Source
r/Swimming•
rauce

Underwater breathholding in backstroke?

Are there any tricks to getting around breathing out through your nose during underwater kick in backstroke? My underwater kick is faster than my swimming and I'd like to take full advantage of my walls in backstroke like I do in Fly but I just can't seem to figure this part out, if I let the water go up I just panic and start breathing out again. I've thought about a noseplug but I feel like it would disrupt my breathing during the above water portions of my race.

Posted Feb 17, 2012, 3:26 PM UTC

820
OnDaHouse•

Try humming softly underwater. This will let a small steady stream of bubbles out of your nose. If that still doesn't work and you want to be really competitive, I'd look into getting a wire nose clip.

3
rauceOP•

I'll give humming a shot, I've been thinking about a nose clip but I always breathe in through my mouth and out through my nose in backstroke and I feel like it could be difficult to get used to. I'll give that a shot too.

1
CheshireFrogDoesn't Usually Drown•

Do it. A whole bunch. It's one of those things that you have to do a whole bunch to get better at. There aren't any great tricks that I can think of off the top of my head. I'll think about it during class, and update if I come up with anything.

3
ggrundeis100BK/USAS•

I gave this answer the other morning. It's (for me at least) just something I acquired after doing it for so long. I don't exhale until I am about to break mhy streamline, because then I am about to start my pull and get to breathe. I will point out that nose plugs will work, but only as a very last resort.

1
rauceOP•

I generally get away with doing my normal breathe out thing during practice because fast stuff is rarely more than 75m and I can usually get three good 10-12m underwaters while breathing out before I can't do it anymore. It's really during the 200bk at meets that I'm running into the problem.

1
margoslaby•

For me, I just hold it in the entire time I'm underwater... until I breach up for air. While I'm in the process of swimming up and breathing, I blow it all out.

Nose plug is going to suck. Don't do it, bro.

3
[deleted]•

[deleted]

2
rauceOP•

The only teammate I have to ask about this can simply do 2 while I can't.

1 Is something I've tried, and it helps but for some reason I just don't like it. It might sound stupid but feel like it messes up my "zen". Maybe I just need to do it more in practice.

2
Calumanjaro•

Is that teammate me?

1
rauceOP•

Yes. I aspire aspire to go just as far underwater as you.

2
margoslaby•

Letting the air out slowly is ideal.... for me at least. It works perfectly.

1
HerbertVonTrollsteinMoist•

Kick on your side, and turn your head down a bit, and water won't go up your nose

2
EvilAsh25•

This is also what I used to do, you just have to be careful of not turning too far over and getting DQ'ed.

1
razrsharp67•

I recommend a nose clip. For practice and meets. Totally fixed my breathing issues

2
Kittyproximity•

I trained with nose plugs and then come race time I was able to stay under longer. I alway breath out of my mouth anyway, so it didn't bother me once on the surface.

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trtpowBIG10 Sprinter•

Two words: Nose Plug.

I started using one in high school because I kept getting sinus infections from all the water going up there, dropped 5 seconds in my 100 yard back that year... Now I'm swimming DI and I'm still using it. There's no shame in wearing one, even during a meet. I've seen plenty of nationally ranked swimmers wear them.

Also, some people are able to push up their top lip to block off their nostrils, if you could do this it would be ideal.

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srilankanfish•

Humming (like OnDaHouse said) could work for you. Personally i slowly breathe out both my nose and mouth. it feels weird when i just breathe out my nose and using both allows me to control how much air is going out a little better.

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Sauveuno1015•

Nose clips work well. A guy on my team is incredible off his walls, and he dons the nose clips for meets. Also, I know some people who purse their lips to plug their noses a little bit. Other than that, practice is the best method I know of; my coach has us doing tons of underwater work. Final thing, tucking your chin on a backstroke streamline can seriously hinder your body position and cause your hips to sink just enough that your body position won't be flatly planed as it's supposed to be on breakouts, you'll sort of jackknife out of the water. Hope it helps!

1
edr247Moist•

I used to breathe out in bursts. Which is to say, I would let out a small burst of air through my nose every few seconds. Also, I turned by body a little bit to the side. I used to do underwater 25-50 yard swims like this. Streamline on my back and butterfly kick.

Humming is also a slow, but steady release of air.

Nose clips can work, if you're looking for a solution like that, but like you said, it can be a double edged sword. I knew a person who used them for a little bit, but she didn't like that she couldn't breathe in and out of her nose during the above portions. Give it a try though.

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EvilCatina200 back, 400 IM•

I have never learned how to not breath out during my underwater kick during backstroke. And I was the northwest conference champion in the 200 for 2010. Take a moment with your coach and explain that you feel that you are breaking out to soon due to lung control and want to work on it. I found that making myself stay down to the point I wanted to break out during all training helped with my backstroke, but I also focused on it even, or especially, when I didnt "need to." I can now do lengths, 25yrds, on my back for about 10 repetitions. Its about training your body on how to let that breath out vs it doing whatever it wants.

1