Swimming Drills For Breathing

Proper breathing technique is essential for those who swim competitively and recreationally. Breathing by lifting your face up and forward is slow and makes it more likely for you to get a mouthful of water. Bilateral breathing, the method employed by competitive swimmers, involves turning your head sideways to lift your mouth out of the water. Bilateral breathing places little strain on your neck and is the most hydrodynamic way to breathe. There are drills that can be performed to improve your bilateral breathing skills.

Step 1

Perform a drill called the "body roll" drill. Kick on your side with your face in the water and looking at the bottom of the pool. Rotate your body 180 degrees after every 12 kicks. Breathe to your right and left sides as necessary, but always keep your opposite ear and cheek in the water. Continue this drill until you are used to the motion of bilateral breathing.

Step 2

Hold a kickboard with both hands at arms' length above your head. Keep your face in the water and begin to kick. Let go of the kickboard with your right hand, take a stroke and breathe laterally to your right side. Grab the kickboard again and continue kicking with your face in the water. Repeat the breathing sequence, but this time breathe to your left side. Continue alternating until you feel comfortable with incorporating the lateral breathing motion into your normal swimming stroke.

Step 3

Perform a "skating" drill that teaches you to swim normally while still breathing bilaterally. Swim front crawl with your face in the water. Do a stroke and turn your body 180 degrees until you are "skating" on your right side like you did in the body roll drill. Continue taking strokes. Rotate your body onto your side with each stroke. Breathe laterally every third stroke.

Step 4

Swim a set that uses alternate breathing patterns once you have mastered the movement of bilateral breathing. Start with a set of 9x50 yard swims. Breathe every three strokes during the first 50, every five strokes on the second 50 and every seven strokes on the third 50. Repeat this sequence three times. This set can be modified to fit your ability level. For example, you could do 9x100 instead of 9x50 or work up to breathing every nine strokes. This set increases your endurance.

Tips and Warnings

Do not practice all of these drills on the same day. Give yourself time to master each technique before you move on to the next drill. Wear a swim cap to keep your hair from becoming tangled in your face when you breathe.
Speak to your doctor before you begin any new exercise program, including swimming. She will help you determine how long and hard you should work out.