Freestyle breathing techniques

We all know that swimming is a very good sport for training, and learning this skill has many benefits in life. When swimming, you can feel that all the muscles in your body are relaxing. Whether it is for fitness or weight loss, it is a very good choice. Freestyle is the easiest swimming posture to learn, but in the process of learning freestyle, you must also master breathing techniques. So what are the freestyle breathing techniques?

The correct way to breathe when swimming is to exhale in the water first, and then inhale when your mouth is above the water (do not inhale through your nose easily). Even if you drink water with your mouth, the worst that can happen is that you swallow it into your stomach, but if you inhale it through your nose, it will go into your lungs and you will choke on it.

The general advice for beginners is to open their mouths after lifting their heads out of the water. There is no need to deliberately breathe in, because your natural reaction and the pressure of the water will help you breathe in. So the breathing in swimming means exhaling the air first and then inhaling the air. This principle applies no matter what swimming style you are using.

Take a breath before going into the water, but don't swallow it all. It feels best to leave some of it in your throat. In this way, your upper jaw is lifted upwards, and water won't enter your nose unless you inhale. At the same time, the eardrum is facing outward, so water won't enter your ears.

When swimming freestyle, you must exhale when you turn your head sideways, and try to breathe in the same direction to reduce the number of times your head comes out of water.

The movement of the hands is also crucial. The hands must be out of the water and you must paddle downward with force in the water until the body is vertical and then the upper arms drive the forearms out of the water.

Coordinate your breathing and movements, perform the movements in a standardized manner, breathe evenly, and practice more, and your speed will improve.

Freestyle has a relatively reasonable movement structure, saves effort and has low resistance. It is currently the fastest swimming posture.

1. Movement structure and technical points

1. Body posture

When swimming freestyle, the body lies prone on the water surface in a streamlined shape, the muscles of the back and buttocks maintain appropriate tension, the head remains stable while swimming, and the torso rotates naturally and rhythmically 35° to 45° around the longitudinal axis of the body.

2. Leg movements

Although the leg movements in freestyle swimming have a certain propulsion force, their main role is balance, keeping the body stable and coordinating the arms to make powerful strokes. The legs are required to be naturally together, the feet slightly inwardly rotated, the ankle joints relaxed, and the hip joint as the axis. The thighs drive the calves and soles of the feet, and the legs are alternately whipped. The maximum up and down range of the toes is about 30 to 40 cm, and the maximum flexion of the knee joint is about 160°.