Freestyle (front crawl) is often considered the fastest stroke — but also the most technical. For many amateur swimmers, the main challenge lies in breathing. Shortness of breath, gasping, feelings of suffocation or panic… These are common struggles, but don’t worry: they’re not inevitable. With the right tips and a bit of practice, you can learn to breathe smoothly and effectively.
Why is breathing so hard in freestyle?
Unlike breaststroke, where the head naturally comes out of the water, freestyle requires side breathing, synchronized with arm and leg movements. The face remains underwater most of the time, which demands good breath control and precise coordination.
Common mistakes:
-
Holding your breath instead of exhaling underwater
-
Turning your head too late or too far to breathe
-
Breathing with every stroke cycle, which disrupts balance
-
Going into apnea from the very first laps due to stress or lack of oxygen
Fundamentals for proper freestyle breathing
1. Exhale underwater, slowly and continuously
This is the golden rule. If you wait to lift your head to exhale and inhale in the same moment, you’ll run out of air and start to panic. The right habit: exhale gently through the nose while submerged, then inhale quickly through the mouth when turning your head.
2. Breathe every 3 strokes to stay balanced
Breathing every three arm movements helps you alternate sides and avoid imbalance. It also improves endurance over time.
3. Keep your head stable
Don’t lift your whole head out of the water. Just turn it slightly — just enough for your mouth to reach the surface. The smoother the movement, the more fluid your stroke.
4. Practice breathing on land
Before even entering the pool, practice syncing your exhale and inhale. Breathing exercises like coherent breathing or gentle breath-holding help you stay in control during real swim sessions.
5. Take your time
It’s better to swim slowly and breathe well than to rush and run out of breath. Slow down your pace to integrate breathing naturally and calmly into your stroke.
Bonus tip: try focused breathing drills
A few simple exercises can really boost your progress:
-
Swimming with a center-mount snorkel to focus on your stroke without worrying about breathing
-
Doing laps while exhaling only through the nose
-
Practicing freestyle with a kickboard, isolating the upper bodyThese small steps can make a big difference in building calm, efficient, and confident freestyle breathing.
These small steps can make a big difference in building calm, efficient, and confident freestyle breathing.
Français
English