]

Great lesson . Very helpful for me, my kids, my niece to use this technique to practice and it works. Thanks a lot.

[@REDFANGDALLRED]

Nice video.

[@mjallen343]

Great tips, I have been holding my breath until end of second stroke. I will try continuous exhale now and hope to improve!

[@USMastersSwimming]

So glad to hear this will help!

[@VoxEOD]

Thanks for the excellent tips! You answered the exact questions I had going into my search as I try to learn how to swim laps efficiently.

[@vincam4674]

Love it! the best short and sweet explanation I've seen so far on how to breath correctly when freestyling.

[@parkyounghoun]

This is the best teaching for good freestyle swimming. When i was beginner, i had watched it but just had thought that it was just a drill. But now I can understand this is the best and all of swimming.

[@USMastersSwimming]

So happy to hear our content helped you improve!

[@adambahriz7764]

thanks man, I overroll a LOT, this will help

[@rocastro9810]

I'm not new in swimming but had not done it in many years. Lately I decided to swim again and realized I'd forgot how to breathe right when doing freestyle. Great info! Thanks for the video!

[@USMastersSwimming]

Thank you for letting us know our content was helpful!

[@chame26]

Thank you finally someone that explain how to properly breath

[@rockstarstephy1]

Thanks! Beginning swimmer, but I've been in water polo.

[@joejayno]

Awesome I think I got it now. I will try it tomorrow

[@raginityagi7695]

these techniques are amazing i could do 20 laps instead of my usual 13......IN JUST ONE DAY ...thankx man

[@Jeremy-yb5yo]

No.3 is a game changing point for me!

[@peteroakes9007]

Thank you for this helpful video.

[@rambostalin7162]

Peter Oakes vbgnbn

[@aapc]

Excellent video. I will watch several times and try to follow the instructions. Thanks.

[@CitizenOvTheWorld]

Thanks, don't know what happened, but simply lost all ability to remember how I'd always been breathing. So helpfull, thank-you ever so much for the reminders.

[@edwardhaughney9665]

Impressive presentation.

[@julittok]

I keep swallowing water if a keep one goggle under the whater, I don't know what to do

[@AbhijeetNagre]

julittok Same here.

[@AristarchFootler]

It might have something to do with your stroke. If you slow down to take a breathe water will mostly likely rush in, but if you keep a steady pace it'll smoothly create an air pocket. I had the same problem a week ago.

[@Ryftyt77]

Just think about it!

[@JianZhouVA]

julittok keep kicking while turning to the side and breathing.

[@TELEVISIBLE]

I hate it , I am drinking lots of pool water doing free style :(

[@달콤새콤-l2z]

Thanks much!

[@예림박-l9c]

Wow. I think you use gliding. Your pose is good. When you conduct water, your power is really good. Thank you for post good video. I think I learn something useful.

[@ArpanDasRockstar]

Thank you for your nice massage.

[@johnswimcat]

Great video. After years of British masters swimming I am trying to correct the many faults in my freestyle (front crawl) stroke and this is really helpful

[@vassi5725]

thanks again for the tip for the freestyle in swimming

[@makeupbysophiecutler7503]

Really helpful :) I Love swimming and am getting back into it after a few lazy years off (woops). One of my main issues is breathing, unfortunately i seem to struggle to time breathing alongside my strokes (front crawl normally) and this means i'm almost always having to stop after only one length to catch my breath :/ Also does anyone else find that when they try not to lift their head too far out of the water they end up with a mouthful of the water? :( xx

[@Gaurav.P0]

Are you still learning swimming?

[@islambek2712]

Super video. Every aspect is to the point. Thanks!

[@USMastersSwimming]

You are very welcome. Make sure to subscribe! We produce a new video each month.

[@islambek2712]

@@USMastersSwimming Done! My bad hadn't done it before!

[@VishalLandge]

Thanks for the video. Very useful tips

[@USMastersSwimming]

We will see you in the pool soon!

[@indyd1534]

Thank you, This video was just what I needed. Gotta thank Coach lilonga😊 I over rotate, gotta try this drill.

[@linwanritu]

Great tips and easy to apply!

[@sumontomasud2093]

many thanks sir, it's really working ...

[@swiminlovelyplace5203]

Very well explained ! Thanks

[@daphne8228]

I find this video very helpful. I didn't know that I've been doing some things wrong lol. Thank you for this!

[@Vova3iLvova]

kinda perfected my right side . can breath in and see everything underwater with left eye while inhaling now i have do it all over again for left side)) which means gonna drink half of the pool again )) freaking hate it , my stomach will bloat and hurt after each practice again

[@gil658]

HAha I don't know if I drink that much, but it does suck when I take a gulp of water

[@wangchairman1450]

This was a really helpful video.............

[@samuelzatko]

This was a really helpful video thanks l!

[@12themilkman]

Very helpful! I find that sometimes while I'm trying to improve other areas of my front crawl technique, that I'm holding my breath! :/ It has decreased the distance by which I can swim by about half at times. When you start to get winded this way...recovering from it creates all sorts of bad technique, further draining your energy needlessly. I find that I'm constantly thinking about my legwork...I'm probably kicking too often and draining my energy there as well.

[@DSKim-ej5uf]

very good!

[@AaAa-ct5pe]

Thank you for this information .

[@kvinay]

Great tips. I'll see how I can use this tips today in the pool.Need some tips on how to get that chin low which is so tough especially for beginners.

[@ryanw903]

this video is exactly what i need thanks!!

[@MegaBigboost]

Thank you sir, just what I needed to know

[@DanNoz]

great video thanks for sharing.

[@eyepinto]

Good! very useful. thank you!

[@YTS_Boom]

Thanks

[@wongj1025]

Good practice!

[@tharadon1]

Excellent video. My time was well-spent. Thank you.

[@OZYZO1]

Very helpfull. Thanks..

[@stephanm.tjaden3887]

A good video, I always struggle with proper breathing form while swimming.

[@oustedaccount5612]

i dont usually open my mouth when i breath then i stop at 25 meters in 50meterpool ill try this thanks great help

[@ananthanunnithan]

need to perfect this,was a helpful video,will comment after next drill

[@naugxp6]

Great instructions！

[@sambou6286]

Thanks ! very informative

[@urdmusic]

Very helpful thank you

[@derekmusic5753]

That just turning your chin part 💯 Thank you

[@Kyle_Butterfield81]

I'm excited to try this. My goal this year is to become a stronger swimmer, and I can only do about 10 laps with rest time in between. I always feel like I'm getting fatigued, and I figured it was because of my lack of continuous oxygen, so this confirmed that. I didn't realize the pocket of air was there. I feel like I'm always gasping for air, even right after taking a breath. So it could be a combination of me holding my breath too long, and also the fact that I'm out of shame, haha. Thanks for the instruction! I'll give it a go.

[@GoodNewsForStrangers]

Are you a better swimmer than before now?

[@NicoleBeckfordfitness]

best explanation

[@andreigamaletz]

Hi!I have found out that if you turn your head with the mouth just 1 cm above the water surface and you don't raise your forehead out of the water,there is much lower drag that taking the head completely out of the water.I also foud out that moving your head as little as possible,keeps the drag to a minimum and thus a constant speed thru water.

[@any2xml]

Thanks for the tips. After many many years, I finally leaned to breathe through my mouth. In our 75' pool, I need to pause and take a few breaths before completing the lap. I am not breathing through my nose. It seems, I need to exhale through the nose AS WELL so when I come up for air, I can take in through mouth as well as nose. Is this right?

[@twgirl1]

great stuff! Thanks.

[@superseiyan]

I'm stuck, I've been trying to learn breathing for almost a year. I have the unfortunate body type that sinks, don't know if that's the issue. Also seems each time I "turn" to breathe, I gulp water....dont' know if its because I'm rushing it or if it's my sinking problem.

[@RicardoCorralArmas]

Great!...Thank you!

[@daniellejunejomoc9254]

Wow I've been corrected many times through this vid, firstly, with the breathing that turning almost my whole head back to the surface because I thought if my face would still be with the waters some water will rush to my mouth while inhaling.

[@USMastersSwimming]

So glad the video helped! Check out more technique videos on our dedicated Freestyle Playlist. Or, subscribe to our channel and you will get alerts when we post new content!

[@chelleum]

Great advice! I'm having a hard time get a breathe, but now I see what I'm doing wrong.

[@vaibhavshirbhate]

I m inhale with mouth and exhale with nose. If i try to inhale with nose lots water enter in the system. Is alright if inhale with mouth and exhale with nose?. if not how should I practice it? Please suggest

[@kcrofoo]

Thanks. Two good tips I picked up: look behind, and exhale through nose.

[@proudlyindian001]

Tt

[@proudlyindian001]

Rangilara

[@kbain10]

Great lesson. Thank you.

[@onthetrailwithcoolsocks6628]

Any thoughts on using a decongestant before swimming?

[@stephenross7663]

Thanks for the advice!

[@RickMartinYouTube]

very helpful

[@amitvutukuri872]

Summing up- 1.Constantly Leg beating should be there. 2. Look Down 90° preferably always. Or a little diagonal. 3. One gogle in and one out while taking breathe.

[@frafranildo]

Thank you!

[@kbkushalutube]

thanks a lot. Question: If one eye is in the water while breathing, won't water get in the mouth?

[@cpy]

For most people it doesn't, some people do a "grrrr" mouth so only the high side is open

[@msriri96]

thanks for the video! really helpful :)

[@neotock]

Thank you ! Very useful

[@gmseo]

I swim competitiely and if u have a freestyle breathing problems u should do this drill put ur hand in front of u and keep ur mouth right above the water do this for a few 50s right hand down and left hand back also breath to ur left the first 25 and right coming back

[@Slenderman.]

THIS HELPED SO MUCH WITH EXHALING I WAS EXHALING THROUGH MY MOUTH TY

[@saravanan335]

Helpful video

[@mekaiigurung3582]

i haven't figured out, why do my whole head immerse inside water while doing freestyle swimming. Is there any way to keep some part of it in the air? Thanks

[@jameshallfishing3377]

Need more videos

[@USMastersSwimming]

We are working on it! Stay tuned...

[@thaik56]

Now I'm confused, some other videos on KZbin recommend rolling to your side to facilitate head rotation and therefore breathing, and it is also a more streamline position. Here I read comments saying that we should not roll our body to the side while breathing. Which one is it?

[@Ceekay420]

Ikr, the Phelps coach said to roll and not move the head. Very confusing stuff!

[@thaik56]

Ceekay420 This is pretty much it. I would understand not to roll our head every stroke, but no body rotation at all... Sounds wrong. No body rotation means shoulder injury and difficulty reaching for air when side breathing.

[@XxlightningflightxX]

You should roll a little. Just not too much.

[@dushtubabin]

I only recently learnt swimming and while I can easily exhale through the nose when I first start, when I take my head out to get more air, when I bring it into the pool again, I find it extremely difficult to exhale through the nose and wind up holding my breath until I bring my head back up and eventually have to stop because I end up getting water either up my nose or swallow a little bit of it. Any way to correct that?

[@georgi0]

can all these applied to open sea swimming?

[@nme7885]

My legs get tired every fast and frequently. I am aiming for a 50m sprint but my legs grt fatigued within 20-25m of the lap, following which I usually have to pull water faster and harder. This causes overall exhaustion and also cause abdominal pain. Any thoughts and tips on this? Please help. Regards

[@USMastersSwimming]

Dew, we recommend you find a local Masters Swimming coach to view your stroke in person to provide real-time feedback. Our best guess without seeing your stroke is that you should put you head lower in the water to help raise your hips which will allow your legs to rise so you can kick a little less and save energy. usms.org/clubfinder

[@srijanagrawal1791]

does the 4th point of yours(exhaling through nose) also apply to 50m freestyle events?do reply.thanks in anticipation!

[@freerhymin4life]

Wow, now I know why I never can do freestyle for too long. My breathing sucks, which tires me out so quickly. Good tips.

[@shujaabbasnaqvi2001]

thank you

[@MrDpsc]

I tried doing this (constantly enhaling) and while I always had breath, it seemed as if my body had way too much oxygen and everything felt weird. I tried it for about a km, then went back to my old bad habbit of starting to exhale the stroke before you'll enhale. What did I do wrong?

[@Goucvdidah]

Exhale, Exhale, Exhale. Thank you. Im 37 years old and still trying to swim and breath at the same time.

[@zrmaja]

Just started swimming and when i try to freestyle swim i feel like im getting panic attacks when my face is underwater. I have no problem with diving but when i freestyle i feel like im not getting enough air.

[@marysikulu]

Same here

[@athenasawsumtv]

That sometimes happens with me usually starting on my 3rd to 4th lap.

[@worldwidequiz3477]

Athena Chen Well after three weeks of training (maybe) it should all start feeling more natural. I swam from age 4 to 16, and only on my last every length did it all come together and i beat my pools record set by my Olympic coach who was 30 when he set it. 16 years on and i got back in a pool only a few days ago and i'm back to being 4, i can hardly do two lengths without not getting enough air breathing every fourth stroke. It will get better.

[@zrmaja]

World Wide Quiz thank you. Ive masterd it quite well actually. :)

[@User_11_14]

@Daniel Z can you please share your experience? How did you master it ? I too feel suffocated and shortness of breath.. even though I take my head out for breathe, it feels like I did not get enough air and I stand for air in the middle of the pool

[@fennygypsy]

I'm failing to blow bubbles.. Once i try to do it i mess up everything. But i manage well with holding my breath nd taking out my head out after four five strokes. How dangerous is this technique that I'm applying?? But I'm really trying with the blowing bubbles thing just that it makes me mess up the coordination

[@mvfuentesl]

I have a problem with the stroke in freestyle, I have been watching the video and realize that the timing is my problem I can not keep the arm in front waiting for the recovery of the other arm. Thanks

[@yuriyp8932]

My mistake was that after inhale I kept air in my lungs until the next inhale. For that reason I was able to swim no more than 100-200 m, then I rotated on my back to recover breathing. Thanks! It is quite difficult to fing the right answer on KZbin. But I still have a really big problem is water goes into my nose. After swimming that water goes away through the nose for several days when I put on my shoes or during sleeping))). What's wrong?

[@SophiaLenore]

Awesome - we like it ☺

[@mariaespinoza6358]

ya swimmer magazine... god, how I miss getting new issues in the mail... why??? did you have to stop??? ... I was using them to help improve my swimming.. wish I still had them....Ohh I miss you...

[@USMastersSwimming]

@Maria Espinoza, SWIMMER magazine is still sent out every two months to our registered USMS members. Email [e-mail] and we can help figure this out.

[@mariaespinoza6358]

thanks... but not right now... can't right now... funds are low.... should have written .. how I missED getting new issues in the mail... would love to subscribe.. just can't afford it right now.. but thanks

[@INTERNA9]

Great !

[@vassi5725]

mistakes is so awesome to learn we want a mistake that you can learn from it then you can do better