How to Breathe While Swimming Freestyle? Tips to Stay Confident

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When it comes to freestyle swimming, breathing is one of the most challenging skills to master. As a coach who’s worked with swimmers of all levels, I know that learning how to breathe properly in water can feel like an uphill battle. Many swimmers struggle with timing their breath, staying relaxed, and maintaining an efficient stroke. Let’s break it all down and explore practical tips for perfecting your freestyle breathing.

Why Proper Breathing Matters in Freestyle Swimming

Freestyle swimming is all about rhythm, efficiency, and endurance. Improper breathing can throw off your technique, sap your energy, and even leave you out of breath before you finish a lap. Learning how to breathe during freestyle swimming ensures that you stay relaxed, maintain a steady pace, and optimize oxygen intake for better performance.

If you’re serious about improving your swimming, mastering your freestyle breathing technique is essential.

The Fundamentals of Freestyle Breathing

freestyle swimming breathing technique

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Master freestyle technique and build strength with pool drills and dryland exercises.

 

1. Positioning Your Head for Success

Proper head positioning is key to efficient freestyle breathing. Keep your head aligned with your spine and avoid excessive lifting when you turn to breathe. This reduces drag and keeps your body streamlined. Focus on a gentle rotation of your head, driven by your body’s rotation to the side, just enough for your mouth to clear the water.

Pro Tip: Keep one eye underwater and one eye above the surface while breathing. This swimming breathing technique maintains balance and minimizes unnecessary movement.

2. Timing Your Breaths

Many swimmers feel out of breath while swimming freestyle because they hold their breath underwater. Instead, practice exhaling steadily through your nose or mouth while your face is in the water. By the time you rotate to breathe, your lungs will be ready to quickly inhale.

If you’re unsure about your timing, try counting strokes. Most swimmers breathe every 2 or 3 strokes, but you can adjust this based on your comfort and fitness level.

Improve your freestyle stroke timing with these key drills! Timing is crucial for an efficient and powerful freestyle. In this video, we break down common mistakes and show you how to refine your stroke with three essential drills

3. Avoiding Over-Rotation

Over-rotating your head or body while breathing can disrupt your stroke rhythm. Keep your rotation subtle and fluid, using your hips and shoulders to assist the movement. Efficient freestyle swimming breathing involves a balance between rotation and maintaining a strong, steady pull.

Achieve better freestyle stroke rotation by balancing mobility and stability! Good rotation allows for efficient arm recovery, reduces strain on your shoulders, and improves stroke power.

Overcoming Common Breathing Challenges

freestyle swimming breathing Train Daly Tips

freestyle breathing technique

Getting Out of Breath While Swimming

Feeling out of breath swimming freestyle is a common issue for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. The solution often lies in better exhalation techniques. When you hold your breath underwater, carbon dioxide builds up, creating an urgent need to breathe. Practice blowing bubbles underwater during your warm-ups to make exhaling second nature.

If fatigue is your primary issue, work on building endurance through drills like hypoxic training—swimming while limiting the frequency of your breaths. For distances greater than 50 meters, otherwise, breathe every 2-3 strokes. 

Dealing with Water Inhalation

Inhaling water can be frustrating and even demoralizing. If this happens frequently, double-check your head position and timing. Breathing too late or lifting your head too high can lead to water entering your mouth. Practice in a controlled environment—start with slow, deliberate strokes and focus on smooth, timed breaths. Drills like Side Kick, and Side Kick 1 Stroke with fins are greater for improving bodyline, balance, and rotating to breathe. 

Improving Bilateral Breathing

Bilateral breathing, or breathing on both sides, is a valuable skill for freestyle swimmers. It promotes symmetry in your stroke and helps you adapt to different conditions, such as waves in open water swimming. To practice bilateral breathing, start with drills like Side kick 3 strokes, or 3-stroke breathing, or alternate breathing sides during longer sets.

 

Tips for Freestyle Swimming Breathing

1. Start with Drills

Drills are essential for developing proper breathing while swimming freestyle. Here are a few to try:

  • Side-Kick Drill: Kick on your side with one arm extended and practice rotating your head to breathe.

  • Catch-Up Drill: Swim freestyle but pause briefly with both arms extended forward before pulling, allowing time to focus on your swimming breathing technique.

Bubble Drill: Focus on exhaling underwater between breaths to eliminate the tendency to hold your breath.

2. Use Proper Equipment

Training aids can make it easier to focus on specific aspects of your technique. A snorkel allows you to practice stroke mechanics without worrying about breathing, while fins can help improve body position and reduce fatigue during breathing drills. To learn more about maximizing your snorkel use, check out our article, How to Swim with a Snorkel | Center-Mount Snorkel for Improving Swimming.

3. Slow Down

If you’re struggling to coordinate your breathing, slow down your pace. Break the stroke into smaller parts during your practice, emphasizing controlled breathing and relaxed movements.

4. Breathing and Stamina Training

Building stamina is essential for sustained freestyle swimming. Incorporate interval training into your routine to improve aerobic capacity and breathing efficiency. For example, swim 50-meter repeats with 20 seconds of rest, gradually reducing rest as your endurance improves.

5. Focus on Relaxation

Tension in the body often leads to labored breathing. Concentrate on staying relaxed during your stroke and breathing process. Practicing yoga or mindfulness techniques outside the pool can enhance your ability to stay calm and controlled while swimming.

Advanced Techniques for Front Crawl Breathing

For those looking to refine their freestyle technique even further, consider incorporating the following:

  • High Elbow Recovery: A higher elbow position during the recovery phase of your stroke allows for better body rotation and easier breathing.

  • Breathing into the Pocket: When you turn your head, aim to breathe into the pocket created by your bow wave. This minimizes drag and keeps you efficient.

  • Threshold Training: Practice swimming at a controlled pace just below your aerobic threshold to build endurance and improve your breathing efficiency.

Making Freestyle Breathing Second Nature

Improving your breathing takes time and consistent practice. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to how to breathe while swimming freestyle. Experiment with different stroke counts, breathing patterns, and drills to find what works best for you.

As you master your breathing, you’ll notice improvements in your overall technique, endurance, and confidence in the water.

Take Your Freestyle to the Next Level

Ready to refine your freestyle swimming technique even further? At Train Daly Swim Coaching, we specialize in helping swimmers of all levels achieve their goals. Whether you’re struggling with breathing or looking to fine-tune your stroke, our personalized coaching programs can help.

Don’t forget to download our Free Guide: The 6-Step Method to Achieve a Perfect Stroke in Freestyle. It’s packed with practical tips and drills to take your freestyle to the next level.

Freestyle breathing doesn’t have to hold you back. With practice, patience, and the right guidance, you can unlock your potential and swim stronger than ever before. Let’s get to work!

  • Learning freestyle breathing starts with mastering the basics: proper head positioning, timing your exhalation, and practicing drills like the side-kick and bubble drill. Gradually build confidence by focusing on controlled and relaxed movements.

  • Start by practicing bilateral breathing during drills such as, Side Kick, Side Kick 1 Stroke,  or breathing every 3 strokes. Alternating sides while swimming helps promote stroke symmetry and improves adaptability, especially in open water conditions.

  • Incorporate focused breathing drills, such as the side-kick and catch-up drill, into your routine. Use fins and a snorkel for stroke mechanics to eliminate the pressure of timing your breath, gradually transitioning to full freestyle breathing patterns.

  • Focus on consistent exhalation underwater, avoid over-rotating your head, and practice drills that reinforce proper timing and body alignment. Regular stamina training and bilateral breathing practice can significantly enhance your breathing efficiency.