wife says she can't take in enough air

[henkelphoto]

My wife and I have started the ti program. My wife was essentially a non-swimmer when we started about a month ago. We're following the video on freestyle. We've gotten to the third lesson where you learn how to breathe.

Here's the problem. My wife says she cannot take in enough air to keep swimming. She literally runs out of breath by the second series of three strokes. She is so winded that she is huffing and puffing. She also says that when she is swimming, she can't take a big breath because the water is squeezing her chest so much.

Any thoughts on how to get her to be able to breathe enough to make it across the pool?

BTW, we are scheduled for a ti workshop in about two weeks.

Thanks for your help!

Sorry, my first time on the forum, just noticed the o2 in h2o forum. I'll go there with my question!!!!

[WFEGb]

Hi Henkelphoto,

it's not actual state of TI drills. But for your wife it may be a good start to find her sweetpoint when starting on her back and go through the first 'old drills'.

The drills are described in Terry's TI-book. Presumably there could be an unconscious fear the cause.

Regards,
Werner

[Zanna]

Originally Posted by henkelphoto

Here's the problem. My wife says she cannot take in enough air to keep swimming. She literally runs out of breath by the second series of three strokes. She is so winded that she is huffing and puffing. She also says that when she is swimming, she can't take a big breath because the water is squeezing her chest so much.

In learning to swim (past age 50) I had to deal with fairly severe water phobias. To me, what you are describing sounds more fear or panic based. In which case, it will be important for your wife to take things at her own pace and learn to feel comfort in the water. I did and am now able to do open water swims of over a mile and finish feeling refreshed and like I could jump back in the water and repeat the swim.

If your wife kneels in the pool and the water is around her chest, does she feel the water squeezing her chest? I doubt it and that is what makes me think this is more fear based. That, and also my own first open water swim when I had a panic attack. . . same sensation, I felt like my chest was being compressed.

For me, using fins while learning gave me confidence to progress. . .they were my security blanket, so to speak.

[dgk2009]

I went through the same thing at first and still cant completly relax in the water but little by little the more time I spend in the water the better it gets,
my chest always felt tight but that has passed now,even in the deep end,it just took time for me to act like a kid and just have fun at the pool,superman glide helps me relax also.