I am a newbie to swimming for fitness. I am going to do a triathlon in a couple of months. I have pretty good lower body strength and OK upper body strength. My problem is that I am tiring out breathing-wise well before my muscles get tired out. I have someone looking at my technique, which is admittedly poor. She assures me that the breathing will come with more training, but I have to admit that I don't want to feel like I now feel when I am in the open water. The tri is a 400 yard lake swim. Any reasonable expectations for how and when this will improve, or exercises to help this? I have read that doing non breather laps will help. Thanks in advance.

Start by breathing every stroke on one side. So every right stroke breathe.

Start with 50 yd repeats, then 75, then 100. The following plan is 12 weeks but has the right progression.

http://www.active.com/swimming/articles/12-week-swim-workout-plan-for-sprint-triathlons

Once you start getting comfortable in the pool get outside for a few practice swims.

Eventually you'll get comfortable breathing every 3rd stroke, then 4th, etc. It will come. Just takes a little time.

Good luck!

This is me too. I'm amazed when I watch people slowly glide through the water, making it look so effortless.

I got ok and alternating sides, and breathing every 3 strokes, but I have to go a certain speed to stay afloat. Then I'm out of breath after one length of the pool.

Hoosegow said:

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Don't breath when your mouth is in the water.

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Expert advice!

For triathlon you will mostly be breathing on every other stroke so every right or left stroke. Even 400m is a long swim and you need all the oxygen you can get. As soon as your head gets in the water breath out (some people say bubble or something like that to help them remember to breath). Most of all relax

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Start by breathing every stroke on one side. So every right stroke breathe.

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Some of us still do that. No need to move on from that to every x breath if that's what's most comfortable.

TriumphForks said:

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Start by breathing every stroke on one side. So every right stroke breathe.

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Some of us still do that. No need to move on from that to every x breath if that's what's most comfortable.

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None of it's comfortable

You are literally me 2 years ago. Open water still kills me, so dint forget that when doung open water, even 400 is much harder. Learn how to swim with eyes closed and sight if you will be open water.

Now for breathing, i was holding my breath underwater...dont do that.

Next, i focused on going small jumps...from 25 yards to 50. Then 50 to 100, then 100 to 200 and then 200 to 400. Once i got over 400, it was pretty easy to extend up to 800 and then 1600.

I breath to one side, switch between every stroke and every other as needed. Id love to be great at both sides and breath every 3rd, but its not easy.

Good luck...and swim!

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I was hoping to get to every fourth stroke breathing and it sounds like that might not be reasonable. As far as sighting, I do drift a bit to the left if I am not following a line on the bottom, but I am breaking up my freestyle with frequent breast strokes during "breaks". Maybe I am underestimating the sighting issue, but as long as I have these breaks to redirect my path I will minimize my zig-zagging. . I am now able to to 400 meters without stopping, but by the end I am breathing with every stroke and breathing so hard I am swallowing water. But it sure feels good when I stop.

Ive started using breast stroke to develop my otger muscles, but i do get out of breath faster by doing that as opposed to freestyle. That could be adding to your challenge. To rest, i do a modified backstroke

Some advice:

1. Minimize your kick (2 beat kick). Kicking fast and hard will make it harder to breath
2. Blow bubbles. Exhale while your face is in the water at a steady rate so when you take a breath you are inhaling.
3. Start every other stroke but work to every third stroke as it's easier to stay straight and site.

Kool said:

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I am now able to to 400 meters without stopping, but by the end I am breathing with every stroke and breathing so hard I am swallowing water.

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Try every other from the get go and report back.

Do not try to breath every 4th stroke, this only does harm and there are not any benefits. You need oxygen and like I said 400 meters is considered short. Try to do anything athletic with inhaling every 5-7 seconds and see how you feel.

Some people are better with a two beat kick and some are better with a six. I did two since I was an adult onset swimmer and a lot of the races I did were in a wetsuit. My body was already in a good position because of the buoyancy of the wetsuit.

The only way to get better at sighting is practicing it. Get in some open water if you can. Early on you will want to sight around every 6th stroke or so and once you get better you can do every 10. You will want to kick a littler harder and make it quick.

Look up Gerry Rodriguez, probably the best triathlon swim coach out there.

Just have faith. You are me 3 months ago. Now swimming 1K sets and feeling pretty good.

It just takes time, and I think it's more frustrating because your body is telling you to stop killing yourself. You were smart to start early (I tried to learn swimming 4 weeks before a sprint), and one day it will just click.

Also use a swim snorkel to work on your form without having to worry about the breath. Then slowly phase out the snorkel.

I spent a few months last year trying to incorporate swimming into my routine. I enjoyed it but ultimately just sort of stopped doing it. Might start back up again.

My main problem is that I cant figure out how to kick right. People told me to stop bending my knees when I kick, but if I try that I just stop moving. I still don't really understand how to do this "right".

I had problems with breathing at first as well, because I was trying to breath every other right stroke. I just started breathing every right stroke, and found that to be much easier and I didn't get winded nearly as fast.

In most tris you are surrounded by other pounders who are swimming into you and flailing their arms and legs about you. It's a lot of people in a small amount of space. Don't worry about extending your breath to more than every other stroke. You'll be happy just getting through this section without any major issues.

Interesting experience the first time I had someone swim over the top of me.

I don't kick much. More like fluttering your legs for stability and to stay level. Get a little propulsion. For me the stroke is all in your arms and really how your hands enter the water.

Ragoo said:

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I don't kick much. More like fluttering your legs for stability and to stay level. Get a little propulsion. For me the stroke is all in your arms and really how your hands enter the water.

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I have also heard that, since it is a triathlon, kicking a lot is just going to burn your legs for the rest of the event, so minimizing this will be beneficial. What do you focus on for your hands entering into the water?

Kool said:

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Ragoo said:

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I don't kick much. More like fluttering your legs for stability and to stay level. Get a little propulsion. For me the stroke is all in your arms and really how your hands enter the water.

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I have also heard that, since it is a triathlon, kicking a lot is just going to burn your legs for the rest of the event, so minimizing this will be beneficial. What do you focus on for your hands entering into the water?

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i mostly focus on not slapping the water. point my fingers and enter at what feels like a 30 degree angle and rotate side to side ever so slightly so that i can fully extend my arms, giving each stroke back the full range of motion. i also try to emulate a feeling that the stroke is reaching across my face but really almost inline with my face. the makes the stroke more front to under than to the side.

Huh, across your face?

OP where are you located? Some in-person instruction would be best for you. Swimming is incredibly technique based. I was a stronger triathlete and the best I could do was 1:13/100 and a few times I had 10-13 year old girls lapping me. Becoming more efficient in the water means faster/less energy burned.

not actually across my face, just feel like I am so that I am getting a full extension with the stoke. When i begin to tire I know my stroke can get more choppy. this helps me relax even when tired.

I am in ATL and do have access to coaching but the coach is crazy busy teaching over privileged kids how to swim. It is getting there, just slowly. I Have only done a 30 minute lesson with her so far. My office manager is training with me but she was a high school swimmer, so it's almost like asking her, "how do you walk". She is dreading the 12 mile bike ride, which I cannot understand. I truly appreciate all of the help.

If the stroke is in open water long strokes where you reach out is not the way, trust me I tried for a few years. Youtube Jody Swallow, a nice short and quick stroke. She has the ITU stroke (like the Brownlee's) and I wish I had taken the time to develop it early on. I was always a front to middle pack swimmer when I should have been faster with my in the pool times.

Gerry Rodrigues is indeed awesome and I thank you. I looked into some of his YouTube videos and am going to follow his lead. You're a huge help, P.U.T.U

Kool said:

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Thanks for all the advice, guys. I was hoping to get to every fourth stroke breathing and it sounds like that might not be reasonable. As far as sighting, I do drift a bit to the left if I am not following a line on the bottom, but I am breaking up my freestyle with frequent breast strokes during "breaks". Maybe I am underestimating the sighting issue, but as long as I have these breaks to redirect my path I will minimize my zig-zagging. . I am now able to to 400 meters without stopping, but by the end I am breathing with every stroke and breathing so hard I am swallowing water. But it sure feels good when I stop.

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Be patient, you are learning. Your breathing will work itself out. I know from doing what you are doing.

I have been a (slow) lap-swimmer for 20 years. I could not make one lap when I first started, and now I do 40 laps in a YMCA pool 5 days a week.

It is soooooooooooooooo relaxing when one climbs out of a pool after a nice swim.

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It is soooooooooooooooo relaxing when one climbs out of a pool after a nice swim.

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This x 100.

And then proceeds to eat everything in sight for the afternoon

Seriously, trained for 2 fulls and 2 half IMs and I can run 20 miles or bike 100 miles and not develop a huge appetite but if I swim just a mile I am ravenous all day.

Same. It seems to lower my average heart rate that evening when I sleep and I definitely feel better than the other two sports. Maybe it's killing me or maybe it's helping. Who knows?

Kool said:

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I am in ATL and do have access to coaching but the coach is crazy busy teaching over privileged kids how to swim. It is getting there, just slowly. I Have only done a 30 minute lesson with her so far. My office manager is training with me but she was a high school swimmer, so it's almost like asking her, "how do you walk". She is dreading the 12 mile bike ride, which I cannot understand. I truly appreciate all of the help.

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If in ATL, check out the Atlanta Triathlon Club. They host open water practice swims and do video taped coaching sessions so you can see what you are doing wrong in the pool

Will do. I am continuing to practice and it's definitely getting easier. I am now fairly confident I won't drown in 400 yards of open water! I have been following the teaching of Gerry Rodrigues and trying to work on the "high elbow catch" as espoused by others. Hoping to get in an open water swim today, weather permitting. Has anyone had any experience with the Total Immersion method of swimming? There was an article in the WSJ about it this weekend. Can't link those articles in until a few days after they are published