Any tips for swimming long distances on one breath?

Question

We just got a pool in our backyard and I am trying to see how many laps I can do on one breath. So far I can two full laps but am confident with some help and training i can do more. Any advice would be very appreciated. Thank you.

Answer 1

build up gradually over a few months. First, try counting to 3 (or take 3 strokes) and then taking a breath. After you have done that for 10 minutes or so, then try counting to 5 (or take 5 strokes), then 7, and then 9....do thish every day, if possible. After a month or two, your lung capacity will have grown a bit and you should be able to make it a 25yd pool length on one breath. Keep going if you want to make it longer. This ability will go away if you don't continue to practice.

Answer 2

This is probably a bad idea. If you're in your backyard, there is probably no lifeguard present (I assume, maybe you're neighbor is a trained & certified lifeguard). You are trying to hold your breath as long as possible. Hold your breath for too long and you pass out, and without a lifeguard around you could drown. Now, most people say that "I'm not going to pass out" and "I'll take a breath when I really need it" but those people often overestimate themselves (often doing something like what you're doing) and require assistance. Trust me, I've seen it happen, multiple times (luckily at a pool where lifeguards could help them).

If you insist on doing this alone, the only advice I can give you is to NOT breathe in and out rapidly before trying. Doing so does NOT increase your lung capasity, but it does make your body THINK you have increased your lung capasity. This means by the time your body says "I need air", you're allready dangerously low on air. This leads to passing out / drowning.

Again, if you try any breath control, make sure you're properly supervised by trained lifeguards.

Answer 3

To get the youngest swimmers on the team to work anaerobically we simply build up to it. Time is your best friend ( = Start small and just keep doing more and more. I tell my swimmers that when you think your lungs will burst take ONE more stroke and THEN breathe. That gets them to take that extra stroke andwork harder. I also reward them for making their goals of 2, 1 or 0 breaths on a lap. In about 3 months all of the 8-and-unders can do a 25 without a breath and some of them are working up to 50s. It takes time but if you are focused and make it your goal you can do it!

Good luck, be patient with yourself ( =

Answer 4

i am actually on level 6 of swimming and its really hard so u should take at least 2-3 braths for i lap hope i helped