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How can I improve my swimming technique?

Swimming: What are some tips to improve by front crawl breathing technique?

  • I get tired after a few hundred meter.

  • Answer:

    This is one of those things that would probably benefit by having someone actually watch you swim.   I'll assume you're breathing on your side already.  (If not, breathing on your side will solve a world of problems!) That said, there are a few common problems that you see a lot: Not gliding enough.  The correct stroke actually has a glide after each pull.  Pull, glide, pull, glide, etc.  You should glide with one arm outstretched, and if it's time to breath, this is the time to do it. Weird timing. You shouldn't be trying to get a breath while your arm is out of the water.  Breath while your arm is pulling on the side that your arm is pulling.  When your elbow starts to come out of the water at the beginning of your recovery, your head should go back in. Breathing too often. Even when you're sprinting, you shouldn't be breathing every stroke--or even every other stroke.  Breathing every third leads to better technique, since it forces you to breathe alternately on each side.  If you're getting a good breath, you should really only need to breath once every fifth stroke or so. Not getting a good breath in. It shouldn't feel like you're only getting half a breath.  If it does, try rotating your body so that when you breath, your hip is actually close to pointing to the ceiling. The rotation should happen just as your pull is ending, but before you bring your arm out of the water.  This will allow more of your face to get out of the water without wretching your neck too far to the side. Being generally spastic. You should feel and look pretty relaxed when you swim.  If your arms are moving like crazy all the time, you could probably benefit from some swimming drills.  One is called "catch up" drill.  Watch this:  The idea is to work on body rotation, kick, and breathing in a more controlled way. If all else fails: ask another swimmer to watch you, or take video of yourself while you swim.  You'll probably see a few things that just look weird that you can make a mental note of for next time.

Tiffany Washburn at Quora Visit the source

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Other answers

One extra I would add to Tiffany's list above is failing to breathe out at all.  A common mistake I see particularly in adult swimmers is involuntarily holding their breath when they think they have exhaled. They roll to the side to inhale without first exhaling only to find they can't because their lungs are too full up! Continuously exhaling into the water during the stroke cycle will not only make taking a new breath a whole lot easier, but will help to keep the entire stroke smooth and relaxed.

Mark Young

Let me give you some simple advice that doesn't go into details you probably don't give a damn about.  First I am going to assume you understand that you breath to the side and the full distance of a stroke is from directly infront of your head down to your hip without crossing over the midpoint in your body line. That being said, I will give you five simple things to do that will immediately fix your problem 1.  Start breathing early in your stroke as your body begins to rotate.  This generally is when you are putting the arm of the opposite side you are breathing to back in the water. 2. When breathing turn your chin to your shoulder and leave ONE GOGGLE IN THE WATER.  This will stop you from lifting up your head and losing your horizontal plane in the water. 3. Take one breath and put your head back down in the water before your arm moves forward (nerdy swimming people call this the recovery). 4. Choose your preferred rhythm for breathing.  Every 2, 3 or 4 strokes is probably the most common. 5. Remember exhale with your face in the water, inhale when you turn your head.  I have magically healed you, enjoy your swim.

Mark Schnewart

first, start by breathing over your shoulder. this isn't great form because you want your head and neck to stay neutral--in line with your spine, but it will give you the right motivation at first. you want to progress to rolling onto your side with every stroke and then your head has to make a slight turn to get your mouth out of the water. go fast enough and you don't even have to do that. second, make sure you are breathing with the side of your mouth. you should be making a funny face--like two-face from batman--to do it right. this will avoid the mouthful of water and actually helps to open your mouth a little more (i know that doesn't make logical sense).

Andy C

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