Breathe Easy, Swim Strong

Unknown Speaker

Hey everyone, welcome back to the MindFit Athlete Podcast - it's great to have you with us. I'm John, and its a pleasure to be joined by Emily and Jamie. In this episode we're breathing life into the swim - quite literally. So here's a simple question Emily - why aren't there more triathletes?

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Oh, that's easy. It's the swim right? People are put off by the swim?

Unknown Speaker

Yes, I think that's right and maybe in the next 20 minutes we'll find out that the traditional way that swimming's been taught hasn't helped. Perhaps we've been too much focused on the technical side and too little on helping people to feel relaxed and comfortable in the water. But let's see how the conversation unfolds.

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It's so good to be back with you both. And I agree the topic we've chosen today is something that gets overlooked way too often in swim training. So today we have a whole episode just on breathing. I know. It sounds such a basic skill. But let's Buckle Up and see where we go with this.

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It's so fundamental, I mean we all breathe, right? So why would you give any focus on a thing that's so automatic you really can do it in your sleep. It's easy to see why this gets lost.

Unknown Speaker

I know, but how many swimmers do you see holding their breath underwater, or gulping in air when they turn to breathe? And I mean even the experienced ones?

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Oh, so many, John! And I used to be one of them, actually. I thought I just needed to get more air in, but the real problem was I wasn't exhaling enough. It's wild how that one habit can throw your whole stroke out of sync. You end up gasping, panicking, and then your head pops up, your legs sink, and suddenly you're fighting the water instead of working with it.

Unknown Speaker

Exactly! And you know, it's funny—no one holds their breath while running or cycling, right? We are either inhaling or exhaling but never holding our breath. But in the pool, we forget all that.

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For triathletes especially, if you're struggling with the swim leg, I’d bet good money there's an improvement you can make in your breathing.

Unknown Speaker

So, let's invite everyone to take a step back, adopt that beginner's mind, and focus on comfort and effective breathing before worrying about fancy drills or speed.

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Yeah, slow down to speed up later. I love that. For me, it's not about being a beginner, it's about being smart and building the right foundation.

Unknown Speaker

Let's start with comparing breathing in swimming with running or cycling. Obviously when your face is in the water, you can't just breathe whenever you want.

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Right, And that leads to the classic mistake—holding your breath underwater. But here's the thing: holding your breath doesn't just make you feel breathless, it actually builds up carbon dioxide in your lungs.

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That's what triggers that panicky, desperate feeling for air?

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It is, and that CO2 build-up is the real villain here, not a lack of oxygen. Plus, when you hold your breath, you get tense. Your shoulders tighten, your inhale gets rushed, and suddenly your whole stroke is off. And don't forget, holding air in your chest makes your upper body floaty, but your legs start to sink. It's like trying to swim with an anchor tied to your feet. Not ideal.

Unknown Speaker

Totally. And all that extra drag just makes swimming feel way harder than it needs to be. So, if something's going to go wrong in your stroke, it's almost always when you're breathing. That's why nailing your breathing technique is the single most important thing for relaxed, efficient freestyle.

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John, you know Swim Smooth? The folks who wrote the British Triathlon swim coaching manual? Well, they've actually flipped the script on swim instruction. When they announced their Hierarchy of Swim Correction they put breathing right at the bottom of the pyramid, as it's foundation. Their message is super clear: if you can't breathe well, nothing else matters. Forget about arm position or kick for a second—if your breathing's off, you're going nowhere.

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Yeah, that's such a big shift from how most of us were taught. I remember being told to focus on my body position, arms and legs first, but honestly, if you're not comfortable breathing, all those other tweaks just fall apart. It's like building a house on sand, right?

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Exactly. So, if you're listening and you've been frustrated with your swim progress, maybe it's time to go back to basics and get your breathing sorted first.

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And you know, John, it's not just about technique. There's a huge psychological piece here, especially for adults. Melon Dash's "Miracle Swimming" method really opened my eyes to this. She actually says, and I'm quoting here.. if you can swim in shallow water but not in deep water with confidence, you can't really swim yet.

Unknown Speaker

Wow, Melon's really calling us out. That's me for sure.

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With Miracle Swimming it's all about comfort and trust in the water, not just doing the strokes.

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Yeah, I love that. Her approach is about building peace in the water before you even think about arms or legs. If you're anxious, your brain just can't learn. It's like, you have to heal the fear first. And honestly, that lines up so much with what we talk about in mental fitness—being present, calming those self-sabotaging thoughts like "I can't do this" or "I'm going to drown." If you can't breathe calmly, you can't be at peace in the water.

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Exactly. It's a whole-person approach. Adults bring all sorts of baggage to the pool—bad experiences, misinformation, just plain fear. But if you can get comfortable, really present, and relaxed, that's when the magic happens. That's when you start to actually enjoy swimming, not just survive it.

Unknown Speaker

And we have to keep reminding ourselves: we do this for fun, right? Not to grit our teeth & "just get through it." I mean if I'm waiting for a call to represent Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games well, I think I'm going to be waiting awhile!

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That's such a crucial point John. We don't have to be obsessed with performance every session. If you can just go and play with the drills, enjoy the water, be relaxed and do things at your own pace you are going to enjoy it. Yeah, really see if each swim session can be something that enriches your life.

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Alright, let's get practical. If you want to improve your relationship with the water and your breath, there are a few simple drills that work wonders. First up, the "Blow Bubbles Standing" drill. It sounds like something for kids, but honestly, it's brilliant. You just stand in the shallow end, hold the edge, submerge your face, and blow a steady stream of bubbles. Try humming as you exhale—it helps keep the air flowing and calms your nerves.

Unknown Speaker

And remember if you know what the drill is trying to achieve it won't seem childish! This one is all about always doing something. You are always exhaling when your face is in the water and always inhaling when it's out. It's trying to teach us that whenever our face is in water we're exhaling.

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I don't know what's wrong with childish anyway! The 10 year olds are zooming past me in the mornings so it seems to me I have something to learn from them.

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It's true. So, there's also the "Sink Down" drill. This one really shows you how relaxed exhalation affects your buoyancy. You take a breath, let yourself sink in the deep end, and exhale as you go down. If you can't sink, you're probably holding your breath or too tense. It's a great way to get used to exhaling underwater and to feel how your body behaves when you let go.

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Now that is one to really master. Really understanding your buoyancy. It' actually very comforting to realize just how hard it is to sink. We carry a lot of flotation with us in our lungs. Also I find this drill is so much easier the more relaxed I am. If there's a few of you doing this it's actually a lot of fun.

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And if you add the added buoyancy of a wetsuit to that floatation it's a great reassurance for folks just starting out in open water. It's super-hard to sink in a wetsuit.

Unknown Speaker

And don't forget the "Continuous Kicking Exhale with Head Turn" drill. By the way, you can just google these drills to see them on video or check our MindFit Athlete Channel on YouTube.

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Right, we have a load of short clips on YouTube. This one is also done in the shallow end, hands on the wall, face in the water & exhaling bubbles. Just like the "Blow Bubbles Standing" drill. But the progression is that we kick our feet up to the surface. Our head, butt and heels are all in a line on the surface. We continuously exhale under water and when we need to breathe we turn our head to one side without lifting it.

Unknown Speaker

And that breath in -it's not a gulp or a gasp its more like just a "sip of air".

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Right. One goggle should remain in the water when you breathe - that stops the head lift.

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So the point here is to train both a strongly "taut" or aligned body shape with an unrushed easy head turn to breathe?

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Yes, that's it.

Unknown Speaker

So let's say more about that lifting your head to breathe. I used to do this all the time, and it felt like it just wrecked my body position.

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The goal is to turn your head, not lift it. Remember, you want one goggle in the water and one out, like a split-screen view. Now, your mouth is right at the surface so how can you get that breath? Well, it's possible because of the wave your head creates as you swim.

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This wave magically forms a little trough of air right next to your mouth.

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Yeah, and if you lift your head, that wave disappears, and suddenly you're gulping water or craning your neck. The "Kick on Side" drill with fins is fantastic for this. You lie on your side, bottom arm extended straight out from your shoulder. Head looking down your cheek next your armpit. Kick gently from the hip, and practice turning your head just enough to breathe into the magic trough. No lifting, just turning. All the while keeping your body long and straight. The drill really helps you feel what a "high in the water" position is really like. Fins really help here too because the faster you move the deeper that trough is.

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Yes, fins give that extra speed that's really helpful when we're building swim fitness. And the drill's not just about technique it's also about awareness. Feeling your body in the water, noticing how a small head turn keeps everything streamlined. It's subtle, but it makes a huge difference in efficiency and comfort.

Unknown Speaker

And ..it's fun!

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It is. Kicking on the side breathing only to your right on the way down the pool and breathing only to the left on the way back will help you get into the habit of breathing on both sides.

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But remember to keep mindful. It seems an easy drill but actually it's doing loads. Don't zone out. Think arm position, think about your head position, are you kicking from the hip, is your core engaged - do you feel taut and streamlined. Experience the water flow past & enjoy it. Stay in the moment.

Unknown Speaker

It's time to give our listener a well deserved break I think. We will be right back after this.

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Wow, that was energizing. So Jamie, before the break you mentioned breathing to both sides. Let me pick up on that. This is called bilateral breathing—being able to breathe to both left & right. Most people will have a preferred side and breathing to the other one will feel awkward. But being able to breathe bilaterally is like having a secret weapon - especially in open water. It keeps your stroke balanced and helps you swim straight, which is huge when you're dealing with waves coming at you from one direction, the sun in your eyes or if you want to draft off another swimmer at your side.

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Yes, you never know which side that's going to be, do you?

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No, so it's great to be flexible enough to breathe to whichever side most helps me. But let's be honest, a lot of us resist bilateral breathing at first because we think it means we only breathe every third stroke and we won't get enough air.

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Oh, for sure. Bilateral breathing is really misunderstood. It doesn't have to mean breathing one in three or one in five. It just means being able to breathe on both sides. So breathe every two to your right on outbound laps and every two strokes to your left on inbound laps. That's also bilateral breathing. Now there IS value breathing one in three and it's worth doing. But I don't think you'd race that way. Swimming at an easy or warm up or recovery pace is very suitable for one in three breathing and once you master exhalation & relaxation it gets so much easier.

Unknown Speaker

Swim Smooth's "bubble-bubble-breathe" mantra is a lifesaver—literally saying "bubble" as you exhale on two strokes, then "breathe" on the third. It helps coordinate your timing, keeps your attention present on your breath and keeps you calm. And if breathing to your non-preferred side feels weird at first, please don't worry - that's normal. Give it a few weeks or ten sessions, and it really does start to click.

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Yeah, and remember, it's not about sticking to a rigid pattern. You could breathe every three strokes nice and relaxed, every two strokes to speed up to catch some feet to draft with then go back to one in three. The real skill is being able to switch sides as needed. That's what gives you tactical flexibility in races.

Unknown Speaker

So, once you're comfortable with the basics, there's another layer—CO2 tolerance. Let's talk about that.

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Ok, well.. most of us think the urge to breathe is about needing more oxygen, but it's actually about getting rid of carbon dioxide. If you can train your body to tolerate higher CO2 levels, you can swim more calmly and efficiently, even when things get tough. Endurance athletes are typically focused on a robust aerobic system – getting as much oxygen into the body as possible. But the challenge isn't just getting oxygen in; it's getting it out of the bloodstream and into the working muscles and this is where CO2 becomes critical.

Unknown Speaker

Yeah, I think that's called the Bohr Effect? For nervous swimmers, CO2 tolerance training can be particularly transformative. Being anxious in the water often leads to shallow, rapid chest breathing, a form of hyperventilation that paradoxically lowers CO2 levels and makes the body more sensitive to the natural urge to breathe.

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That's right and this can spiral into a cycle of panic and breathlessness. If we train to tolerate higher CO2 levels, nervous swimmers can re-calibrate their breathing "thermostat," breaking this cycle of hyperventilation.

Unknown Speaker

That's got to help nervous swimmers build genuine comfort and confidence in the water, right?

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Seems to me we're back to Melon Dash and her mission to keep us relaxed, comfortable and in control at all times. As we learn to control our breath and comfortably navigate the sensation of CO2 build-up, our fear diminishes, and the water feels less threatening.

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Plus, CO2 tolerance training—like breath-hold drills or nasal breathing—can help you manage pre-race nerves and recover faster between intervals. Let's work on a real life example. The technique of "Box breathing" would be a fantastic and highly recommended practice for any triathlete, especially a nervous one, immediately pre-race on the shoreline.

Unknown Speaker

Oh, that's good.

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It's also known as square breathing and it involves inhaling for a count of four, holding your breath for a count of four, exhaling for a count of four, and then holding your breath (lungs empty) for a count of four. You can see how that creates a "box" or square rhythm. What this is doing is directly influencing your autonomic nervous system. Pre-race nerves trigger the sympathetic nervous system, initiating that "survival brain" "fight or flight" response, which leads to increased heart rate, shallow breathing, and heightened tension.

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None of which we want, right?

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Right. It's not helpful. It's a great example of where our brain is working against us.

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Sure.. it's trying to help - but the help is, kind of, misplaced. Not really in our best interests. We'd prefer "excited" to "anxious" I guess?

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Exactly. So "box" breathing actively stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. By consciously controlling and slowing your breathing, you send a direct signal to your brain that you are safe and in control. This immediate physiological shift helps to lower your heart rate, reduce muscle tension, calm your mind, and improve focus. It redirects your focus from those imagined external stressors (all those "what ifs") to your controllable internal rhythm. It helps you transition from a state of nervous energy to one of composed and controlled readiness for the race ahead.

Unknown Speaker

I guess I should say that CO2 tolerance training is something that you need to treat with care and get competent advice on. Resources like "The Oxygen Advantage" by Patrick McKeown can get you started. But there's no doubt that more and more athletes and coaches are beginning to explicitly explore and integrate breathing science, including CO2 tolerance, into their training. And honestly, just being more aware of your breathing throughout the day, not just in the pool, can make a big difference.

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The PQ App's gym sessions on breathing can really help with that.

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Yes, they make it easy.

Unknown Speaker

Alright, let's zoom out for a second. Beyond all the technique, learning to swim as an adult is a massive mindset shift. For a start there's probably much more to breathing than you thought.

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Which means a learning curve and trying new things.

Unknown Speaker

Yes, and unlearning "old" things - like doing less shallow breathing in and out of the pool. Maybe going back two steps so we can later make three steps of progress? It might mean that we stop working on our swim fitness for a few weeks to build the new neural pathways for better technique. This is where Positive Intelligence comes in. Our minds are full of "Saboteurs"—those voices that say, "This programme is a waste of time" or "I'm not good enough," or "I'll never get faster."

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I think the swim can be quite pressured in the sense that you might not really want to do it. It seems much more loaded with hassle than just pulling on a pair of trainers and heading out the door. It takes time to get to the pool & from the pool,. It's frustrating as it's often hard to see performance gains. And actually without video analysis or other feedback you don't really know if your executing the stroke properly. This all makes those self-critical voices really loud.

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Great point Jamie. And don't forget comparisons. You're working really hard and from the corner of your goggle you see the 10 year old whizzing past effortlessly. The pool certainly can be a saboteur-rich environment.

Unknown Speaker

Oh, absolutely. The Judge, the Victim, Avoider, Hyper-Achiever—they all show up. But the good news is, you can learn to spot those thoughts and weaken their grip. Even the simple act of just labelling them—like, "Oh, there's my Judge again"—takes away some of their power.

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You don't know how effective that labelling technique is until you try it. Labelling creates a distance between you and the thought. And then a little space opens up allowing you to shift into your "Sage" mindset, which is all about curiosity, empathy and awareness in the moment. That's where the real growth happens, both in the water and out.

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Yeah, we have to guard against those "mindless laps". If we really focus on what the drill is asking us to do there will be endless moments of presence—like focusing on the feel of the water, how my core is engaged, the rhythm of our breath, the feel of our heel just breaking the water, the sound of our exhale, the action of our elbow setting up the catch, or the water pressure on our forearm as well as our hand. All these are like mini-meditations, an endless set of PQ Reps.

Unknown Speaker

So true. Being focused on your physical experience in the water quietens an anxious brain and helps you get into the zone. The more you practice, the more swimming becomes a source of joy, not stress. There's so much more mental engagement in swimming than I gave it credit for.

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Well, that's right. Gerry Rodrigues of Tower 26 makes a really big deal of staying mindful throughout the session and I know that when Joe Friel is running swim training he lets the athlete take all the time they need at the end of the lap. The idea is to relax mentally so they are ready to focus 100% on the feeling of the drill. Don't you think this approach makes swimming a much better experience?

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I do. By the way that Tower 26 podcast is great and really worth a listen. There's 2 things for me. The first is be compassionate with yourself when you struggle with new things. Instead of judging, acknowledge the challenge and offer self-kindness. It's not easy for older people to do new things so give yourself a break. The second is to consciously celebrate.

Unknown Speaker

Oh, that's a great point!

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Imagine you're doing sink-downs and you finally get to sit on the bottom of the pool. It's taken you 3 or 4 sessions but you did it. You sat down there. When you come back up give yourself a moment or two to smile and celebrate. I don't mean be all gushy and OTT but in your own way just acknowledge that you made it. Don't let the moment go and be all Hyper-Achiever about it. Just enjoy that moment & smile to yourself.

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That's a real skill to take from the pool to real-life. I think our British or Irish culture doesn't do self-acknowledgement very well. We "get it" for children and we all know the value of encouraging them so why do we stop?

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I know.. It's crazy. I do think that American's find it easier to be optimistic and positive compared to Europeans. I guess it's our culture, right? So here's something to help with this. I encourage athletes to think about their "3 Good Things" from every session. What 3 things they are pleased about.

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Oh, and I guess one of them could even be just showing up?

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It could be. Small things are fine too. Like being brave enough to try a snorkel for the first time or asking the pool if you can use fins or just swimming that lap with a really engaged core.

Unknown Speaker

This is a great mental habit to build - finding what's good in any situation.

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So, to wrap up, we've seen how breathing has been overlooked in traditional swim training, but now it's finally getting the attention it deserves. Swim Smooth puts it at the foundation of their work.. and you're right.. Melon Dash takes it even further—comfort and peace in the water come first, before any stroke mechanics. And that comfort really demands relaxed and efficient breathing.

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Yeah, and what I love about Melon Dash's work is how she emphasises the emotional and psychological side of swimming. It's about letting go of fear, learning to trust your body, and finding real joy in the water. When you shift from just surviving the swim to actually enjoying it, that's when everything changes.

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Exactly. By integrating breath mastery with mindset tools like Positive Intelligence, you can move beyond just "getting through" the swim. You can actually start to love it. And that's what we're all about here—helping you thrive, not just as athletes, but as whole people.

Unknown Speaker

Alright, that's it for today. Thanks for joining us on the MindFit Athlete Podcast. Emily and Jamie - always a pleasure chatting with you. Let's hope we've given the listener a new perspective on the simple act of breathing.

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You too, John. And thanks to everyone listening. Keep breathing easy, swim strong, and we'll see you next time!

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Take care, everyone. Bye for now!