Exhaling While Swimming

The act of exhaling during swimming is something that must be done correctly, in order to increase one's efficiency. An improper breathing technique can hinder one's movement and leave one gasping for breath while one's head is underwater. There is a reason why breathing correctly is crucial in every sport, not just swimming. Inhaling and exhaling at the right moment aids the oxygen flow within the body, and gives one the ability to move faster and expend more energy.

Swimming is a sport that is heavily dependent on the right breathing technique, as one's head is underwater most of the time. This is why exhaling underwater is something that is given a lot of attention, and all swimming trainers and coaches stress heavily on building up the right method of exhaling. Breathing while swimming is a necessary technique to learn, and all the best swimmers in the world have mastered this art faultlessly.

Proper Way to Exhale When Swimming
In the brief moment that one's head is outside the water, one needs to take a long and deep breath through the mouth. The air must then be exhaled when the head is back under the water through the nose. If you exhale through your mouth, you will need to resurface to take another breath much faster. By exhaling through the nose, you are elongating the exhaling process and this lets you stay underwater for a longer amount of time.

Inhaling is something that slows down the movement of the body, because for the brief second the streamline shape of the body is disrupted. When the head is under the surface of the water, the streamline shape is maintained and this enables the swimmer to move faster. This is why the exhale must be stretched as long as possible, and this can only be achieved by exhaling through the nose.

Different swimming strokes require different breathing techniques, but the most elementary stroke is the freestyle and if you can master the art of swimming freestyle, you can learn it for any other stroke. Freestyle is the fastest stroke, and requires the breathing to be absolutely perfect.

Moreover, if you can establish a steady rhythm of inhaling and exhaling you will get tired slower. An improper breathing technique will mean that the oxygen flow to your body from your lungs will be slower, and this will ultimately result in you getting exhausted at a quicker pace. The more often you take your head out of the water in order to breathe, the greater stress your body will endure and the more tired you will feel.

You must also remember these following points in order to maximize your efficiency while swimming.

• You must release the air through your nose at a very slow rate.
• You must resurface for another breath only when you have released all the air possible. For this purpose, you will have to time your breathing pattern correctly.
• As soon as you start a lap you should be able to hold your breath for as much as half the length of the swimming pool. The idea is to take as few breaths as possible during your lap.
• Relax and do not start panicking when you are underwater. If you feel your breathing pattern is off, swim with your head outside the water for a few minutes till you regain your composure.

The art of exhaling under the water is something that takes some time to be mastered, but once you have learned it properly you will be able to swim better and faster. It is very important to maintain the right breathing pattern, and this is something you should not ignore at any cost.