Breathe

[scribe3]

Hello,

I am having an issue, with my breathing. I tend to exhale the last bit of air, as my mouth breaks the surface. However, I read online, you are suppose to exhale all your air under water, retaining a little though, to keep you from sinking, so when your mouth breaks the surface all you have to do is inhale

By the way, I exhale through my nose, and inhale through my mouth. I was just wondering is the information I read correct?.

[novaswimmer]

Originally Posted by scribe3

I am having an issue, with my breathing. I tend to exhale the last bit of air, as my mouth breaks the surface. .... By the way, I exhale through my nose, and inhale through my mouth..

Sounds exactly like what I do. While I'm probably not a true 'sinker', I am pretty low in the water. However, for me, I have not found it helpful to retain excess air in my lungs in order to 'keep from sinking'. I tried it initially in my learning curve, but it added to stress. And since one of my issues is more of a poor horizontal position in the water...so, extra air in the lungs leads to keeping the upper body higher, but legs still sink, adding to drag.

Plus, I am much more relaxed if I naturally exhale nearly all of the air underwater (EDIT: we never actually exhale ALL the air in our lungs, however - there is ALWAYS a bit of residual air), blowing out through my nose 'as my head turns to air'....like a whale 'clears the blowhole'. This prevents water from coming in my nose (usually). This again is part of what I call the 'air-regulation' side to breathing that must be learned and practiced over and over until it feels right.

Originally Posted by scribe3

However, I read online, you are suppose to exhale all your air under water, retaining a little though, to keep you from sinking, so when your mouth breaks the surface all you have to do is inhale

If you exhale all your air underwater, you will not have any to retain!

Everyone is a bit different. I just find it more comfortable to exhale through nose continuously -- beginning as soon as my face turns down into the water after the breath, continuing to exhale as head turns to air, and finally inhaling quickly through the mouth. I could never get air quickly enough if I inhaled through my nose. I don't think many swimmers inhale through the nose only. And it's never been very comfortable for me to exhale through the mouth, though some exhale through mouth and nose.

[scribe3]

Hello

Thanks for your advice, in the article I read the theory behind retaining a little air along with maintaining buoyancy was you will not need to take in as much air on your next breath if you retain some instead of fully exhaling

[Tom Pamperin]

I find the relaxation that comes with continuous exhaling is far more important than the buoyancy you might gain by retaining air. I exhale gently through the nose the entire time my face is in the water, with a last little burst of exhalation happening just as the head turns to breathe.

If you don't breathe out at all until you turn your head, you won't have time to get fresh oxygenated air into your lungs, and you'll soon feel breathless and start to tense up.

[scribe3]

I exhale slowly, while my head is in the water[I am a sinker] as well. However, the article said to retain a little air, so your buoyancy will not change, and you will not have to take in as much air, on the next breathe.

However, I like your idea Tom, I will try it on my next trip to the pool.

thanks, guy's