Freestyle Breathing with Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff, & Bob Bowman

[Papiprah]

This is great advice and my teacher told me exactly the same things (only one goggle out of the water) but I'm struggling with the amount of air I'm letting into my lungs, and find that after two lanes my lungs are on fire. How much air I'm infact suppose to take in when freestyling? Anyone?

[focs13]

@Papiprah Eventually you'll be able to breath in the water similar to how you breath when jogging. It takes time to adapt. When on the ground gravity is helping you breath but in the water your diaphragm and abdomen have to work harder to help you breath sufficiently. Keep practicing, don't hold your breath in and make sure you're constantly exhaling while your face is in the water. Adaptation actually takes place out of the water, so make sure you practice often but take plenty of rest.

[plasticbike]

the issue here is that my iPhone isn't waterproof, so I cant use my weather channel app while i am swimming.... I will continue to check the weather. (not serious... I'm working on it)

[sabatonchik]

I do often "check weather" :)

[donnamariealba]

Great information from an expert! Thanks!

[Theshofumiah1]

fantastic advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rubysushis]

This is for pros. As a beginner, i tend to go for a good breathe in then out. But most of the time i choke cuz water gets into nostril or mouth.. lol

[thedccomedy]

nice tip thnx

[russenbaer]

Bob, you're sexier than Michael! :))

[gaminman3]

thanks it really helpd

[HUMPH7424]

Good tips for swimming!

[stefangeorge87]

Proper swimming lesson from a proper swimming teacher! This is what you need to watch to become a bettter swimmer not some random dudes that consider themselves michael phelps!

[nicktk]

yes sir ...nice tips ..tnx

[euheide]

Great video! 

[SingHouse]

I have a real psychological barrier to breathing on my side without totally getting my head out of the water. I have to fight the urge to do this. When I do finally manage to turn my head correclty I then feel I don't have enough air and have to stand up and breathe. It's seriousl frustrating.

[chsathmum123]

Thanks, that really helped!!

[xAUSSIExMATEx]

But doesn't breathing every two slow you down significantly? I guess it would be most beneficial in longer races, like the 1650 or 500 free.

[Dgamer21]

The trick is to get enough air while your face is above the water, and then exhale while your face is IN the water. It is best to come up for air after about 3-4 strokes. Maybe even 5, if you've gotten enough air.

[xAUSSIExMATEx]

@Dgamer21 Yes, I never breathe every two, I was just wondering why they were.

[jacknicklaus99]

I want to be a better swimmer

[1cleandude]

Since a large percentage of the body is surrounded by water, i can't get my head around the concept of being more streamline on your side vs. being flat. Can someone help me here??? Thanks

[Gynecologist]

@1cleandude I gotta assume it's due to less resistance with less of your body in the water. (one shoulder instead of two)

[euheide]

@1cleandude maybe it's because when you're on your side, you have less body surface inside the water offering less drag... I don't know I'm also curious about that. Good question ;)

[superbumting]

I have recently just got back into swimming (haven't done it since I was a teen) and wanted to refresh my technique. After two weeks I feel I have improved by following this great advice. Thanks Coach Bob!!!

[beastofstingrays]

i do this a lot in practice and it really helps 2 do this! trust me

[Giodamus]

After taking a breathe am I suppose to start exhaling immediately?

[Auron6547]

@Giodamus

no do like 2 strokes exhale and then do 2 more

[carben1231]

excellent video.

[TheLeilisa]

Does swimming regularly make you grow taller?

[marctoro96]

@TheLeilisa Not really, some people say they did or do, but its just a matter of the muscles you train in your body and bone improvement. So dont count on getting taller by swimming. Its a great sport though!

[TheLeilisa]

@marctoro96 ok thanks hopefully, gonna grow taller this year, this stuff recently bought works for me " helpo growth formula"

[VeganWelshman]

@TheLeilisa Yes, yes it does.

[triman666]

What is up with all the negative comments against Bowman?? The guy is a great coach and if you all don't think so I suggest you try and coach a someone just to the AA level let alone national champion or olympic champion. It is frigging hard enough just to get an athlete to execute the fundamentals consistently let alone faster than anyone else on the planet!!!

[afara2000]

In freestyle, there is no such thing as flat swimming. Both hands pull one at a time and naturally, body and torso rotates. The question is how much to rotate. It depends on breathing pattern, body type and whether it's a race or practice or fun. Even each race has different breathing pattern and head position. For example 50m freestyle today has one or two breathing the rest is head down kick and pull.

[nitescuiustin]

ok guys, this is for the masses, Bowman is not a good coach and phelps is just a lucky doped teenager... make your own videos and tell us all how to do it like you great ones... or, read Bagsy84 and shut up.

[1029KT]

@nitescuiustin and i guess u have never in your life swam before. Don't go talking about what you don't understand. Bob Bowman is a great coach and do you know how much work and training goes into being a swimmer? You try waking up at 4:30 in the morning every day and then coming back for an afternoon practice. Michael has taalent and years of hard training and Bowman got him to the Olympic Stage and 8 gold medals.

[Temible]

apart from Phelps, Bowman hasn't trained any other swimmer up to gold medals, other elite athletes he coached were already established swimmer beforehand.

[fiannaeire]

I like to keep both goggles in the water when I breath, I find it even more efficient than one goggle, especially with my snorkel!. As for swimming on one side, why does he not say which one? should I swim on the left or right side, should I alternate every 25M or so... not clear on that point.

[JBMacallan]

thanx a lot for the information , i'll applied it as soon as possible

[MGameSwim]

(and plus ur elbow drops if ur not flexible enough in your shoulders.)

[MGameSwim]

meh. i dun think ur more streamlined on ur side than flat. u still present the same amount of surface area regardless. Staying on the side too long may cause a swimmer to overemphasize gliding, which is not efficient in fast swimming.

[a1punks]

@MGameSwim

Seemed odd to me too, but then more of you is out of the water when you're on your side so that would create less drag.

[MGameSwim]

@a1punks

that's true. i just don't like that bowman doesn't explain why. he just says "you're faster on your side" which can make one interpret it as if you should be staying out on your side as long as you can. which is wrong.

[Bagsy84]

@MGameSwim He does explain it in another video "Minimization of resistance takes priority over increases in propulsive force" - B.B. (Basically, when you swim on one side, approx 1/3 of your body is above water, which means you reduced drag by that amount since one shoulder is no longer smashing itself against the water.

[nitescuiustin]

@MGameSwim who? that was the olympic USA swimming team coach and Michael Phelps (more gold medals than you can count) - think you know better? - what you think is equal to zero! and you are wrong.

[MGameSwim]

based on your comment alone i doubt u actually swim

anyway u shouldn't believe everything ur told lol. this dvd was made for mass production >_>

also if you're gonna try and disprove my argument at least tell me why u think so. otherwise u just sound DUM

[jackpot6141]

awsome tips

[8000000991]

i m in 45 yr its a very use full tip for me thanks.

[xThisAznStevenx]

The tip actually works:)

[jmrtez99]

i <3 MP!!! :)

[sports96med2010]

thanks so much!!!!!

[jogabonita17]

i tryed this.. i can breath so good on both sides..its a good tip. any swimmer should try it. you feel more smooth in the water.(if that makes sense).

[superswimster]

wait so its better to breath more cuz im always like okay 50 free one breath down one breath back. so wat do i do?

[CenBored]

Breath when you need to. Maybe one before the turn and one coming into the last 10m

[superswimster]

thanx :) i took 3 breaths instead and i beat my time by .42 :)

[kris533d]

@superswimster

if i were you i would breath at 20m and again 10m after you have turned (if you dont make streamline) and one more time 7,5m from the wall.

[Justin33100]

I'd rather trust Bowman considering the fact he led Michael Phelps to his 8 Gold Medals in Beijing.

[Justin33100]

Hello, I am a new swimmer and was wondering about a few things about the freestyle technique. As far as rotation goes, when not on the breath stroke should my hip face the surface of the water?

[MVPacMan23]

Yes, otherwise you'd be swimming a flat, slow stroke.

[evanscoaching]

The single goggle and head and torso concepts are not new. An old video from Stanford addresses these body line concepts.

As for who developed these methods I am not sure (we all give and take), but it seems unfair to present information without due credit if in fact, the biomechanists and coaches at Stanford are the source.

Bowman appears uneasy and perhaps, his strengths are not technique, but workout design which would be an interesting topic for him to present.

[cicgbl]

please, add more videos!!! they are great!

[TracyMacToDaRack]

beautiful explainations there. guess I gotta go find that bow wave cuz i'm definitely checking out the weather and the stars when I swim.