Start The Year with Smooth, Relaxed Breathing

Last night marked our first Swim Squad session in a few weeks – and despite snow, icy roads, and freezing temperatures, 60 swimmers made it across our three sessions. A brilliant, committed turnout to start the year.

Given the Christmas and New Year break, the theme was simple: ease back in, find your rhythm, and don’t force things.

Easing Back In: Finding Your Rhythm

After time away, swimming often feels messy, tight, a bit clunky. The flow disappears. Breathing feels harder than it should. And because everything feels a little tense, many of us start holding on to our breath instead of releasing it smoothly.

So we made breathing the centre of the session.

We opened with easy 100s, just giving everyone space to settle in and let the body remember what it’s doing.

Focus on the Exhale

Then came a first round of 50s focused on the exhale.

As soon as the head returned to the water, swimmers practised a long, easy sigh – not forced, not a tiny trickle, just a relaxed release. Purposeful, deliberate, calm.

Rethinking the Inhale

Next, we shifted to the inhale, asking ourselves:

How much oxygen do we actually need?

Do we need a full gulp every time, or can we take in less – a “sip of air rather than a gulp”? It’s an idea I heard over Christmas and instantly liked. A smaller inhale creates a smaller, easier exhale – and for many swimmers, a smoother breathing rhythm.

We finished the breathing block with 25m reps breathing every 5, 6, or 7 strokes, placing the emphasis on control.

No breath holding. No tension. Just staying relaxed and keeping the exhale smooth and consistent.

Controlled Breathing at Pace

The second half of the session kept the theme but raised the effort: descending 100s, watching how breathing changed as speed increased.

Predictably – and totally normally – the old habits came back as the pace rose: forced breathing, breath holding, incomplete exhales. The task was simply to notice when that happened, then consciously change it. Good exhale. Sip of air. Sometimes breathing more frequently. Staying relaxed even as the effort climbed.

A Swimmer’s Reflection

One swimmer summed it up perfectly afterwards:

“Really enjoyed last night’s session and quite technique-thought-provoking with the breathing. Felt quicker and more streamlined although I didn’t have my watch so couldn’t tell for sure.”

The Universal Lesson

And that’s the universal message here:

Breathing isn’t just about getting air in – it’s about the quality of your exhale, the calmness you can keep, and the rhythm you create.

It’s about the quality of your exhale, the calmness you keep, and the rhythm you allow. After a break, the breath is often the first thing we lose and the easiest thing to reclaim.

A Habit for 2026

As we begin 2026, I’d love you to make this a habit:

a relaxed exhale – every length, every set, every week.

It’s a simple, powerful way to smooth out your stroke, reduce tension, and feel more in control, no matter the pace.

Start with the breath, and everything else tends to follow.