Breathing for Swimming
Master bilateral breathing and improve your efficiency in the water
Breathing requires precise timing in swimming — inhale in the brief moment your mouth clears the water, exhale steadily underwater. Poor breathing is the #1 technique limiter for most swimmers. The exercises on this page build the respiratory control, CO2 tolerance, and bilateral coordination that transform swimming efficiency.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that swimmers who practiced CO2 tolerance training (breath-hold exercises) improved their 200m freestyle times by an average of 2.1%. The mechanism: higher CO2 tolerance delays the urge to breathe, allowing longer stroke cycles and reduced head turning — both of which reduce drag.
Key training protocol: (1) Box breathing for general CO2 tolerance. (2) Exhale-emphasis breathing for comfortable underwater exhalation. (3) Breath-hold walks (walk while holding your breath) to simulate swimming demands on land. Practice on dry land before integrating into water sessions.
Benefits
- Sport-specific breathing protocols designed for swimming demands
- Faster recovery between efforts through active parasympathetic breathing
- Reduced competitive anxiety and improved composure under pressure
- Improved oxygen efficiency and delayed fatigue onset
- Free guided timer — practice anywhere, no equipment needed
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should athletes practice breathing exercises?
Daily: 5-10 minutes of coherence or box breathing to build baseline respiratory fitness. Pre-competition: 2-3 minutes of sport-specific breathing routine. Between efforts: active recovery breathing during natural breaks. Consistency is key — the nervous system adaptations build over weeks of daily practice.
Can breathing improve swimming performance?
Yes. Breathing exercises improve oxygen efficiency, reduce recovery time between efforts, manage competitive anxiety, and enhance focus under pressure. The effects are measurable: reduced heart rate variability, faster lactate clearance, and improved fine motor control.
Should I breathe through my nose or mouth during swimming?
At low to moderate intensity, nasal breathing improves CO2 tolerance and oxygen extraction. At high intensity, mouth breathing is necessary for adequate ventilation. The crossover point varies by fitness level. Train nasal breathing at low intensity to raise the threshold where you need to switch to mouth breathing.
Related Breathing Exercises