>>76564054
Yeah for me that's the hardest part. I only tried 'real' swimming once but I had trouble timing my breathing. Then I read about it and figured it out, but forgot. I'm interested in tips as well
Swimming is very hard, but once you build up to it it's probably the coolest thing in the world

How tf do people swim freestyle/breaststroke properly at all. I can do both for about 20m but it fucks me up and I need to stop and breathe. I'm not even fat the chubbers at the pool mog me

>>76564054
Bumping. I never trained swimming, i just watched youtube videos and taught myself how to swim as a kid. I can swim basically indefinitely, every year when i go to the seaside i swim multiple kilometers for fun and when i go to the pool with some guys who actually trained swimming from uni or hobbies i am often as fast or even faster than them. But i don't understand how to do the breathing. Like in the crawl, i understand i need to keep my head down and only turn to breathe in every second or fourth stroke. But i can do this only for 100 meters or so, before i get completely gassed out and have to keep my head above water. What's the trick to doibg it continuously without getting gassed? I exhale while my head is ubderwater then inhale on every 2nd stroke when tilting my head out of the water. I never use swim caps or seim goggles, i always swim raw

>>76564261
so how do you usually swim? head out of water the whole time?

>>76564054
I count my strokes and typically breathe on the 3rd or 5th stroke (depending on length of set). The count restarts after each breath.

When you breathe, make sure you blow out underwater BEFORE turning your head to breathe. This will help maximize the air you can take in and keep your stroke smooth and fluid while you take the breath.

Last note - as an amateurish swimmer that doesn't have a ton of endurance, I've found that pyramid structuring my sets similar to below has worked well:

25 yd/m sprint
50 yd/m (75% effort)
75 yd/m (75% effort)
100 yd/m (casual pace to completion)
75 yd/m (75% effort)
50 yd/m (75% effort)
25 yd/m sprint

Repeat 2-4x depending on level of fitness

>>76564261
The trick to doing it consistently is doing drills for breathing. Try doing some laps where you only take a single breath in the middle and then try doing some where you don't take a breath at all.

>>76564221
you have klinefelter

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>>76564054
>>76564261
train the breathing stroke with the swimboard
that's how you learn how to do the correct form
that's actually how you learn to swim

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>>76564360
h and these models are much better

>>76564054
Step 1 - Use BOTH legs and use BOTH arms to gain FAST SPEED
Step 2 - At FAST SPEED, while your arm is raised above the water's surface, turn your head to that same side and gasp for air quickly
Step 3 - Practice this routine

Your lungs do not "grow" in size when you're a fantastic swimmer; their EFFICIENCY grows. Your body will learn to regulate what oxygen level is available, and when you're breathing in gasps while performing intense full-body activity, it's going to learn to "git gud" faster. Swimming is not an easy cardiovascular exercise when compared to cycling or jogging; you will find swimming to be VERY tiring. Similarly, the rewards for performing swimming are greater when you practice it.

>>76564429
Furthermore, as your swimming skill increases, so will your speed, stamina, and breathing efficiency --- you'll reach higher speeds for longer letting you breathe easier (and requiring less breathing at all)!

>>76564444
Holy quads the truthbringer has arrived

>>76564054
>breathe in
>breath out
Simple as.

i swim every day in a lake and get scared a skeleton is gona reach up from the depths and pull me under.

>>76564221
It takes time to get adapted to. If you get tired, stop, then try again. Then sometimes try to force out a few extra meters, like you'd an extra rep. Try to focus on form instead of speed. Find a pace you feel you could do forever.

>>76564681
What if he just wants to give you a hand job through your speedo?

>>76564054
Swimfags help, I never learned to breath properly while swimming and now I constantly burp this hot, icky, burps and every time I burp I get a little boner.

>>76564278
Yeah, i do the crawl but my mouth/half of my face is always out of the water. I never submerge my face once I get gassed out.
>>76564309
Okay i will try that, thanks
>>76564360
How am i supposed to lean on my right/left side if i'm holding the board?

>>76564925
Yeah, i do the crawl but my mouth/half of my face is always out of the water. I never submerge my face once I get gassed out.
This is causing you to become exhausted so much faster. Swim with your face straight down towards the bottom of the pool, not above water. Practice turning and taking a breath every two, three or four strokes and you'll eventually get it mate. Do it right from the start, don't learn bad habits like this. Watch a youtube vid and practice with your arms/mouth while watching it, just swinging them slowly in front of you at your computer.

>>76564295
>>76564429
>>76564309
>>76564444
>>76565550
OP here.
I appreciate the responses I've woken up to.
I've already submitted my swimming assessment about a week ago and was told it wasn't quite strong enough and that I can have another two weeks to practise then I need to resubmit.
Reasonably speaking I'm not expecting any serious breakthroughs in two weeks, but with the time frame I was given I doubt they're wanting much more of an improvement to make the cut.

The game plan at this stage is to just practise as much as possible then just "gun it" so to speak once I need to do the assessment again. It's a 100m swim so at most only a 3 Minute effort.

Once submitted I'll still have another 3 months before I begin so they may cut me a break if I tell them I intend to continue practising.

>>76566611
You got this dude. Remember that for a newer swimmer, the harder you try (especially if you're nervous during the test) the more you'll flail and get heavy drag in the water. Calm, controlled strokes end up being a lot faster than gunning it if you don't have the technique down. Minimizing drag > effort

You've got the cardio for a 100m easily, just practice til you can comfortably breathe in a rythm. Breathing every other stroke is not the most efficient for speed but will help you keep the effort up until you get used to it. Good luck man

>>76566654
Thanks anon. Relaxed and controlled is definitely how I'll approach it. I'll "gun it" in the sense of maintaining good technique regardless of how my breathing is going. If worse comes to worst and I'm out of breath to the point of borderline panic I guess I'll have to resort to a pseudo freestyle with my head above the water

>>76564925
>How am i supposed to lean on my right/left side if i'm holding the board?
that's what you're going to train
that's the correct posture for freestyle/crawl: hand in front for buoyancy, stroke to breathe
if you try to do a stroke without the proper form, you are going to keep having the same issue you're having
this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNfBRkjCXrg

>>76566611
You blow constantly through your nose when you're swimming, right? That way you can simply take a big breath out of the water and resume.

>>76567218
also see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqXNDUovb0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJLWLNgC0II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2wz6YtQL0A

alternatively, just put the fins and paddles on
then swim turbo mode

>>76564925
>i do the crawl but my mouth/half of my face is always out of the water.
that's the polo crawl
you only really use that on the ocean or when playing polo
otherwise you're creating inefficient drag that will gas you out more than just doing the side breathing stroke

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In the end everyone wants to be a butterfly swimmer.

>>76566611
I'm confused, you need to swim 100 meters in 3 minutes for the task? That's nothing, I do that in less using regular breaststrokes

>>76567275
butterfly is elite
not for everyone

>>76567338
>>76567275
Butterfly swimmers are literally flying through the water. Actually insane

>>76564054
1
2
3 ==> *breathe*

1
2
3 ==> *breathe* (on the other side)

That's it. Exhale little by little when you're underwater or all in one go right before coming out to inhale, whatever works best for you.

>>76567362
he probably has issues with the breathe stroke by what I understood of his posts
he needs to do the kickboard drills

>>76566611
>100m in less than 3 minutes
Easy.
And I'll claim that in 2 weeks, if you practice
• looking straight to the pool floor
• breathing out while face is completely submerged
• gasping as-fast-as-possible for as much air when turning head after breathing out
• otherwise practicing how long you can hold your breath
You'll easily be able to pass a 3minute 100m freestyle standard.

Get in a pool, claim a lane, and practicing breathing for the next hour.

>>76566611
When performing races, they actually ban swimmers from staying submerged beyond 50m. They disqualify swimmers who dive in and then dolphin kick themselves back and forth down the lane for 300m, never coming up for air.

>>76567312
>>76567633
It's simple but it's hard to do when you haven't swam at all for years.
With the limited practise I've had I've been improving a lot. Made a huge breakthrough today with how long I've been able to maintain technique.
The assessments in the bag. Gonna take every chance I have to practise before the due date but I reckon I'll be fine.

>>76568184
I can give you the official application test for the Swedish police, just for fun:

Swim 150 meters using breaststrokes, then switch and do backstrokes for 25 meters using only your legs, then directly dive and rescue a 40 kg doll (the standard orange one), and escort it for 10 meters above water, all under 10 minutes. I currently do it in 5 minutes

>>76568206
My assessment is nothing compared to the swedish police (though I'm also applying for law enforcement).
My instructions are literally: swim forward stroke uninterrupted for 100m. Demonstrate competent swimming technique.
I have LEO background but this will be my first frontline role. I have already been ticked off on other fitness standards

>>76567494
>he needs to do the kickboard drills
You're probably right. If I had months to play with I'll probably give that a go, but I just don't have the time for it

>>76568232
Why are you choosing crawl over breaststrokes?

>>76568308
It's much slower when I apply it. Freestyle ftw

>>76568328
The thing is, you probably have the most experience doing breaststrokes. So, if the instructors look at you attempting crawl, and you're doing it wrong, that'll make you look like a retard

>>76568339
My breast stroke is shithouse. The only reason to do it is because I can keep my head out of the water. It's a bit of a copout

>>76568361
How is that possible? You had all the swimming exercises throughout your school years?

>>76568375
Swimming lessons were over a decade ago. I've tried both strokes and freestyle is without a doubt the fastest and most efficient stroke you can apply with minimal experience

>>76568386
>>76568375
Yeah if he's basically starting from scratch on both strokes, freestyle is probably the way to go. The only reason someone would do breaststroke on a fitness test like that is if they're much more experienced with it than freestyle. Besides, the main issue here is breathing and breaststroke should involve the head going underwater too, otherwise it's just old lady moving at 0.5 mph stroke.

>>76564054
What is there to not understand about this? You breath in when you move your head to the side, then you breath out when your head is in the water. That's literally it.

>>76568428
I do it without diving under at all, and I'm usually equally as fast as the ones who attempt crawl or butterfly. They also usually stop and take breaks, where as I'm able to continue

>>76568450
I don't mean this in a mean way anon but the fact that your extremely inexperienced, bad-form breaststroke can out-stamina other equally bad swimmers who gas out in just 100m is not proof that it's good. Any decent swimmer won't have to take breaks while doing proper breaststroke, you get to breath literally every stroke, it's impossible to run out of air doing it once your body is remotely conditioned to swimming.

>>76568470
I didn't write that, learn to read

>>76568485
I've reread your post and it sounds a lot like you're saying you keep going when other swimmers have to stop and take a break. What else could you mean? Also just because your bad form stroke is adequate doesn't mean it wouldn't be better if you did it properly

>>76568511
If you compare me to athlete swimmers, of course I'm deficient. If you've ever been at a swimming pool at adult age, you'll notice that most swimmers (despite body build and age) will stop and take breaks, no matter what their style is. I've trained to be able to swim outside at any point during the year for rescuing

As someone who grew up in a country where kids learn to swim, this whole thread is hilarious. Like, what are you guys even trying to discuss? How to breath? How can anyone not breath during swimming? Is OP someone who is trying to learn swimming from scratch? Can you actually not swim, OP? If so, then why are you coming to the place asking questions about breathing? Why don't you start by taking basic swimming lessons? If you know the basics, breathing should come automatically.

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>>76564054
the tricks employed by swimmers are TURBO simple, but to the land walkers they are like magic performed by illusionists: invisible.

>breathe out into water
super obvious to spot people who have never undergo any swimming training. their instinct is to have head above water 24/7. you know... to not drown. but you dont need to. Simply pull head above water only for breathing in. this simple change in technique makes you swim easier, faster ad with less strain. the more you swim, the higher your lungs capacity gets: pros can do even 6 or 8 strokes per one breath.

>adjust tempo to your limits
noobs see youtube instruction video or see pros at pool and instantly think they can immitate them and to do wild shit like alternating sides or try to attempt to count while swimming... only to drown themselves. A simple analogy: before running you have to learn how to walk. Do not attempt advanced shit. Start simple.

Do the strokes VERY slowly. So you can easily synchronize them with breathing. If you try to swim too fast, you wont have enough time to breathe in, run out of oxygen and drown. Or you will breathe too fast, not have time to properly exhale and again drown.

Swim slowly and metodicky. So you have enough time to breathe in and out. The speed will come with practice and with increased lung capacity.

>use mouth for breathing in
your nose will be 24/7 at risk of being clogged with water. Open only half of your mouth and suck in the air, then plunge head back to water and do another stroke.

>dont alternate sides
switching left and right sides is for pros, you are landwalker, pick your dominant side and go with it.

>>76564054
idk why the faggots in this thread are giving such shitty advice, so I'll try to help:
1. try to be as tall as possible in the water, stretching both your head and your feet, as well as your hands when you do the stroke and they enter the water. Body tight, head looking down or slightly forward as you try to be as tall/long as possible. Your feet should not sink, but be on the level of the surface: to do that, always have one of the arms in front (as one starts coming back during the stroke, stretch the other forwards and let it slide a bit).
2. as for the breathing: if you are running out of air, breath every 2 strokes (that is, every stroke on the same side). Fags will say it is asymmetrical, but it does not really matter and most pros doing longer distances do it. It greatly helps with getting enough air in the beginning and barely affects speed.
3. Let's say you breathe always on the right side: when the right arm is stretched forward, keep your whole head in the water looking down, trying to be tall. as your right arm pulls back and passes your head, put your chin on your right shoulder(i.e. look to the right without tilting head backwards), then with your whole body, starting from the hips, rotate your body such that your left side is pointing more towards the bottom of the pool and your right side more towards the ceiling (not completely vertical, but tilted enough that you can breathe).
4. After you breathed in and your right arm left the water, stretch the right arm forward into the water, letting it slide for a couple of seconds, and rotate your head as well as your body back to its normal stretching position where you are looking straight down towards pool's floor
5. since you are breathing every 2 strokes, you do not need to feel your lungs too much when you breathe. Focus on expelling the air forcefully just as your head is about to leave the water, then breathing it back in will come naturally.
Good luck

>>76568667
fill* your lungs.
Also do not use the legs too much, it takes a lot of energy and gasses you out quickly
>>76568570
good advice

>>76568667
Your advise on stretching out with the stroke is probably what made a huge difference when I went to practise yesterday. I was able to maintain reasonable technique for a 50m length on a consistent basis.
Even got a few practise runs in for the 100m but at most get to about 75m before I need to resort to keeping my head above water