Exhausted After Short Distances

“I struggle to swim without becoming really exhausted – even short distances”

I hear this all of the time. Really fit athletes, good runners, strong cyclists, yet struggle to swim 50m without becoming breathless and needing a long rest.

The good news is that this is probably not fitness related.

I would suggest you think about a few things:

Breathing

You are probably holding your breath at some point.

Many swimmers take a big breath, then put their head in the water and hold their breath for a few moments, before blowing out really forcefully and taking another big breath of air. You can manage this for a length or two, but it becomes harder and harder to keep doing this, which is why you might get to the end of the pool, gasping for air.

What you want to do is take a ‘normal’ breath, and then start to exhale as soon as your head returns to the water. A controlled ‘sigh’ is how I would describe it.

You can breathe out through your nose or your mouth, it doesn’t really matter.

Remember, you always want to be doing something with your breathing. Either breathing in when you turn your head to breathe, or exhaling when your face returns to the water.

Never holding your breath.

Try it and feel the difference!

How Often Do You Breathe?

You may also be exhausted because you are not breathing often enough.

If you are breathing every three or four strokes (or more!) you may not be getting enough oxygen in. Think about breathing every two strokes.

Simple maths.

• You take 60 strokes every minute. You breathe every three strokes. That’s 20 breaths per minute.

• Now instead, breathe every two strokes during your sixty strokes per minute. That’s now 30 breaths per minute.

A big difference!

Excessive Kicking

If you are exhausted and breathless when you swim, consider how much kicking you do. The more you kick, the more oxygen your body demands.

If this sounds like you, try and reduce the force and speed of your kick.

A slow, narrow kick (not too deep or powerful) is ideal for most swimmers.

Slowing Your Stroke Down

Sometimes, breathlessness comes from frantic swimming.

You may be moving your arms really quickly through the water, always feeling like you are in a rush with your swim.

Slow it down.

Slow your arms down, give yourself a chance to breathe.

Faster arms don’t equal faster swimming. Swimming like this could be wearing you out.

Again, give this a try next time you swim.

To Sum Up …

To reduce the breathlessness you feel every time you swim, think about:

• Exhaling gently as soon as your face enters the water
• Breathing more frequently
• Reducing the power and speed of your kick
• Slowing your stroke down

It works with the swimmers I meet for 1-1s and technique sessions, I’m sure it will work for you!