Why Am I Exhausted After Swimming 50m!?

[@gtn]

Share your swimming tips below 🏊🏻

[@annacmoo]

Hi could you just have a video just showing free style swimming from the side underwater. So we can see the rhythm of what it looks like over the whole length or lengths. With all the edits the flow is lost.

[@dliedke]

I see a lot of amateurs starting too fast and getting exausted fast. Start slow to warm up, fast sprint series, then cool down slow.

[@Mmoytv-l1n]

Great 😂😂

[@Alltagsabenteuer]

@annacmoo I was about to ask for exactly the same! I just would like to have a 5 minute underwater video to watch and learn. Unlike other sports like running and cycling, it's harder to to watch others doing it.

[@MAGH1O1]

Start swimming with a Snorkling device. Gets rid of all breathing issues. Once you master the swimming technique and overcome physical and psychological hindrances, breathing automatically becomes second nature.

[@arkafon79]

Thank you for your "permission" to breath on just one side on 2 strokes! Switched today and was able to easily swim laps without a break, whereas just a day before I was gassed out at 1 lap doing the 3-stroke breathing. I've been swimming 3-4 days a week since Jan, but my technique and lung capacity is simply not there yet to "swim like the pros". Today was actually enjoyable and I am finally confident I can start working toward clearing that 1000m mark in one go!!

[@paulmcilwraith4835]

As a 59 year old learning to swim properly, my biggest obstacle is the breathing part. Excellent video, thank you very much

[@robertlebo7009]

Two years ago, I could barely make it to the other side of the 25 meter pool. When I did get there, I clung to the edge as if it was the last life preserver on the Titanic. I watched hundreds of You Tube videos, and the ones that really helped me improve were the Ocean Walking or Ocean Crawling. Long story short, I now swim 3 days a week : 2 miles, 3 miles, and then 4 miles, with a day off in between. I have sacrificed speed for distance. I swim a very slow 50 minute mile. But at age 72 I am thrilled to be able to swim 4 miles without stopping except for some water. I breathe every two strokes and always on the left side. I do VERY LITTLE kicking. Little tips/secrets I have picked up along the way include “Barbie hands” position; thumb touching hip then shoulder each stroke; not spending the time I have left on earth to learn how to flip turn; and not being embarrassed or ashamed that I am the slowest swimmer in the pool. I focus on being streamlined and stretching/reaching arms way out front to keep my legs up. I really like my time in the pool, and especially like it when someone in the changing room asks me “how far today” and I say 4 miles, and some buffed 25year old hotshot speeder quit after 30 lengths.

[@mophatomokgadi9949]

Amazing 👏 👏 👏

[@rcmclaug]

That's awesome! What's funny is when I teach kids flutter kicking, I tell them to use Barbie legs! Long legs, very little knee bend, kick from the hip, and point your toes!

[@robertlebo7009]

@@rcmclaugi am wondering if there was ever a “swimsuit Barbie”

[@mischac.4161]

This is inspiring, thank you for sharing your experience

[@im69d]

Insecure 72 year old man

[@TheGnumpen]

Watching this to get prepared for tomorrow. Going back to swimming after 11 years. Already super excited!

[@Dionysos_____Alters]

How did it go?

[@wilburjones4084]

you go back swimming my dude?

[@zmli9610]

hi GTN, i am the guy who can cycle 100 km or run a marathon but struggle to swim 50 or 100m without being out of breath. I tried working on each aspect of my technique (catch, pull, timing of kick, body rotation, head level when breathing, etc) but to no effect on my distance. Then i discovered it was my breathing: not so much about exhaling when head is in the water, but more about exhaling COMPLETELY in the water. To attain complete exhalation in the water, i lengthened my glide & lowered by arms cadence to give myself more time to exhale completely in the water. My pace is reduced of course, but i can now comfortably swim sets of 400-500m no problem.

[@banzobeans]

Well done! Fully exhaling in the water is counterintuitive. I've heard many say they struggle to get it done even when focusing on this aspect alone. I assume it's a sort of survival instinct that gets in the way…

[@Dionysos_____Alters]

I will try that. Merci for the advide

[@gg4358]

this makes so much sense, next time i'm going to try elongating my glide to allow more time to exhale out. sometimes i feel like breathing every 2 strokes is too rushed and i also will feel like im out of breath after 50m. elongating the glide to allow for a more controlled exhale and therefore more time inhaling when my mouth is out of the water sounds like the move!

[@TheSkite575]

Been swimming many years do many miles per week I don't fully exhale maybe exhale 1/2 to 3/4 I don't have enough time in my stroke to completely empty my lungs

[@ktech4246]

Great video, 4months ago I couldn't do 50m. I got a coach who specialised in Total Immersion method. I now can do 1.2km non-stop. Now working on improving speed. It was 90% technique 10% fitness. Pretty much everything you mentioned above I was doing wrong.

[@monie802]

I’m doing total immersion classes now. I can do 50+ m, but I’m exhausted. I def am holding my breath. I guess I didn’t realize how it was impacting me till watching this. I’m not even sure I realized I was doing it.

[@ktech4246]

@@monie802 I get where you are coming from as I had that barrier too. What got me past the 50m barrier is focusing on doing a very slow paced swimming emphasising on being as relaxed as possible in the water. Technique doesnt have to be perfect but what really helped is for each stroke before my breath (i breath every 2nd stoke) i go into superman then a slight pause in this position, then kick to rotation focusing on zero effort pull ie used my rotation to pull so it felt like no effort. As i do this I get both feet touch as i go into skate. I found this got my head nice,early and high to get a good easy breath in. Once I do this for 500m nonstop, I feel more relaxed in the water and either can aim to go on or then start focusing on drills like speed, improving balance etc Also for my breath I slightly breath out as enter into water then gradually exhale as rotate to take next breath. Creates a vaccum for easier intake. I use my nose to breath out and mouth breath in, my coach suggested as it gives one task for each body part to do. Finally definitely get 2 beat kick going as it again reduces fatigue. Also suggest checking out Adam OceanWalker vids which is TI based and some tips there. Good luck with the classes, TI is totally worth it!

[@shazadster]

WOW THAT IS AWESOME!

[@levifromthehood]

In my case I know the answer with a 100% certainty: I can't swim :D

[@gtn]

Correction! Couldn't swim 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKPCdKF_m9doq5o

[@levifromthehood]

@@gtn thank you guys! That's a very useful video

[@pablojimenez8837]

In that case, improve your technique and breathing, then, then, controll your anxiety and enter the pool in a relaxed way. Mentally, consider water your best friend

[@carlmagnusostblad1419]

Good luck on open water... 😊

[@wawa2221]

Brah.

[@kautzz]

Spot on! A year ago I could barely do 50m without a pause. Worked on my breathing (especially exhaling and switching to 2 stokes), dialed down my legwork to -10000 and it helped immensely. Still perfecting it, but 2000m in one go ain't a problem today. Now slowly starting to get into breathing every 3 strokes.

[@JosFlos.]

That's an amazing improvement! i do get dizzy when i go for 2 strokes though..

[@markbalaam1915]

That’s epic! I started last Oct and needed to correct the same issues. Just pb’d 1000 in 20:35. My first swim was 200 in 17minutes

[@kautzz]

that's an impressive improvement!@@markbalaam1915

[@cyberdiverwatson]

I will put in work tomorrow with the idea of SLOWING DOWN and breathing every 2 strokes. I realized that if I go too fast, my stroke / breath goes WAY off and I struggle.😅

[@theondebray]

One point: I've always taught pupils (and myself) when swimming front crawl to bring you arms forward LOW over the water, like an oar, so the weight of the arms isn't pushing your body down into the water. The opposite for back crawl, bring you arms high up in the air whilst bringing the power arm in the water as deep as poss for maximum stroke length. Also maximising effective stroke length in the water, not slapping the water either.

[@WILDFOXRUNNING]

Awesome video Mark! Albert here, a thing I started doing a while back and have stuck with it is: During warm do 2x100m breathing every 3, and 2x100m breathing every 5. I know, it gets tough during the 5’s , but you learn to control the breathing better and best of all, when you go back to breathing every 3 or 2 it feels effortless. Couldn’t recommend to try it enough 💪🏻 happy swimming

[@Andythefunkman]

what an amazing thing you`ve just shared

[@WILDFOXRUNNING]

thank you, really hope it helps. @@Andythefunkman

[@janverbanck]

On another swimming channel, they pointed out that you should breathe out under water through the nose as this would lead to less CO2 buildup....I followed this advice and although I can't really explain the effect myself it helps me a lot. My distances improved significantly.

[@NeilMalthus]

Out through the nose and in through the mouth and you've got a better 'circuit' developed. More efficient breathing.

[@Ryuuuuuk]

I have to wear a noseclip in the water due to allergies, so I can't benefit unfortunately

[@SS-dp7lt]

What do u mean

[@DariusOutdoors]

I think the advantage is breathing out of your mouth underwater is more stress for the brain. The brain wants to keep its mouth shut underwater. It's dangerous. This stress burns more oxygen. Ideally you should always be exhaling a bit of air through the nose so that you never get water into your nose and no noseclip is required.

[@mclekrell]

Made a HUGE difference for me as well!

[@ancliuin2459]

Again and again helpful tips from you guys. I cannot thank you enough!

[@Sairama1926]

Very insightful and useful tips. Thanks much🙏

[@ttitova]

I do not even know where to start to thank you for this video! I have wanted to try myself at triathlon for the past 5 years at least! For that I had to learn how to swim, as I never learned how to properly swim before. For that I have started swimming classes at he beginning of September. Yet, by the end of March I was still not able to swim more then 50 meters before I needed a break gasping for air. So the prospect of doing my sprint triathlon at beginning of June became very bleak. I have started looking online for the swimming tips though. And the statement at the beginning of this video was a complete game changer. It really didn't make sense to me that I can cycle for hours, run for an hour, but cannot swim more then 50 meters. The major mistakes that I had was actually kicking too hard and was trying to breathe every 3 strokes. Once I changed breathing for 2 and stopped kicking like crazy I have finally started to make an insanely fast progress. I am so proud, that I have done my Winsor sprint triathlon in June. And I wasn't even tired! So really looking now to try an Olympic distance triathlon in my next one! Thank you so much!!!

[@iangraham9050]

Thanks to GTN I started swimming freestyle in Feb this year, and I was struggling just like Mark said. I have watched their KZbin channel diligently every week since and have now completed a 6 km (Pool) swim in 2 hours - not bad for a 65-year-old! So many tips, ideas, and explanations for mastering the front crawl stroke - it's been just amazing! Thanks guys.

[@SWIMSMARTCOACHING]

Excellent post thank you. Probably 75% of struggling swimmers I see are trying to force all the air out of their lungs to "empty" them with makes them sinky, panicky and verging on hyperventilating so if you don't find "emptying" works for you, try exhaling a little more gently (with a little more forceful out through the nose as you turn to breathe). Breathe as naturally and calmly as possible relative to effort level.

[@pablojimenez8837]

Swiming stressed also make you tired. Everything star when you approach the change room, dress, take shower, put the goggles, enter the pool and start to swim in a relaxed way. Doing a few pools in a relaxing style help before alternate styles and eventually increasin the frecuenci and speed Then you will be surprise for how long you can swim without geting tired and enjoying it. Swim like an open water long distance swimer, in a relaxed way If you can swim hours without getting tired, then water is your best friend Also, don't forget your strenght resistance traineng in the gym: 3 series of dumbell exercises, shoulders and backexercises, running, pull ups Appropiate diet and rest,

[@dgriley7280]

I used to swim competitively. Swam every so often for the last 10 years. I’ve always done training blocks breathing every 3,5,7,9,9,7,5,3 and fitness wise in every other aspect seemed to be incredible and spike red blood cell count. After watching this video and training today. I think that this practice was teaching me to hold my breath rather than breathe out properly! Such a simple change and already made a huge difference, training with tumble turns seemed impossible, but today felt great.

[@UltraMegaSandwich]

So glad you mentioned breathing every 2. There's such a weird dogma in swimming that you have to breathe every 3. I have always breathed every 2 unless sprinting or in competition.

[@nikitaw1982]

At least breath to the otherside every second lap

[@berrianazrubel795]

Breathing 3 keeps you more balanced and can make you move smoother through the water as a result. However, I hate breathing 3 and don’t really do any free races require breathing 3s. So, I don’t do it

[@SWIMSMARTCOACHING]

@@berrianazrubel795 and it doesn't usually work as a silver bullet for making simmers more balanced. Those who advocate it just say it does.

[@wjb4578]

This video is very timely. I had an epiphany to relax when I'm swimming. It always felt like I was fighting the water, at times. Once I relaxed, I remembered to rotate more so my head could create a pocket with the surface, thus allowing me to breathe more smoothly and in control. While still tired, I wasn't as tired. I'm going to work on my kicking next, because I've gotten a couple leg cramps, probably from kicking too hard. As a runner, I can't afford to have unnecessarily sore calfs.

[@bneum]

Thank you so much for this! I started to wonder if it was my breathing, I was on to something! This was very helpful, and I'm grateful for this information, not only to improve my swimming, but it applies to my life right now in other ways too.

[@tomhawkins939]

Brilliant video. I think my issue is definitely breathing. I'm 25, never really learned to swim until I went to Australia where it's basically more important than eating or drinking. I learnt in the sea which is so much easier as you're more buoyant, but after going to a pool I struggled so much. I'm now trying to swim multiple times a week and just trying to stay more relaxed in the water. Sometimes I find if I close my eyes I can concentrate more (obviously opening them every so often to see where I'm going). Hopefully I can keep improving and do 25m without being exhausted

[@SBoots29]

I have been playing around with breathing technique. I bilateral breath and able to manage a long swim 1500 - 2000 meters. I do notice when I start getting tired though, I will switch to right side only for a few hundred meters then switch back. It changes things when I get in the lake. I have to add in the sighting stroke with no breath for that stroke and it messes with my rhythm. In one year I have gone from 2:45 per hundred to 2:25. Modest gains.

[@MrBdodger15]

Great video. This was the exact question I’ve been asking myself recently

[@angrymikko]

25! I consider this an advanced swimming video 😂

[@KANOE3]

Thanks GTN... After watching yr vid, I realised I tend to overkick.. that's why I gasping every lap... Reduce my kicking.,..... wallaaàa..... I swam an hour non stop... Great adv.... Thanks.

[@Tommy-zu6vb]

This video couldn't have been timed better. I have started training for my first half-ironman, and I have always been in good shape for biking and running, but swimming is just like a roadblock. I can't implement anything from my strength training, biking or running and it frustrates me every time I am done with my swimming session because I don't feel any progress. At the moment I can only do 25 meters and I am out of breath like I ran a 100 m sprint. I really hope I can improve my swimming >.

[@baptisteArno]

We’re on the same boat, man 😅

[@My85GSL]

That's crazy! January 1st, I signed up for my first 70.3 IM too! I'm doing the Galveston, Texas on 4/7/2024. The swim is my struggle..I'm a big guy but feel like I'm making good progress on the run and bike though...the swim is my fear

[@tudorm6838]

It depends. If you do other aerobic activities with your legs and arms, you will not be exhausted after 50m and it also depends on your swimming style. You can swim with your head on the surface :) There are many situations in which the perfect swimming style does not fit. If the water is dirty. If you have to pay attention to what is happening around you. If there are waves (you raise your head to breathe and it's not air, it's water :) )

[@dennischiapello7243]

Well it’s good to know I’m doing something right! My workouts are 40 or 50 laps in a 25 meter pool, using bilateral breathing on 3 strokes. I don’t fatigue. Which means I suppose I need to swim more laps. What i need help with is preventing shoulder pain, and I may have to look for a coach.

[@PavelKim-h1c]

video starts at 1:35

[@lindacassidy9546]

Yes! My struggle too - I can cycle, I can run... badly:)) but swimming leaves me out of breath - 200m and I have to rest - until this morning. I watched your video yesterday and tried to breath on 2 - it works! I do need to balance it out and may try to get back to breathing on 3 eventually. This is because breathing on my right (my weaker side) makes me wander and breathing only on my left tenses my right hip and creates a tightness there. But hey! wonderful to feel that I can actually go for much much longer now. Thank you so very much.

[@desroin]

What kept me back in the beginning was that unconscious sense of "drowning" (due to having your head submerged all the time in freestyle stroke). Friend of mine then took me to the 4.5m deep jumping section of the pool and we'd go diving there to get used to not being able to breathe freely. Really helped tbh

[@gtn]

What a great friend! Always a good idea if you can get out with more experienced people, it's amazing what tricks you can learn 🙌

[@desroin]

@@gtn very true indeed, it what helps with the motivation and I've already managed to beat him in some super sprints which hopefully will increase his motivation xD

[@nikitaw1982]

Sometimes I do backstroke so can breath as much as want.

[@JJBpilot]

Several coaches, encourage sinkdowns. Triathlon taren has a breathing video where he talks about exhaling until you sink, relax, come up and repeat until you are relaxed enough.

[@UnfilterFinance]

I legit went from being able to do 2x25m lentghs to being able to do 40x25m length in 1 session after this video. I adapted to catching a breath every 2 strokes and that fixed everything alongside the other tips. That felt super good to do, thanks!

[@Karlosmolinafull]

Mis dos peores errores: patear demasiado e inhalar superficialmente, ahora lo entiendo. ¡gracias! Excelentes tips!

[@richardswaby6339]

Yes. that's my problem too. Superficial breathing. ie not breathing out enough which ends up with me only exchanging the air at the top of my lungs. A bit like an iceberg really. If my lungs are like an iceberg I only exchange the air equivalent to the ice above the water. I guess I am still scared of almost emptying my lungs. I am trying to improve this.

[@robohippy]

I can't say that I know of any one who breaths too frequently... But all things are possible. If you watch the elite swimmers, more so with distance swimmers, the men all breath on every other stroke. The women breath on a 2, 2, 3 pattern, most of the time. Ariarne Titmus breaths on the 2, 2, 3 pattern, and Katie Ledecky breaths on an every other stroke pattern. The thing with swimming, if you are going into oxygen debt by not breathing enough, you will never catch up to that debt. I would also consider figuring your optimal stroke rate to be equally important. And this, like sweat rates can be highly variable. Lowest and longest possible stroke count is not always the best one, as well as fastest and shortest stroke rate. I don't know of any way to figure out what individual optimal stroke rate is, other than by playing around with it a lot. I do know that you can swim too slow to be efficient. Finding that middle ground is huge!

[@galactic1292]

Very good video, thanks for your help

[@comingfall6348]

started swimming just at the age of 24, learned it by myself. one time i overdid my self so much i puked the living hell out of myself this video helps tremendously

[@Vera----]

No one tells you specifically this but: the pace of your swimming should be according to your calm breathing. Don’t try to adjust your breathing to your arms. Adjust your arms to your breathing. You breath slower? keep the arm on the front and just glide… don’t take your arm down, don’t use your legs, just glide slowly. No need to rush 🤍

[@Lionheart1157]

Thanks! Brilliant advice :)

[@kraaijer]

Excellent video

[@johnmcquaid7524]

Awesome series of videos.. thank-you!

[@JanBrzeski007]

THANK YOU! I easily run 10-20km, go 1-2h on the bike fast yet my swim is one big torture... these tips will help a LOT! I felt this video was for me personally LOL

[@AndyJM1961]

Have always seen myself as a pretty good swimmer and can swim front crawl long distances no problem. My last triathlon I know I was swimming much faster than normal but found out I was tired after a couple of lengths. I appreciate I was swimming faster but still this shocked me, I then saw this podcast and tried a few new methods, the main one was the breathing, i was amazed the difference and it was all down to breathing properly under water. Under fast training conditions I now breathe out almost instantly the mouth hits the water. To think all these years I have been breathing wrong. Thankyou GTN

[@MathieuDeVinois]

I started with swimming once a week some months ago. With some breaks because of holidays etc. I now swim 1km in one go and 25 minutes. But my technique is crap. Also I just do breast swimming as with free style I can’t even manage breathing. Will see if I can develop better technique with time. I for now decided to swim before work (instead of after work) in the morning and at least at every working day. I think for the start training the daily habit is the most important.

[@bernhardrannegger]

great video. - thanks!

[@ashleycorgat2875]

This is such a great video and superb insights

[@hanumarn7882]

First lap is always breathless after a long absence from swimming. After many more sessions it gets better and becomes like meditation, concentrating on the breathing and trying to remember how many laps I have done.

[@Mauredo]

"Are you struggling to swim further than 50 meters? Often this doesn’t make any sense - you might be able to run for 2 hours or cycle for 4 hours. You’re fit. " myself in a sentence :D great content!

[@commonsensecorner7275]

Soooo, I’ve never had professional swimming lessons and my biggest obstacle has always been and still is, holding my breath! I’m certainly not in denial that there’s a phobia even still at 49 y/o… I found you, because I realized day one (September 4th) of joining an athletic center, whatever kind of swim that I’m doing, it’s not symmetrical! 🤷🏽‍♀️😝 I’m whipping my muscles into shape for a trip next month and there’s snorkeling, surfing and scuba diving. I’ve NEVER done any of it, but I’ve always been curious, so I’m bringing in my 50th Birthday without limits - well, sort of!!! 🤣 It’s a breaststroke, but my head doesn’t submerge - although, I’m practicing holding my breath and going under. I’ll see if the lifeguards are allowed to give me pointers on what they see that I should correct. I’m swimming further, so that’s motivating. 👏🏽👏🏽

[@Rich_Reid]

This makes so much sense!! Will definitely be working on this.

[@andreilupu5427]

I pretty much encounter the same issue. I get quickly out of breath when swimming for 25/50 meters. This seems to be worse when I first start swimming because, after a while, I get "enough flow" that swimming actually gets easier and I am much better when it comes to breathing. I also try to force myself into bilateral breathing.

[@gtn]

It's all about balance, sounds like you are nailing it - Do you enjoy our swim content?

[@andreilupu5427]

@@gtn yup, yup !

[@michaeltaylor8204]

i give up train 3 hrs a day boxing aged 61_ was a top cyclist runner cnt swim 25 metres i sink cnt breath _ but now paying the price for crazy punishment my body has taken..well going to give swimming a proper go thanks for great video. yes im out of breath.

[@Panfleto89]

I wish we had KZbin 40 years ago. I struggled with that since I was in elementary school, because I would get exhausted after just 50 meters I never pursued swimming. I didn't make sense to me, since I was extremely fit otherwise, I was in the top 5 sprinters in my high school, I held my high school record for the 5K run and I was a starter on the soccer team. I could also ride my bicycle for hours at time, destroying hills and maintaining a high pace for a long time. So, many years later, about 12 years ago, we moved in a new house with a swimming pool, and that is when I figured out exactly what I was doing wrong. What you described was me. My case was a combination of issues 1 and 3, I was not exhaling completely, and then I was grasping for air when I would come out. Once I started emptying my longs, it was like a completely different sport. Swimming became so effortless.... the only thing, I don't know if it is just me, or because I didn't really start swimming until I was a grown man, I am not able to master open water swim. Panic sets in and I lose rhythm and all hell breaks lose.

[@dardog7734]

So well explained

[@henrysevern]

Good video, I have joined a gym with a swimming pool and try a swim for 45 minutes solid, but are having problems doing so. I have tried breathing every 2, 3, 4 and 5 strokes. I find you can swim faster with 5 strokes between breathes, but I don’t seem to go any more than 100 metres to I have to stop. While breathing every 2 strokes gives you a sore neck.

[@XC-Z-cv8qw]

Your head should naturally be in position for taking a breath if you add a slight rotation whenever you do the stroke

[@marajevomanash]

Breathe when you need to. Listen to your body. Don't exhale completely underwater. Leave some breath until the next time you pop your head out of the water.

[@caro_santamaria]

Happy to come across this video! I’m a beginner and expressed to my coach that I’m struggling with the rythm of my breathing and she just said “it’s fine, you’ll get there” 🤡

[@malytvor1]

I am doing breaststroke as a part of my weightloss jurney. I am a little bit sad because when I started (October 2023) my pace was 5:05/100m, now it is 4:13/100m but with all effort :D I saw yesterday that people make 1000m in 15min.. I can make it in 45 mins :( But never back down.

[@blackyboi2885]

long story shortened: you get tired fast after short swim because your so starved for air and exhausted by all that effort without the air you needed. it was basically like you held your breath while you did a ton of exercise.

[@markbalaam1915]

Today I just started putting my head deeper in and knocked out 500m without stopping whereas 50-100m needed at least a 10second break

[@slindilengcobo3235]

Thanks. Was the improvement because of more balance and less drag? When I’m conscious to swim as if I’m climbing down into the water which lifts my lower body to the surface I struggle to come out for breaths

[@KavemanBro]

Great video clip, well done indeed

[@jupitereye4322]

I know why I get exausted so quickly.... I need to lose over 70lbs...

[@MickeyGSinger]

Funny comment, but might actually not be true and maybe actually you could improve your swimming focusing on your real weaknesses

[@vladyakovlev7079]

I just lost 30 lbs in 3 months. In a normal healthy way. May I give you an advice based on my story so you can change eating habits?

[@jupitereye4322]

@@vladyakovlev7079 You may, but I am already losing some fat and gaining muscle. I've changed my diet quite a bit with some help from a nutritionist, I swim and do resistance training 5 times per week, I do intermittent fasting, uptake protein intake, and so on... It is slow progress but I've lost a bit more than 10lbs since my comment. It is a bit easier to swim now, but not much, as I still need to lose 50-60lbs for sure. I am in my mid 40s by the way.

[@jessesoto6150]

Excellent work!

[@helicart]

The main reason recreational swimmers struggle with shortness of breath (at moderate aerobic swimming pace) is due to the work done relative to cardiac output. - Lung gas exchange is never the limiting factor for swimming or any other exercise in healthy individuals. It is always cardiac output. - In swimming, it is the ability of the heart to deliver O2 to and remove CO2 from working muscle. The upper limbs do most of the work in swimming, and have significantly lower blood flow rate than lower limbs, due to narrower arteries. Therefore, lactic acid fatigue can occur earlier than for exercise based more so on lower limbs (running, cycling). - Swimming work increases with drag. Efficient swimmers typically have low body mass and surface area i.e. they are not over weight. - Efficient swimmers have longer limbs, and less mass in their pelvis and lower limbs. Therefore their lower body creates less resistance through the water. - Much is written about efficient swimmers having bigger chests, and this provides higher gas exchange. This is a furphy. Bigger chests typically mean one does not have to breathe as deep to achieve adequate gas exchange. This in turn puts less pressure on the heart when it is trying to fill chambers with blood. So shortness of breath in swimming relative to other sports is due to - body drag, arterial flow to swimming muscles, cardiac output, and chest volume (inspiration's compression of the heart).

[@krzysztoftankielun582]

It sounds strongly scientifically, but I do agreee with all of those statements so much! You have to be aware of that factors of efficient swimming. I've struggled for more than 1 year with longer swims, until I realised how much breathng pattern and technique important is. Even my coach didnt recognize my problem properly before I did it.

[@edbrophy4602]

One of the main reasons why Dolphins don't do well in freshwater is because they are more buoyant in the ocean, but it makes sense that the ocean should be where humans swim as well. About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Of that water, 97% is found in the oceans, and 3% is fresh water (not including 50-meter pools). Olympic Municipal pools a hundred years ago were at many of the oceans' beaches which were filled with saltwater pumped from the sea and heated. 'Google;: vintage Postcards: Long Beach CA Salt Water Indoor Pool 1910's, Hollywood by the Sea Florida, Municipal Swimming Pool PACIFIC GROVE, CA Cove Beach c1940, Municipal Swimming Pool, Santa Barbara, California, San Fransisco Fleishhacker Pool 1932 was the World's Largest Circular Salt Water Swimming Pool, the Macfadden-Deauville Hotel Miami Beach, FL. Ad infinitum Worldwide.

[@willadcock4765]

yeah its crazy how much ive got narrowminded to what i train for. fast 100 meter sprints with a breath per 6 strokes meant my breathing is just not enough and i cant pace myself, i feel like my body doesnt know how to swim slowly and sustain it for long periods

[@shaukah9173]

I am Still facing this despite being swimming for more than a year now. I get anxiety as I see my other group mates older than me doing much better than me. Plus my breathing technique, I guess. It's something really needs to be practised almost regularly.

[@CK-ho7zf]

Initially swim with a wetsuit; it helps with the fear factor

[@romanluu]

Great timing, I was just wondering about this when coming back from the pool yesterday evening! And I can confirm my breathing to be the main problem. I am now solely focusing on getting my breathing right before moving on to anything else.

[@gtn]

Getting the basics down is a must! 🙌 Great to hear that you are taking your time to master the little things!

[@slindilengcobo3235]

Hi. How are you progressing? I’m simply not getting it right

[@bt1163]

Very informative, all the issues I have and timing is so important. I try to relax more. I saw another video and they recommend one kick per stroke which I have been using, and also look to the bottom instead of forward ?

[@korporalkarrot]

Good video but I’ve heard conflicting advice on the amount of exhalation. You suggest full emptying of the lungs. I’ve seen other long distance coaches suggest that this leads to loss of buoyancy, sinking legs and depending on your stroke rate an inability to fully inflate the lungs again in the time available. So calm partial exhalation all the time. Which is best?

[@gtn]

Why not try both and see what works for you? Everybody is different, find your style and settle in 🙌

[@richardswaby6339]

In my opinion lungs full of air means upper body is raised in the water leading to legs falling and more drag. Plus if your lungs are nearly always full you are only partially exchanging the air.

[@adamsandler4076]

Yeah, that pretty much explains my swimming technique ;) I honestly think that is the best video explaining what I do wrong

[@DaveFer]

First, I love your channel and I appreciate all your great videos. One issue I'm stuck on with this and many other videos is the gradual exhale (3:30 ie, not holding your breath). I understand that CO2 concentration triggers a brain panic desire to breath. But I'm failing to see how exhaling gradually reduces the concentration of CO2 in your lungs. (Obviously it decreases the total amount of CO2 but the concentration? I would imagine just the opposite -- our body is depositing a steady amount of C02 into our lungs and by reducing the volume of air in our lungs to receive that amount, aren't we actually accelerating the increase in concentration of CO2 by depositing the same amount of CO2 into a decreasing volume of air?) ALSO, doesn't the gradual exhale reduce our buoyancy and make it more difficult to maintain our elevated, streamlined profile in the water? In short, isn't it better to hold our breath and exhale thoroughly underwater on that last arm stroke of the cycle?

[@leegymallari]

I used to compete as a kid and did 400m to 800m freestyle and got 2 silvers for both. I am now 27 yrs old, went back to the pool yesterday for the first time in 15 years and i could barely do 75m :/

[@SaranjivacSRB]

You actually missed a very important point. The one that helped me and I found it helped a lot of other people around me. *Inhaling too much air.* This is especially true for beginners that got the basic grasp of swimming technique but out of fear of not having enough air simply inhale as every breath is their last. *How to fix this?* It helps a lot to simply try and *breathe only as much air as you need until your next stroke + 5% extra for safe margin.* I found that this helps and it has put me swimming from 50m up to 100m, but it is not quite enough, even those 5% over time build up CO2 by having extra air you aren't using around. *So what's the catch?* It's very unintuitive, but you need to *swallow the extra air every few strokes while you are underwater.* Every swimmer occasionally does this, but they can rarely realize it. "I tried but it's hard, I can't do it." *How do I do it?* The answer is to *push yourself, when you are tired and gasping for air, swim some more and eventually it will just click.* This has propelled me *from getting tired after 100m to swimming over 1km in the span of just a few days.* Hope it helps. P.S. Side effect of this is that you will burp a bit after your swimming session.

[@tobias9790]

its frustrating when im super tired after 5 lanes meanwhile granny next to me is on her 20th lane

[@onlineo2263]

I can swim. I can swim breaststroke a couple thousand metres... But I can't do more than 50m front crawl... And my breaststroke is much much much faster than my front crawl... I did my first triathlon last year and was about was out of the water ahead of 60% of people, I was ahead of 80% on bike and run, so the swim let me down... But not nearly as badly as I expected. However I breath in front crawl I end up drinking some water with ever breath. By 40-50m I am drowning.

[@punjabimunda5555]

For me, less kicking and having an easy relaxed approach worked. Almost like meditation under water

[@teamofsteve]

Can't wait to get back into the pool and put this into action.

[@emcooke2941]

I have a question: so I changed my swimming/breathing technique a couple years ago when I watched a GTN video that discussed the same thing. I changed the frequency of my breathes to every 2 stokes (using one predominant arm and then switching each lap for balance) I had previously been bilateral breathing and found I couldn’t get faster. This new breathing technique worked for me, I got faster but then as always there was the plateau, so I took a lesson recently. I had a session with a swim teacher and she said my issue was that I was breathing too often and that breathing every 2 strokes makes you slower because your head has to come out of the water more often and that slows you down. So now I am confused 😅 I feel with swimming I am always fighting with technique and different opinions on how to best swim for speed. I am happy with breathing every 2 stokes when I sprint (I need that extra air) but I just can’t seem to get faster… the endless battle continues 😂

[@vivek84]

I have the same issue.. @gtn I hope you can chime in here

[@Its_Finchfeather]

Picking your head out of the water does slow you down, it creates a lot of drag. If you feel you can go for longer between strokes, you should give it a shot. However, if you're swimming longer distances, it might be better for you to sacrifice the speed in favor of breathing more often, potentially preventing you from tiring as fast. Basically, if you're sprinting shorter distances (25-50 or 100 if you're to that level) breathe less often, but if you're swimming longer distances or not trying to go as fast, breathe more often to preserve endurance.

[@catcan221]

I am learning to swim for real. I swam for fun as a kid but not formally taught. Now, decades later I want to learn for real after having watched my kids, who are competitors.

[@milliet7523]

Hi thanks for the great tips re swimming technique. I started pool swimming a few months ago and I find (though I have improved a little) I am still struggling with my breathing. I can swim freestyle about 50 metre and then I end up exhausted. I am in my sixties, and though I can cycle for a few hours I find the swimming a bigger challenge. Maybe my lungs are not cut out for swimming 🙃 Many thanks Kind regards Bernie

[@ArjunSamaddar-d3r]

This is the exact video i needed because I lost all my technic

[@SimplyDavid78]

90 laps in a 25 meters pool in 42 min. Since I lost a bit of weight I do no struggle anymore.

[@luigifornasari3103]

I’ve recently started swimming after 7/8 years of not doing it and I’ve watched some videos about breathing in freestyle because I found myself out of air after 100 m. In some of this videos, even some ex Olympic swimmers advice to exhale some air into the water from the nose and then hold your breath through the strokes, only just before the last stroke before inhaling exhale everything fast through mouth and nose together. I just wanted to know it is something up to the individual or if there’s a better way of breathing since I find myself gassed out, btw I breathe every 3 strokes so maybe I need to try breathing only on the side where rotating my head feels easier.

[@saniyak32]

Ausgezeichnete Arbeit!

[@aizuddineismail]

I was guessing why I'm always tired, now I'm convinced why I'm always tired. This video pointed out all of the issues I have. Thank you so much. Will be paying more attention. Just a question, the last part, "High head & Slow Recovering Hand", what is Slow Recovering Hand about? It was elaborated or I missed out.

[@fajnyjarek]

Nice glasses, link?

[@DodderingOldMan]

Ha! Well, I can't run for 2 hours (2 minutes, maybe, but then I have a bad back) or cycle for 4 hours (I could probably do a leisurely ride around the neighbourhood, if I avoid the hills). So I'm very glad to find even fitter people find 50m of swimming rather tiring :P But yeah, the last time tried swimming I realised that my breathing really needed some work. Also my legs, arms, heart, lungs and, y'know, every other part of my flabby, broken body.

[@vanessaruiz4705]

I struggle to even do 50 metres, but before i was struggling with 25 metres so I am somehow getting better. Here is the thing, I didnt even know you are supposed to exhale. I will try that tomorrow :)

[@beejensen]

Don’t kick so much! Warm up slowwwww and build up every workout. Decide what your goals are. Are they realistic? Feel the water. I echo all the breathing tips!

[@rofroze]

Anyone know the brand of goggles he uses in the video? Look great!

[@sorenschneider5886]

Yepp. On 3 stroke I start exhale on stroke 2. This way it became much more relaxing.

[@ianbegley4535]

I'm the exact opposite. I can swim forever but I'm exhausted after a 5k run.

[@corndogsauceman5495]

This is an easy fix. Just practice running more and you’ll be fine

[@hasanyoussef9663]

I wish that was me. I can run a half marathon in less than 1 hour 45 minutes, but I struggle to swim more than 50 meters in one go haha

[@avibhagan]

hahahaha Someone got too close to the wall on a flip turn and grazed their nose ! I'm sorry, but it distracted me for the entire video.

[@douweodh4146]

2 beat kick, breathing every 2 strokes, don’t apply too much power per stroke, just relax and gliiiiiide through the water…

[@silverash63]

Has he got a spot on the end of his nose or is it my screen?

[@SouhaibAmmar]

I couldn’t swim 50meters without getting tired, so one day I went sauna before swimming and I could swim 1 kilometre

[@33Jenesis]

The 20m pool i use is closing for 7 for a complete remodel. I may have to use a long course pool. I have never done a long course. I hope i survive.

[@KavemanBro]

Love this video clip, so helpful , thanks heaps

[@Real28]

Yup, that's me. I can cycle for hours. I can keep a 20mi / 250w pace for 70-80 min. Put me in water and feels like i go through all of my energy in 5min. But I know a collegiate swimmer, going to pay her to teach me so I can start doing some sprint tri