[TheProFromDover]

While we're on the topic of swimming...<br><br>
How do you breathe out? I have tried several variations, and I should create a poll, but my question is what is the best?<br><br>
1) holding your breath and then expelling it all once just prior to mouth breaking the surface?<br>
2) blowing out slowly and consistently right from the get go?<br>
3) compromise. blowing out air from, say, same side hand entry to mouth breaking the surface?<br><br>
and ....why?<br><br>
Can I type wait for it any ol' time?

 

[Tithers]

I think I do #1...I blow out of my mouth as I am turning my head to breathe in.<br><br>
Sheldawg doesn't think I can get enough air that way...but I haven't drowned yet...<br><br>
Besides...it's less noisy.<br><br>
Am I an oddball for choosing #1?

 

[Tithers]

Oh...if you type WAIT FOR IT...you can turn it into a poll!

 

[ericd256]

I Start Blowing Out On The 3rd Stroke. I Don't Know Why It Just Feels Natural To Me To Do It That Way.

 

[kylemcm]

I breathe out consistently. I try to make my swim breathing as normal feeling as my run breathing.

 

[Cashmason]

I do 2 but no clue if its the right way, and I still suck at swimming.

 

[niemsco]

<a href="http://www.totalimmersion.net/2005articles/february/breathing.html" target="_blank">http://www.totalimmersion.net/2005ar...breathing.html</a><br><br>
check out step 5.

 

[caffeinated]

I've been taking lessons recently. I've always just blown out consistently from when my face gets in the water until my mouth is out and I breathe in. The coach suggested trying to wait a beat or two before I start to blow out. The theory being that the body can absorb more oxygen that way. I'm not sure if that's scientifically sound, but I'm trying it and it seems to work well for me.

 

[caffeinated]

This contradicts what my coach said, but I think the Total Immersion guy seems more credible than my "Y" coach. I will probably go back to the way I exhaled before.

 

[hobey]

Consistently all through my stroke. It's the way I've always done it.

 

[Kybear]

Ive switched around trying to find out what's best. I haven't decided, but am leaning towards 3. My thinking is holding in gives the body more time to absorb 02 and helps flotation of your body. Exhaling sooner makes sure you expel more air, so you absorb more 02 rich air when you inhale (don't get CO2 overload). I've compromised and started exhaling when the hand on the side i'm about to breath on hits the water. I guess that would be a half stroke before. I used to just expel right before turning my head, but I heard about the C02 overload thing and changed it up a bit.

 

[Swimmerbee]

How about i depends on what else is happening. If i'm going steady in open water I will breathe out a small amount of air & anywater that got in my mouth as soon as my face is back in the water (a trick I've learned over time) then slowly let the rest trickle out with increasing speed nearing the time for the next breath. Am I ducking waves/chop I leave a little in reserve so I start later, the pool lsd start on the secodn stroke, sprinting get it out fast to get more in.

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

I never exhaled.

 

[Cashmason]

Would that be because your air leaves through the other orifice?

 

[RunningForT3]

LRR, you exhale like a whale?

 

[ForceD]

My breathing frequency and cycle when swimming isn't any different than when I'm running (except for when I flip turn). Fluid and smooth.<br><br><br>
Dan

 

[Gelette]

I"m sure it is doing this that has caused me alot of gut pain in the past. I'm now breathing out the instant my face hits the water again - I breathe every 3rd stroke, so it is kind of trickle, trickle, blow, breathe, trickle, trickle, blow, breathe...

 

[ForceD]

Now stop that! It reminds me of an old girlfriend.<br><br>
Dan

 

[caffeinated]

That made me laugh!

 

[Tri_coach06]

Breathing is a very individual thing, and everybody has their way to get it done. The facts are the facts though, and they show to release CO2, you have to breath through the whole cycle.<br><br>
The build up of CO2 is continuous and the only way to get it out is to push it out. Your body will absorb all the available O2 from the air, but if you can't get a deep breath because your lungs are full of CO2, you won't get fresh oxygenated air in.<br><br>
Let air out throughout the whole cycle, then just before your head leaves the water, blow the remaining air out with a hard blast. That last hard blast serves 2 purposes. 1) It clears the old CO2 out and 2) It clears the water from your mouth so you can get air instead of water in.<br><br>
As an asthmatic I learned this the hard way. Never being able to get in air made it very difficult to swim. Now I cheat (If I don't I can't swim 50yds) and take my inhaler just before I hit the water.<br><br>
The Total Immersion guys said it perfect.<br><br>
CS