Breathing efficiently is essential for swimmers looking to maximise their performance. The way you breathe while swimming can have a huge impact on your endurance, speed, and overall effectiveness in the water.
Whether you’re a competitive swimmer or someone who enjoys swimming for fitness, understanding and implementing the right swimming breathing techniques can make a substantial difference. Read on to discover how to optimise your breathing while swimming and enhance your aquatic performance.
How do you breathe while swimming?
The key to breathing while swimming is to exhale steadily underwater and take a quick breath when your head turns to the side. Rather than lifting your head out of the water, rotate it with your body, keeping one goggle submerged. This helps maintain your position in the water and a comfortable breathing rhythm.
Here’s how to breathe while swimming freestyle:
- Breathe out underwater. Exhale steadily through your nose or both your nose and mouth.
- Roll your head to the side. Rotate with your body rather than lifting your head forward.
- Keep one goggle in the water. Keep your head low, with your mouth just above the surface.
- Take a quick breath through your mouth. Inhale comfortably before returning your face to the water.
- Face back down and repeat. Begin exhaling underwater again, maintaining a consistent rhythm.
Should you breathe through your nose or your mouth?
When swimming freestyle, it’s generally best to breathe in through your mouth and exhale underwater through your nose or both your nose and mouth.
Many swimmers inhale through their mouths because the time available to take a breath is so short.
Breathing through your mouth allows you to take in air quickly, while exhaling underwater prevents you from having to breathe out and in during the same brief moment.
Which breathing pattern should you use?
The best breathing pattern depends on your swimming ability, pace and comfort. Some swimmers breathe every two strokes, while others alternate sides every three. The most important thing is finding a rhythm that provides enough air without disrupting your technique. You can adjust this as your swimming improves.
Every two strokes
Breathing every two strokes allows for frequent breaths and can be particularly useful for beginners or swimmers working at higher intensities. You’ll breathe to the same side each time.
Every three strokes (bilateral breathing)
Bilateral breathing involves breathing on both sides to ensure even muscle development and balanced breathing patterns. Alternating every three strokes helps promote symmetry and balanced body rotation.
Every four, five or seven strokes
Some experienced swimmers practise breathing every four, five or seven strokes to develop greater breath control. However, longer gaps can increase breathlessness, particularly during harder efforts. Prioritise a comfortable, sustainable breathing pattern.
Why do you run out of breath when you swim?
Running out of breath while swimming can be caused by inefficient breathing technique, swimming too quickly or not exhaling enough underwater. Your respiratory muscle use pattern, thoracic spine flexibility and habitual breathing patterns all influence efficiency. Improving these factors can lead to better performance and reduced fatigue.
Competitive swimming puts huge demands on the respiratory system. It requires efficient oxygen delivery to the muscles and the removal of carbon dioxide from the lungs.
While swimming, you spend energy on breathing, and this energy expenditure increases under physical load, stress or fatigue. Efficient breathing minimises the energy spent on respiration, allowing more energy for swimming itself.
Breath stacking
Breath stacking is a common issue among swimmers, characterised by inadequate exhalation before the next inhalation, leading to residual air volume in the lungs. This can cause discomfort and hinder performance.
Breath stacking often occurs when swimmers rely too much on upper chest breathing due to accessory muscle overuse, thoracic stiffness and reduced diaphragm use.
To prevent breath stacking, focus on complete and controlled exhalation, primarily through your nose, when your face is in the water. This technique, known as trickle breathing, helps you expel air before your next breath.
Avoid routinely holding your breath during freestyle swimming. Maintaining a regular rhythm can help reduce unnecessary fatigue.
How to use diaphragmatic breathing for swimming
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as abdominal or belly breathing, is a technique that utilises the diaphragm as the primary muscle for respiration. This method is especially beneficial for swimmers as it promotes a more efficient and deeper breath. Practising this technique can help reduce unnecessary tension and improve breathing control.
At rest, breathing is involuntary and controlled by the brainstem. The diaphragm contracts to inflate the lungs, followed by passive expiration through the rib cage and diaphragm’s elastic recoil. However, during intense swimming, the accessory muscles must assist the diaphragm, increasing the energy cost of breathing.
To incorporate diaphragmatic breathing into your swimming routine, practise it at rest first.
- Lie on your back and place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe in deeply through your nose, ensuring that your abdomen rises more than your chest.
- Exhale slowly and completely.
- Once comfortable, transition this technique to dryland exercises, and finally, integrate it into your swim training.
Practising diaphragmatic breathing can improve your breathing efficiency in the water, potentially reducing fatigue. Consistently using this technique helps you maintain a steady and controlled breathing pattern.
Breathing exercises you can do out of the water
You don’t have to be in the pool to improve your breathing technique. Dryland exercises can help you practise breath control, improve thoracic mobility and reduce tension around your chest and shoulders. They’re easy to incorporate into your regular routine and can support more efficient breathing while swimming.
Try incorporating these exercises into your routine:
- Diaphragmatic breathing: Practise the technique described above, focusing on controlled inhalation and exhalation.
- Thoracic rotations: Gently rotate through your upper back to improve mobility. See our guide to thoracic rotation and why it’s important.
- Controlled exhalation: Breathe in comfortably, then slowly breathe out through pursed lips.
- Rib cage mobility: Practise gentle upper-body stretches to reduce stiffness through your chest and thoracic spine.
Breathing drills to try in the pool
Practising specific swimming breathing drills can help you master how to breathe when swimming and enhance your overall technique. These drills focus on rhythm, control and efficient use of respiratory muscles. Start with simple exercises and gradually build up as your breathing becomes more comfortable.
If you’re just starting out
- Bubble, Bubble, Breathe: Chant “bubble, bubble, breathe” to yourself as you swim. This helps maintain a rhythm and ensures that you exhale consistently underwater before taking a breath.
- Kickboard Drills: Using a kickboard, practise breathing without the distraction of arm movements. Focus on consistent exhalation and inhalation patterns.
- Trickle Breathing: Emphasise exhaling slowly and steadily through your nose while your face is in the water. This reduces the likelihood of breath stacking and promotes efficient lung emptying.
If you already swim laps
- Bilateral Breathing: This drill involves breathing on both sides to encourage even muscle development and balanced breathing patterns. Alternate breathing every three strokes to promote symmetry.
- Hypoxic Training: Supervised sets with longer gaps between breaths can help train breath control, but do not increase lung capacity. Never practise breath holding alone or take a series of rapid, deep breaths before a set, due to the risk of shallow water blackout.
Regularly mixing these drills into your swimming routine can improve breathing control and efficiency. Remember to warm up before your swim to prepare your body for training.
How do you breathe in breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly?
Different swimming strokes require different breathing techniques. In breaststroke and butterfly, you lift your mouth above the water during the stroke, while backstroke allows you to breathe with your face above water. Maintaining a steady rhythm helps you coordinate breathing with your movements, regardless of your preferred stroke.
- Breaststroke: Inhale as your head and shoulders rise during the arm pull, then exhale as your face returns underwater.
- Backstroke: Breathe regularly, coordinating your breathing with your arm movements.
- Butterfly: Take a quick breath as your shoulders rise during the arm pull, then exhale underwater.
Good technique also supports efficient movement. See our guide to injury prevention in breaststroke swimmers.
Why does your chest hurt after swimming?
Chest pain after swimming can have several causes, including tired breathing muscles, strained muscles between the ribs, or irritation and narrowing of the airways. While some discomfort may be muscular, chest pain can also signal a more serious heart or lung problem. New or unexplained chest pain should never be dismissed.
Muscular discomfort can occur when the accessory breathing muscles, particularly those around the upper chest and neck, work harder than necessary during swimming.
Other possible causes include:
- Intercostal muscle strain: Strained or fatigued muscles between the ribs can cause soreness, particularly after intense swimming.
- Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: Temporary airway narrowing can cause chest tightness, coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Cold air or chlorinated pool environments may trigger symptoms, particularly in people with asthma.
- Swimming-induced pulmonary oedema (SIPE): A potentially serious condition involving fluid accumulating in the lungs during swimming, particularly in open or cold water. Symptoms include sudden breathlessness, coughing and chest tightness.
Chlorine-related by-products can also irritate the airways, particularly in poorly ventilated indoor pools. If you regularly experience respiratory symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional about possible asthma or other respiratory conditions.
How to ease chest pain after a swim
If chest discomfort has been assessed as muscular, improving your breathing mechanics and incorporating appropriate exercises may help reduce recurring symptoms.
Practise diaphragmatic breathing to improve respiratory muscle coordination and reduce unnecessary reliance on accessory muscles. Regular stretching and mobility exercises for the thoracic spine and rib cage can also help maintain flexibility and reduce muscle tension.
Allow time to recover between demanding sessions. If chest pain persists, returns or is unexplained, consult a healthcare professional before resuming strenuous swimming.
When chest pain needs urgent help
Not all chest pain after swimming is muscular. Call 000 immediately for crushing or heavy chest pain, pain spreading into your arm, neck or jaw, or pain accompanied by breathlessness, dizziness or faintness.
Sudden severe breathing difficulties, particularly with coughing or pink, frothy sputum, may indicate SIPE. Stop swimming, get out of the water with assistance and seek emergency medical care. Treatment may require oxygen and hospital monitoring.
Pain that changes with movement or pressing on your chest may be muscular, but doesn’t reliably rule out heart or lung conditions.
How a physio can help with your breathing
Physiotherapists are experts in movement and can play a crucial role in helping you optimise your breathing while swimming. They can assess your thoracic and rib cage mobility, breathing strategies and muscle use patterns to identify areas of inefficiency and help you develop more effective breathing habits.
A physiotherapist can teach you how to correct dysfunctional breathing patterns and prescribe exercises to improve respiratory muscle function. They can also provide personalised advice for issues such as muscular discomfort after swimming and recommend medical assessment where necessary.
Combining breathing techniques with appropriate strength and conditioning can further support your swimming performance.
Book a physio assessment on the Central Coast
If you’re struggling with breathing efficiency or recurring muscular discomfort while swimming, the Coast Sport physiotherapy team can help. We’ll assess your breathing mechanics, thoracic mobility and movement patterns, then recommend practical strategies suited to your swimming goals, whether you’re training competitively or swimming for fitness.
Find out how Coast Sport can help. Book an appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Focus on exhaling underwater, turning your head rather than lifting it, and maintaining a comfortable breathing rhythm. Slow your pace if necessary and build your fitness gradually. If breathlessness persists despite adjusting your technique, seek professional advice.
Exhale steadily underwater, rotate your head with your body and take a quick breath through your mouth. Keep one goggle in the water and maintain a comfortable breathing rhythm, usually every two or three strokes.
Regular swimming can improve cardiovascular fitness and respiratory muscle endurance. However, it doesn’t necessarily increase lung capacity or guarantee healthier lungs. Benefits depend on individual fitness, training habits and underlying respiratory conditions.
Chlorine-related by-products can irritate the airways, particularly in poorly ventilated indoor pools. Some swimmers experience coughing, wheezing or chest tightness. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist, especially if you have asthma.
Muscular chest pain may feel tender to touch or worsen with movement or deep breathing. However, these signs don’t rule out heart or lung problems. Seek medical assessment for unexplained chest pain and call 000 for emergency warning signs.
Stop swimming immediately, get out of the water with assistance and seek emergency medical care. SIPE can cause sudden breathlessness, coughing and chest tightness. Treatment may include oxygen and hospital monitoring. Don’t return to swimming until medically assessed.
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