How to Master Swimming Breathing Exercises: A Step-by-Step Guide

 

Water is nearly 800 times denser than air. That single fact explains why your breathing technique can make or break your swimming performance.

Most swimmers struggle with the same frustrating cycle – you feel great on land, but the moment you hit the water, your breathing becomes erratic and your stroke falls apart. Sound familiar? You’re definitely not alone. Studies show that breath holding after exhalation can boost VO2 max by 10.79% among elite swimmers, yet most athletes never learn proper breathing mechanics.

Here’s what many swimmers don’t realize: proper breathing techniques aren’t just about avoiding water in your lungs. They’re the foundation of swimming efficiency. When you master controlled exhalations, you reduce the time your head spends out of water – a game-changer for maintaining speed.

Swimming offers unique advantages for athletes with respiratory challenges too. The sport triggers fewer exercise-induced asthma symptoms compared to land-based activities, making it an ideal choice for building lung capacity safely.

Whether you’re battling breathing anxiety as a beginner or you’re an experienced swimmer hitting performance plateaus, specific breathing drills can transform your experience. You’ll develop stronger respiratory muscles, delay fatigue, and discover a level of efficiency in the water you never thought possible.

Ready to master the breathing techniques that separate struggling swimmers from smooth, efficient athletes? This step-by-step guide reveals the exact methods that can dramatically improve your comfort, speed, and endurance in the water.

Step 1: Build a Foundation with Dryland Breathing Exercises

Your swimming breathing success starts before you even touch the water. Dryland breathing exercises strengthen respiratory muscles, expand lung capacity, and establish patterns that translate directly into swimming efficiency.

Think of it this way: you wouldn’t attempt a marathon without training your legs. Why train your swimming without preparing your breathing system?

Diaphragmatic breathing for beginners

Most swimmers breathe wrong from the start. They rely on shallow chest breathing instead of engaging their diaphragm – the dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen.

Diaphragmatic breathing activates your full lung capacity and creates the foundation for efficient swimming. Here’s how to master it:

1. Sit or lie down comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach
2. Inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach expand while your chest remains relatively still
3. Exhale completely, feeling your stomach retract
4. Repeat for 5-10 breaths, focusing on the three-dimensional expansion of your core

This technique creates proper positioning where your ribcage pulls downward and your pelvis tilts slightly forward, establishing stability and minimizing drag in the water. Furthermore, proper diaphragmatic breathing improves oxygen uptake and CO2 elimination.

For swimmers, this breathing method helps maintain a flatter body position by minimizing sway in the lower back region, reducing drag and allowing you to glide faster through water. Bonus: it also provides relief for swimmers experiencing lower back pain.

Nasal breathing and CO2 tolerance

Here’s something most swimmers overlook: breathing exclusively through your nose during dryland training delivers remarkable benefits. Your nose filters, heats, pressurizes, and moistens incoming air, allowing your lungs to absorb up to 20% more oxygen. Moreover, nasal breathing prevents symptoms of exercise-induced asthma and supports overall airway health.

CO2 tolerance – your ability to withstand carbon dioxide buildup before feeling the urge to breathe – directly impacts your swimming performance. Higher CO2 tolerance helps:

• Improve muscle efficiency and endurance
• Transport oxygen more effectively into cells
• Maintain lower heart rate during effort
• Reduce psychological and physiological stress responses

Box breathing builds this tolerance effectively. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. Gradually increase the duration as your tolerance improves. This pattern calms your nervous system while building tolerance to higher CO2 levels.

Stretching respiratory muscles

Your breathing system extends beyond just lungs. The diaphragm and intercostal muscles between your ribs significantly impact breathing efficiency. When these muscles are tight, your accessible lung capacity decreases.

Try this simple yet effective respiratory muscle stretch:

• Stand tall with arms by your sides
• Inhale deeply while slowly raising your arms overhead
• Focus on breathing down into your belly, allowing chest and belly expansion
• Exhale while lowering your arms

The “Crocodile Breath” offers another powerful technique. Lie face down with your forehead on your hands, then inhale slowly through your nose, expanding three-dimensionally through your core. This creates a calming effect while improving buoyancy, movement quality, and alignment for better technique and streamline.

Regular practice of these dryland exercises establishes proper breathing mechanics that transfer directly to the water. Master these fundamentals, and you’ll have the foundation for every swimming breathing technique that follows.

Step 2: Understand Safe Breath Control Principles

Safety comes first. Always. Even experienced swimmers face serious risks when practicing improper breath control techniques in water.

Why breath holding in water is risky

Eleven people in the U.S. drown every day, with drowning deaths increasing in recent years. That statistic should stop you in your tracks. Good swimmers in pools with lifeguards present aren’t immune to these risks either.

The danger lurks in how your body responds to extended breath holding. Your natural breathing rhythm gets disrupted during swimming. Hold your breath underwater for prolonged periods? You can lose consciousness without any warning. Add alcohol to the mix, and your risk skyrockets by approximately 90%.

Crystal-clear water offers no protection. A struggling swimmer might go completely unnoticed due to reflections, glare, or refractions at the water’s surface. Never practice breath-holding exercises alone, regardless of how confident you feel about your swimming abilities.

Shallow water blackout explained

Shallow water blackout (SWB) strikes when you lose consciousness underwater due to low oxygen levels reaching your brain. The truly terrifying aspect? It happens with virtually no warning signs.

The deadly sequence unfolds like this:

1. You hyperventilate before submersion (taking several quick breaths), expelling excessive carbon dioxide from your bloodstream
2. This artificially lowers your CO2 levels, which normally trigger your urge to breathe
3. Without this natural breathing signal, oxygen levels can plummet dangerously low without you feeling any need to surface
4. Once oxygen drops below critical thresholds, you lose consciousness underwater

Time becomes your enemy. Unlike regular drowning scenarios where you might have 6-8 minutes before brain damage occurs, SWB victims typically face only about 2½ minutes before permanent damage sets in. Once unconscious, your body reflexively tries to breathe, filling your lungs with water.

Expert swimmers aren’t protected from this threat. The CDC documented 16 shallow-water blackouts in New York State between 1988 and 2011, with four resulting in death. All fatalities involved advanced or expert swimmers aged 17-22 who practiced intentional hyperventilation.

Safe breath holding on land

Smart swimmers improve breath control through land-based exercises instead of risky underwater practices.

Special lung-training devices can effectively strengthen your inspiratory muscles without water-related dangers. These tools provide resistance during inhalation, targeting the same muscles you use during swimming.

Must practice breath control for swimming performance? Follow these essential guidelines:

• Never hyperventilate before any breathing exercise
• Practice breath control exercises exclusively on land
• Follow the “one breath-hold, one time only” rule if attempting in water
• Limit underwater distances to a maximum of 25 meters
• Ensure constant supervision by a dedicated partner focused solely on your safety
• Remember that training experience doesn’t guarantee protection—SWB affects swimmers of all skill levels

Proper swimming technique doesn’t require complete breath holding anyway. Focus on controlled exhalation while underwater—pushing out a steady stream of bubbles—which prevents water from entering your nose or mouth.

Master these safety principles first. Then you’ll be ready to apply proper breathing techniques in the pool without unnecessary risks.

Step 3: Apply Breathing Techniques in the Pool

Time to put theory into practice. The transition from dryland breathing to pool application challenges even experienced swimmers – your body must coordinate multiple complex movements while maintaining proper oxygen flow.

Controlled exhalation while swimming

Most swimmers make a critical error here: they hold their breath underwater instead of actively exhaling. This mistake creates unnecessary tension and disrupts your stroke rhythm.

When your face is submerged, exhale completely through your nose and mouth, creating a vacuum in your lungs. This vacuum naturally draws fresh air in when you turn to breathe, eliminating the need to consciously inhale.

Here’s your progression for mastering controlled exhalation:

1. Push off the wall in streamline position without kicking
2. Slowly exhale while gliding (humming while exhaling helps control the flow)
3. Add kicking once comfortable with basic exhalation
4. Finally, incorporate full strokes with rhythmic breathing

Your breathing pattern should feel natural—exhale underwater, then take a quick inhale during your recovery stroke. This rhythm maintains consistent oxygen levels while preventing water from entering your nose or mouth.

Proper head and body alignment

The breathing phase destroys more strokes than any other technical element. When swimmers lift their head too high or turn incorrectly, their entire body position collapses.

Turn your head slightly to the side so only one goggle lens emerges from the water. Your eyes should look sideways at the water’s surface, not upward or backward. This subtle difference prevents your hips from sinking and maintains your streamline position.

A common mistake involves lifting your head excessively during the breath. This action immediately disrupts your body’s alignment, causing your hips to sink and creating drag. Instead, maintain a neutral head position by gently pushing your temple down into the water, allowing your mouth to reach the highest point for optimal breath intake.

Coordinate your breathing with your stroke mechanics. As you turn your head to breathe, your opposite arm should extend forward. When breathing to your right side, your left arm should be fully extended. This coordination keeps your body supported and balanced throughout the breathing motion.

Breathing without disrupting stroke

Seamless breathing requires precise timing and minimal movement. Your extended arm finish should coincide precisely with your back arm entering the water. This synchronized movement creates continuous rotation that flows naturally into your next breath.

Breathing will always cause some disruption to your stroke, so execute it quickly to minimize impact. Focus on a “low, straight, fast breath” that maintains your body’s streamline position. Avoid jerky movements when turning to breathe—a gradual, controlled rotation ensures smooth transition between strokes.

Keep your body position flat throughout the breathing motion. Many swimmers unintentionally overrotate or cross the centerline with their hand during breathing, creating unnecessary drag. Proper alignment during the breath leads to more efficient propulsion and reduced fatigue.

Practice these techniques methodically, focusing initially on proper form rather than speed or distance. As these movements become automatic, you’ll find yourself breathing more efficiently with minimal disruption to your stroke mechanics.

Step 4: Use Swimming Breathing Drills to Improve Endurance

Remember that frustrating moment when you felt strong during warm-up, but your breathing fell apart during the main set? Most swimmers hit this endurance wall because they never challenge their respiratory system beyond basic technique.

Specific breathing drills separate recreational swimmers from those who can maintain efficiency over long distances. These targeted exercises push your oxygen utilization to new levels while building the stamina needed for serious swimming.

Bilateral breathing for balance

Bilateral breathing—alternating which side you breathe to—creates a more symmetrical stroke and prevents muscle imbalances that can lead to injury. This skill proves invaluable in open water swimming where conditions may force you to breathe away from waves, wind, or competitors.

Here’s how to develop bilateral breathing:

1. Start by practicing during warm-up sets
2. If you struggle with your weaker side, begin stretching your neck and shoulders before swimming
3. Initiate the head rotation earlier in your stroke cycle—as soon as you extend the opposite arm forward
4. Maintain proper elbow position during the underwater pull while breathing to prevent sinking

Many swimmers avoid bilateral breathing because it feels awkward initially. Push through this discomfort—your stroke mechanics will improve dramatically once both sides develop equal strength and coordination.

Breathing every 3, 5, or 7 strokes

The 3-5-7 breathing pattern progressively challenges your oxygen efficiency and expands lung capacity. This pyramid-style drill forces your body to adapt to varying oxygen availability:

1. Swim 25-50 meters breathing every 3 strokes (bilateral breathing)
2. Continue for another 25-50 meters breathing every 5 strokes
3. Progress to breathing every 7 strokes for the same distance
4. Return to breathing every 3 strokes

This drill improves your CO2 tolerance and oxygen efficiency. You’ll develop the ability to switch to more frequent breathing when needed during races or high-intensity swims.

Underwater dolphin kick extensions

The underwater dolphin kick has become crucial for competitive success, offering increased speed off walls and starts while requiring less energy than surface swimming.

For effective breathing during dolphin kick:

• Time your breath during the upbeat phase when your legs come together
• Begin exhaling as your legs start the downbeat
• Take quick inhalations that don’t disrupt your rhythm
• Briefly use sculling hand movements to support head position during breathing
• Maintain controlled, rhythmic breathing patterns to sustain endurance

Practice these drills consistently, and you’ll notice your breathing becomes less labored during longer sets. Your body learns to function efficiently even when oxygen availability becomes limited—a game-changing adaptation for serious swimmers.

Step 5: Train for Performance with Hypoxic and Apnea Sets

Elite swimmers know a secret that recreational athletes often miss – your biggest performance gains don’t always come from swimming more laps. Sometimes they come from swimming with less oxygen.

Advanced swimmers looking to break through performance plateaus can benefit from specialized breathing protocols that simulate altitude training at sea level. These methods create controlled hypoxic conditions that trigger remarkable physiological adaptations.

Voluntary hypoventilation training

Voluntary hypoventilation at low lung volume (VHL) has emerged as a game-changing training method that requires zero special equipment. Here’s what makes it different: instead of traditional breath holding, VHL involves performing a normal exhalation first, then holding your breath at this partially empty lung state while swimming.

The physiological changes are remarkable:

• Oxygen saturation drops to levels equivalent to 2,400m altitude
• Blood lactate concentrations increase significantly
• End-tidal oxygen pressure decreases to approximately 54 mmHg at breaking point

Your VHL training protocol should involve repeated short sprints (15-25m) while maintaining end-expiratory breath holds until you reach your breaking point—typically around 10 seconds. Rest intervals of 30 seconds between repetitions allow for recovery while maintaining training benefits.

Apnea sets for stroke efficiency

Here’s something that might surprise you: apnea training can actually improve your swimming technique without necessarily making you faster. Research shows that after three months of structured apnea training, swimmers demonstrated greater propulsive continuity between arms despite no improvement in raw velocity.

A practical apnea set involves:

1. Swimming 50m at maximal speed while holding your breath
2. Focusing on stroke length rather than stroke rate
3. Maintaining proper arm coordination throughout
4. Gradually increasing distance as your capacity improves

This approach increases your index of coordination (IdC)—a measure of propulsive continuity between arm strokes—which translates to more efficient swimming.

Scientific benefits of breath training

The scientific evidence supporting hypoxic and apnea training is substantial. These methods enhance anaerobic glycolysis, allowing your muscles to produce energy more efficiently without oxygen. Blood lactate tolerance increases dramatically, with studies showing maximum blood lactate concentrations rising from 7.9 to 11.5 mmol/L after training.

Breath training also improves respiratory muscle performance by delaying fatigue during maximum effort. Your forced expiratory volume typically increases by approximately 2% (4.85L to 4.94L), alongside improvements in minimal arterial oxygen saturation and respiratory compensation points.

Remember the safety principles we covered earlier? They’re absolutely critical here. These advanced techniques should only be practiced under qualified supervision to prevent shallow water blackout risks. The performance benefits are real, but they’re never worth compromising your safety.

Conclusion

Proper breathing technique forms the foundation of every great swimmer’s success. You’ve now discovered the exact methods that separate struggling swimmers from those who glide effortlessly through the water.

Your journey started with dryland exercises that build respiratory strength and teach your body the fundamentals. Safety principles came next – protecting you from the dangerous mistakes that even experienced swimmers make. Pool-based techniques showed you how to coordinate breathing with stroke mechanics, while advanced drills pushed your endurance to new levels.

The science backs up every technique in this guide. Specialized breathing protocols create measurable improvements in anaerobic capacity, lactate tolerance, and respiratory muscle performance. More importantly, they reduce the anxiety that keeps many swimmers from reaching their potential.

Here’s the truth about breathing mastery: it doesn’t happen overnight. Your patterns will feel awkward at first. That’s completely normal. Each practice session builds the muscle memory and confidence you need for smooth, effortless breathing.

Start with the dryland exercises – they’re safer and create the foundation for everything else. Progress methodically through each step, focusing on proper form over speed or distance. Remember that even elite swimmers had to master these same fundamentals.

Whether you’re swimming for fitness, competition, or pure enjoyment, these breathing techniques will transform your experience in the water. You’ll swim longer with less fatigue, feel more confident during challenging sessions, and discover the flow state that makes swimming truly addictive.

Your breathing breakthrough is waiting. Take these techniques to the pool and watch as your swimming transforms from a struggle into pure, efficient motion.

FAQs

Q1. How can I improve my breathing technique while swimming? Focus on controlled exhalation underwater, turning your head slightly to the side for inhalation. Practice proper head and body alignment, keeping one goggle lens above water when breathing. Coordinate your breath with your stroke, maintaining a smooth rhythm without disrupting your form.

Q2. What is the 3-5-7 breathing technique in swimming? The 3-5-7 breathing technique involves alternating your breathing pattern. Start by breathing every 3 strokes, then progress to every 5 strokes, and finally every 7 strokes. This drill improves oxygen efficiency, enhances breath control, and increases lung capacity.

Q3. How can I increase my lung capacity for swimming? Practice dryland exercises like diaphragmatic breathing and nasal breathing to build a strong foundation. In the pool, incorporate underwater dolphin kick extensions and gradually increase the distance you swim before taking a breath. Consistent practice of these techniques will help expand your lung capacity over time.

Q4. What should I do if I experience breathing problems while swimming? Practice rhythmic breathing exercises both in and out of the water. Exhale steadily through your nose underwater, then turn to inhale quickly through your mouth. Focus on maintaining a consistent breathing pattern and avoid holding your breath. If problems persist, consult a swimming coach for personalized guidance.

Q5. Are there any advanced breathing techniques for competitive swimmers? Yes, advanced swimmers can benefit from techniques like voluntary hypoventilation training and apnea sets. These methods simulate altitude training and can improve anaerobic capacity and stroke efficiency. However, these techniques should only be practiced under qualified supervision due to potential risks.