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Breathing - Exhalation Technique

you know your problem? you keep it all in!

Also see our related articles: Freestyle Breathing Overview and Tips and The Power of Bilateral Breathing.


don't hold your breath!
Don't forget to breathe. Doctors recommend it.

Very few novice swimmers exhale properly into the water.

Nearly all intermediate swimmers think they are exhaling correctly - at least, that's what they say when we ask them. Do they? Very few do.



In this article we're going to give you some very simple exercises to perform to improve your breathing technique and this will help you become a much better swimmer.

How You Should Breathe


Mr Smooth exhales into the water.


You can exhale through your mouth or through your nose or through both, it doesn't matter. But when your face is in the water you should be exhaling all the time in one constant stream of bubbles.

Do you do this? You're probably thinking 'yes I do'. We ask hundreds of swimmers this question every year, nearly all of them answer 'yes' but when they jump in the pool and we watch their breathing technique, very few actually do!

How Do Most Swimmers Exhale?



Coaches: From the pool deck, watch for a little outward spray of water from the mouth area as the swimmer turns to take their breath - this is a classic sign of late exhalation. Such a swimmer will immediately feel more relaxed from an improved exhalation technique.

Why is it Important to Exhale Constantly?

1) The most important reason is that when you hold your breath you tense up. When you breathe out you release that tension. Imagine you're having a stressful day and someone tells you to take a deep breath - it's not when you take the breath in that you feel better, it's when you let it go. Holding your breath tenses you up and that is bad for your swimming technique.

2) When you are holding your breath you can feel that you need to breathe. The sensation you are feeling is not the lack of oxygen, it's the build up of CO2. By holding your breath you are keeping the CO2 in your blood stream and lungs - this makes you feel desperate for air.

Exhale strongly!
Blow them bubbles, it'll be the end of your troubles.

Breathing out constantly while you swim feels much nicer - you get rid of the CO2 and no longer feel so desperate for air.

3) Having lungs full of air is bad for your body position - your chest is too buoyant. Since your body acts like a see saw around your centre, this causes your legs to sink in the water, creating extra drag.

4) Most swimmers try to exhale just before they turn their head to breathe - or even worse, try and exhale and inhale in the short window when their mouth is above the waterline! This is a really hard thing to do, each breath feels snatched and panicky. If you breathe late like this, the tendency is to lift your head to breathe to give yourself a bit more time. Lifting your head is bad swimming technique, it causes your legs to sink - adding lots of drag.


How Will This Make Me Swim Faster?

Katie Hoff Movie


Holding your breath keeps excess CO2 in your lungs and blood stream. This hurts you aerobically as CO2 builds up in your system (like a sprint activity). For the same swimming speed and effort, holding your breath will make things much harder. Next time you're running or doing something aerobic in the gym try holding your breath for 3 seconds and then suddenly inhale and exhale before holding it again - how much harder does this make it? Much harder!


The key to a creating a balanced symmetrical swimming technique is breathing to both sides - and the key to that is constant exhalation whenever your face is in the water.

OK, So How Do I Make The change?


One of Swim Smooth's catch phrases 'Learn To Sink Before You Learn to Swim' comes from this sink-down technique.

Learn to Sink!

- At the deep end of the pool tread water. When you are ready take a breath in and let yourself sink. As soon as your head is in the water start exhaling strongly through either your nose or mouth, whichever you prefer. Make sure you are exhaling straight away. If you are not exhaling immediately, or you are not exhaling strongly enough, you won't sink - or you will sink a bit but then surface again.

Sinking Movie


- If you sink at first but then surface again, stay there and keep exhaling until you sink. Find your 'sinking threshold' and keep practising exhaling strongly until you can get down easily and quickly.



- Are you surprised how relaxed you become doing this? Perhaps you didn't realise you were tense before? The sensation of sinking is something we naturally fear - it's something that's keeping you tense whilst you swim. Getting accustomed to the water and feeling happy sinking in this alien environment will help your swimming technique a great deal.

exhale when pushing off from the wall.



Introducing Constant Exhalation To Your Swim Stroke

We recommend that you do a few of these 'sink downs' at the start of every swimming session to tune in to the watery environment and release any tension. It really is enjoyable and beneficial to any level of swimmer, even those macho males who might think it's mumbo jumbo! Try it, we're sure you'll enjoy it.



Drills and Exhalation Technique

You guessed it, whenever you are doing drills you should be exhaling constantly into the water too! It's good practise and helps you relax so you can perform the drill better.



Most swimmers realise that breathing technique is a fundamental of the freestyle stroke. But most think about their inhalation only and forget about their exhalation. Don't make that mistake yourself! Practise your sink downs and get focused on your exhalation. You'll enjoy your swimming more and your stroke will benefit greatly.


Swim Smooth Terms and Conditions

Swim Smooth Links

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