HOW TO HOLD YOUR BREATH WHILE SWIMMING.

Swimming, like all exercise, requires plenty of oxygen in your body to keep you from fainting. You should never hold your breath while you are swimming, as it could cause you to black out or drown. Instead, learning how to breathe properly while you swim can help you exercise safely and more effectively. To see if your hard work is paying off, try a sinking exercise in the pool to practice exhaling underwater.

1. Relax before and during your swim. 

           A relaxed face and body muscles will help you hold more breath and breathe more effectively. Before you swim, loosen your limbs by shaking them out. Avoid clenching your teeth or jaw while swimming. Hyperventilation is the practice of taking several quick breaths before you get in the water. Hyperventilation does not help you hold your breath. In fact, it can cause you to lose oxygen more quickly and black out.

2. Inhale deeply before you start swimming. 

          Take a long, deep breath from the bottom of your lungs. Your belly, not your chest or shoulders, should expand with the breath. Once you have a full inhalation, start swimming.

3. Exhale slowly as your face enters the water. 

           You can breathe out through your mouth or your nose, though it is recommended to exhale through your nose. Bubbles will rise up to the surface in a steady stream. Continue to exhale until you begin to pull up out of the water. Each exhale should be twice as long as your inhalation.

4. Come up to the surface when you need to inhale again. 

           Let your mouth and nose break from the surface of the water. Inhale using your mouth. Your inhalation should only be half as long as your exhalation. For some strokes, such as freestyle, you should turn your face to the side to take in a breath. Alternate which side you breathe on. For strokes like the butterfly or breaststroke, you should inhale by lifting your head up above your arms until your nose and mouth break the surface of the water.

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