Swimming question: front crawl technique

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Swimming question: front crawl technique

30 posts & 19 voices | Started 1 year ago by ir_bandito | Latest reply from Travis

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ir_bandito - Member

Having never been any good at it, I thought its about time I mastered it.
I know the basics of a good stroke, but its the breathing that gets me. I'm in the habit of breathing every third stroke, so I alternate the side, and time-wise I find I'm not "ready" for a breath after just 2. However, after a couple of lengths of the pool, I have to stop and burp as I seem to be swallowing too much air.
I hold my breath whilst swimming, then breathe out as I lift my head to the side, breath in and carry on.

What's going wrong?

Posted 1 year ago #
The Southern Yeti - Inactive

If you're like me then it's because you need to improve your kick.

Posted 1 year ago #
thomthumb - Member

for me the key is to breathing the amount of air i need. i breath out under water whilst swimming so that when i turn my head it is all intake.

search youtube for total immersion or TI videos. v. useful.

Posted 1 year ago #
crazant - Member

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4InLAsnmKhY

And now matter how hard i try I can't get below 15....

Search Youtube for total immersion theres plenty on there...

Posted 1 year ago #
ir_bandito - Member

Cheer, will check youtube.

Yeti: I used to kick like an epilitic at a rave, which left me exhausted after half a length! Managed to slow that down somewhat...

Posted 1 year ago #
karnali - Member

breathe out the whole time your mouth is in the water, then only need to breath in when turning head to breathe. Its difficult at first but you can actually say something like breathe or bubble as you breathe out. Has knock on effects for body position in the water as well as chest is less bouyant and therefore legs come up creatin less drag. Check out swimsmooth for the full detailed explanation.

Posted 1 year ago #
The Southern Yeti - Inactive

But is your kick efficient? Does it keep your body flat in the water?

Try swimming with a pull buoy and see if you still have the breathing problem.

Posted 1 year ago #
molgrips - Member

Breath out as you swim. This avoids having to pause and take a huge gulp as you stick your head right out of the water.

So if you are breathing every third stroke just think out out in, out out in as you go. I breathe out of my nose or blow through tight lips, no idea if this is recommended though.

Gotta think about something eh?

Posted 1 year ago #
ir_bandito - Member

Gotta think about something

I'll say. Its the big negative of going swimming: more dull than running round an athletics track. And never any totty in the pool at 8am to distract...

Posted 1 year ago #
cp - Member

as others have mentioned, breathe out whilst your head is underwater. practice simultanesouly breathing out through both your mouth and nose (just practice this at the end of the pool first rather than whilst swimming).

Whilst swimming, you're aiming for a steady stream of air coming out through both your nose and mouth, and just before you go for a breath, exhale quite hard through your nose. When your head pops up for air, you'll be ready to intake rather than having to exhale what's left before inhaling.

Posted 1 year ago #
dave_rudabar - Member

TBH you'd be best off getting some coaching at the local swimming club most will happily help out advanced improvers.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dolcered - Member

A couple of proper lessons might be worthwhile. Would help you develop right technique from the outset. I was an adult learner, still swim the taught way, alternate side breathing etc

Posted 1 year ago #
teef - Member

Kicking - I was chatting with a swim coach at the local pool a few weeks ago and she said kicking produces almost no forward propulsion and can be a drag. You should minimise it and keep it within your body profile - long distance swimmers hardly kick at all.

Posted 1 year ago #
trb - Member

What cp said^

IMO swimsmooth is a best for technique tips. Total immersion is good, but just has too much american bulls*** for me!

I had the same problem as you when I started, as well as breathing out underwater, I started taking smaller breaths. easier to take a small breath than a great big gulp and I was ready for a breath at the right point. Sounds simple, but I needed a coach to tell me!

Posted 1 year ago #
The Southern Yeti - Inactive

Kicking - I was chatting with a swim coach at the local pool a few weeks ago and she said kicking produces almost no forward propulsion and can be a drag. You should minimise it and keep it within your body profile - long distance swimmers hardly kick at all.

True. I do kick drills to make sure the kick is not causing drag. It used to take me almost a minute to do a length just kicking. 2 weeks later I'd halved the time with no extra effort. When I swim full stroke I aim for 2 beat. Seriously... if you're legs are dropping in the water your whole stroke is screwed!

Posted 1 year ago #
trb - Member

long distance swimmers hardly kick at all

Until the last 100 meters when you kick like a mule and go really fast! But that type of kicking is not sustainable.

Sun Yang broke the world record hold, so I'm not arguing with him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6uqZd8Tn3Y
That video is actually really good for watching technique.

Posted 1 year ago #
Klunk - Member

a drill i used to do, 2 lengths breathing every stroke, 2 lengths every 3, 2 lengths every 5, 2 lengths every 7, 2 lengths every 5 2 lengths every 3, and back to 1. the every 7 is hell but you really learn how to control your breathing.

Posted 1 year ago #
SamB - Member

The video of Sun Yang is fantastic

In terms of breathing technique - it could be that your swim form is fine and you're just not breathing right. Two thoughts:
- are you blowing out too much air underwater?
- are you gasping in air when you hit the surface?

Either way you're going to end up with 'off' breathing and have to stop. Your breath when swimming should be a gentle exhale followed by as normal an inhale as possible - you can't just huff all the air out and gasp it back in again as it gets very difficult to hold the rhythm with your stroke.

Posted 1 year ago #
molgrips - Member

When I breathe out under water I end up with a lot of water in my gob whne I breathe in. I don't swallow it or inhale it, but you have to wonder where it's been as it's vague saltiness swills across your palette with its delicate notes of who knows what.

Posted 1 year ago #
Travis - Member

Have you tried 5 strokes? If you're not ready to breath then try 5.

Klunk has a good plan, which is a good practise for breathing control.

What do you swim for? Race, Distance, Recreation?

Posted 1 year ago #
Blower - Member

how about breath stroke breathing technique?

Posted 1 year ago #
FunkyDunc - Member

I have no idea because Im not a swimmer, but Mrs FD says correct technique is to only breath to one side, not alternate sides.

Posted 1 year ago #
joemarshall - Member

I have no idea because Im not a swimmer, but Mrs FD says correct technique is to only breath to one side, not alternate sides.

she's wrong - pretty much all good swimmers breathe on both sides. Breathing on just one side is a recipe for an unbalanced stroke, which leaves you wasting effort correcting it if you want to go straight.

There are times when you want to breathe one side only, like if you're sea swimming, you tend to breathe down wind, and if you're in rapids you might want to do it only one way depending on how the currents are, but for normal swimming, both sides.

The original question, lots of people have covered it already, you say what you do wrong in the question itself - you should never be holding your breath, breathe out under water, then only breathe in when you turn your head to breathe. At swim coaching sessions I'm doing at the moment they tell us to think 'bubble, bubble, breathe', on each stroke, where you are breathing out for each 'bubble', and in on the 'breathe'.

Posted 1 year ago #
gavtheoldskater - Member

some good advice here when i asked about swimming...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/getting-a-400m-swim-time-down-how-to-train

i'm about a minute down now, really enjoying my swimming. also me going so often has allowed my boy top get more watertime in and his swimming has improved immeasurably since jan (beginning of jan he could hardly doggy paddle and only for about 10m at best. he's now front crawling, can do at least 100m no sweat and his water confidence now is amazing).

my recently discovered top tip, buy some jammers. i can't believe the difference in swimming with them.

Posted 1 year ago #
The Southern Yeti - Inactive

I just tried to swim at Sun Yang pace... even with fins... not a chance.

Did try and copy his 'catch' though and I can see it improving my stroke already.

Posted 1 year ago #
ir_bandito - Member

thanks for all the advice so far. Food for thought

What do you swim for? Race, Distance, Recreation?

I guess its classed as recreation. Variation of excercise, to hopefully be as fast as my missus one day and have the strength for open-water swimming.

Posted 1 year ago #
The Southern Yeti - Inactive

...as fast as your missus...

Well study how she swims. Do it under water... concentrate on exhaling the whole time your head is under whilst trying to sink to the bottom. Surface and take a relaxed breath... sink again.

Posted 1 year ago #
nick1c - Member

Check out 'mr smooth'. It helped me.

Posted 1 year ago #
gavtheoldskater - Member

just back from the pool, the technique in that clip that crazant posted was really interesting to try. i definitely was letting my arms drop too far before catching and pulling. and 15 was my best for 25m.

Posted 1 year ago #
Travis - Member

I haven't seen the vid, but I am guessing that it is trying to reduce the stroke count per length.
Which is really good and developing your glide, catch, pull and push part of the stroke.
But doesn't really address the breathing problem.
Stay breathing bi-lateral, as it will reduce any over use injury they may occur due to imbalance in the stroke.

As mentioned before, you should be blowing out through the nose, mouth (or one of them, I find if I breathe out through my mouth, then I run out of air quicker) whilst your face is in the water.

Posted 1 year ago #

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