Any Swimmers??

Banrion
Banrion Posts: 157 Member
edited October 6 in Fitness and Exercise
After my surgery I got restricted to swimming for my cardio and that was working out great for a time, but lately I have noticed that I am staying in for less and less time and feeling very light headed. I do 6 strokes-then breath, and that has been working for me well till the last 2 weeks, should I shorten my breathing to every 4 or 2 strokes? I just feel like I am pulling a mountain behind every-time I swim lately. Any ideas?

Main problems: light-headed, fatigue and chest soreness (but only while swimming and a few hours after)

Replies

  • jmvane15
    jmvane15 Posts: 28
    That's interesting. Yes I guess you could try to breathe more often.
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 507 Member
    Swimmer here. There is 1 obvious thing and 1 maybe not so obvious thing.

    1. Yes, breath more. Competitive swimmers will typically breath every 3rd stroke or every other stroke (if they prefer breathing to only 1 side.

    2. Are you swimming outdoors? Or are you swimming in a gym pool or a stuffy kinda pool? As a teenager when swimming about 8-10,000 yards per workout, our pool was a bit... umm... stuffy. It felt like I was swallowing a golf ball every time I would breath. Even nowadays at the gym pool, I have to stop at times because the mix of chlorine and humidity within the pool will take me to the limit. If you walk into the pool and the humidity and cholorine hit you like a brick in the face... and it is causing you breathing problems, you should tell whoever is control of the chlorine limits. This is especially true when the sana/steam room/jacuzzi are all in the same enclosed space.
  • Banrion
    Banrion Posts: 157 Member
    Swimmer here. There is 1 obvious thing and 1 maybe not so obvious thing.

    1. Yes, breath more. Competitive swimmers will typically breath every 3rd stroke or every other stroke (if they prefer breathing to only 1 side.

    2. Are you swimming outdoors? Or are you swimming in a gym pool or a stuffy kinda pool? As a teenager when swimming about 8-10,000 yards per workout, our pool was a bit... umm... stuffy. It felt like I was swallowing a golf ball every time I would breath. Even nowadays at the gym pool, I have to stop at times because the mix of chlorine and humidity within the pool will take me to the limit. If you walk into the pool and the humidity and cholorine hit you like a brick in the face... and it is causing you breathing problems, you should tell whoever is control of the chlorine limits. This is especially true when the sana/steam room/jacuzzi are all in the same enclosed space.


    Ok that makes alot of sense. Its an indoor pool and since its gotten below 50 here I have noticed the humidity has been worse in there. It doesn't affect my swimming partner as much, but then he says its cause I am girl and he is a guy, lol.

    I had no idea about the breathing, I will most defiantly be breathing more often now. Guess that is what happens when you throw a hammer thrower in a pool, we don't know proper breathing techniques for swimming. THANKS!
  • gymshoe42
    gymshoe42 Posts: 97 Member
    for new swimmers, I'd take a breath every 2 strokes ..so you're breathing the same side until you're proficient and then you can try the every 3 strokes...

    also, ..try back stroke so you can have unlimited air ....see if that fixes your light headedness.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
    I beathe every 4th stroke. I swim 1/2 mile 3 days a week. I used to do every 6th, but also got light headed. Maybe you are trying to swim to hard also, remember you are working every muscle group while swimming.
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 507 Member

    Ok that makes alot of sense. Its an indoor pool and since its gotten below 50 here I have noticed the humidity has been worse in there. It doesn't affect my swimming partner as much, but then he says its cause I am girl and he is a guy, lol.

    I had no idea about the breathing, I will most defiantly be breathing more often now. Guess that is what happens when you throw a hammer thrower in a pool, we don't know proper breathing techniques for swimming. THANKS!

    No problem. Also, theres a group on here somewhere for swimmers. They do swimming challenges, etc. And you can check out my blog for a few workouts if you'd like. I'm not saying they're any good, but they're there... :)
  • rlwzgd
    rlwzgd Posts: 46 Member
    Yes, generally take a breath every 3 stokes. When you are doing breath control, you can stretch it to 6, but that's not a normal pattern. If you prefer breathing on one side only (say right or left), then breathe every 2 or 4. The long term problem is that your breath actually determines how far you rotate in the water, so if you breathe to one side for too long, you start rotating further to that side - it's called an imbalanced stroke. Hope this helps!
  • cloveraz
    cloveraz Posts: 332 Member
    Yeah, I'm a four stroke swimmer, also....and i only breath on my right side, which is kinda weird, because I'm a lefty....
  • AngelTwin27
    AngelTwin27 Posts: 33 Member
    I take a breath every second stroke, after trying every fourth for a while and feeling out of breath! Feels weird coming up every second stroke like that, but it seems to keep me going!

    And I too only breathe on one side - can't imagine taking a breath on the other side, feels awkward!! LOL

    Also, water jogging is awesome and you can keep your head above water all the time (it also seems to burn more calories if you believe the MFP database). It's more social too, if you have company...
  • geoffwnz
    geoffwnz Posts: 2
    I usually breath on 2, 3 or 4 strokes depending on when I need more air. Although when sprinting, often will do 25m without breathing at all. Wastes too much time. :-)

    I'd echo the above comments about breathing more frequently. If that doesn't fix it, then I'd be looking at the chlorine levels. In a pool, the "air" just above the water generally has a higher concentration of gases coming off the water which can affect what you are breathing in.
  • gazz777
    gazz777 Posts: 722
    Bumping / splashing ....

    I have taken up swimming as my new cardio due to feet problems.

    I will need lessons, but for now the head is permanently above water.

    No clues here, but interested to watch.

    Thanks,

    Gary
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