Rhythmic breathing in swimming is a technique that enables you to take in enough air to sustain your workout while keeping your swim pace. You can also use it to drive up the intensity of your workout and make your lap swimming more effective.
Definition
Rhythmic breathing is the technique used by swimmers to breathe efficiently. You exhale when you're under water, using your above-the-water part of the stroke to inhale. In freestyle, for example, you swim with your face in the water and rotate your head to the side to breathe. The rhythm you develop means that you exhale as you arms stroke, using the time you rotate your head solely to inhale.
Considerations
If you're just starting out with a swim routine, be aware that rhythmic breathing is one of the most difficult things to learn. The natural response to immersion in the water is to hold your breath. You need to teach yourself to breathe out under water to enable efficiency above water. Practice without swimming at first. Put your face in the water and blow out. Rotate your head to the side to breathe in. Repeat until you feel comfortable with the concept, then swim a lap or two focusing on your breathing.
Pattern Breathing
Novice swimmers sometimes struggle with developing an effective pattern for breathing. To aid with this, focus on breathing every third stroke in freestyle, for example. This way, you know when to finish your exhale and can plan to breathe in. In addition, using an odd-numbered pattern enables bilateral breathing, which minimizes the potential for neck and upper back issues.
Interval Training
By controlling your breathing, you can take your lap swimming to a new level. Once you've mastered a three-stroke pattern, challenge yourself with a five- or seven-stroke pattern. This can help your workout be more efficient by adding challenge and helping you master your breathing.
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