I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Breaststroke Breathing Technique - How, When and How To Teach It
How's your breaststroke breathing technique? Do you inhale and exhale at the right times? My 'How To Teach Breaststroke' book has all the drills and lesson plans you need.
Hi, Mark here. I hope you've had a great week.
This week we are looking at the basics of breaststroke breathing technique by using a drill that will allow you to perform it slowly so that you can fine-tune it. Also, my 'How To Teach Breaststroke' book is here for all you swimming teachers out there looking for some drill and lesson plans.
Breaststroke Breathing 101
Breaststroke breathing usually occurs naturally as overall breaststroke technique action has a natural body lift which gives the ideal breathing point with each stroke.
Inhalation takes place at the end of the insweep as the body allows the head to lift clear of the water. The head should be lifted enough for the mouth to clear the surface and inhale, but not excessively to keep the frontal resistance created by this movement to a minimum. The head returns to the water to exhale as the arms stretch forward to begin their recovery phase. For more on breaststroke breathing, click here.
Breaststroke Breathing Drill
Breathing practice with a woggle under the arms
Aim: to develop correct synchronisation of breathing and arm pull technique.
The woggle provides support, which enables the exercise to be done slowly at first. It also allows the swimmer to travel during the practice. Leg action can be added if necessary.
Key Actions
- Breathe in as you complete your arm pull
- Breathe out as your hands stretch forwards
- Blow your hands forwards
Technical Focus
- Breath inwards at the end of the in-sweep
- Head lifts up as the arms complete the pull back
- Head should clear the water
- Head returns to the water as the arms recover
- Breathing out is as the hands stretch forward
Common Faults
- Holding the breath
- Head fails to clear the water
- Breathing out as the arms pull back
- Lifting the head as the arms stretch forward
There is plenty more drills to help fine-tune the other parts of the stroke and bring on your breaststroke technique right here.
Show me MORE about basic Breaststroke Drills.
How To Teach Breaststroke - The Book
Knowing how to teach breaststroke to children and adults is essential for any swimming teacher, and the job is much easier when the lesson plans and basic drills are all detailed for you in advance. So, that's just what I've done for you! Click on the cover below for more details.
Everything you need in a straightforward book. Detailed, comprehensive and very clear. It's a swimming teacher's dream tool kit for teaching adults and children to swim breaststroke. Click here for a preview.
That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.
Happy swimming!
Cheers
Mark
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Hi! I'm Mark, creator of Swim Teach
I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Hi there, Mark here. Breaststroke is one of the strokes I’m asked about most by swimming teachers. And I understand why. You can teach the leg kick. You can teach the arm action. You can teach the breathing. But getting a swimmer to put pull, breathe, kick and glide together in the right sequence can be a completely different challenge. That’s exactly why I created the Breaststroke Teaching Toolkit. It gives you three practical resources to reach for whenever breaststroke starts becoming...
Swim Better Weekly - One small change to make swimming easier. Hi there, Mark here. Hope all is well with you. Welcome to this week’s Swim Better Weekly - one small change to make swimming easier. The problem Your face stays clear of the water during backstroke, but your hips and legs sit low beneath the surface. This creates extra resistance. You may feel as though you’re dragging your lower body through the water, even when you’re kicking hard. Why it happens Backstroke becomes easier when...
The Swim Teach Weekly 1–2–3 One teaching goal. Two ways to communicate it. Three phrases to try. Hi there, Mark here. Hope all is well with you. Welcome to this week’s Swim Better Weekly - one small change to make swimming easier. The problem You try to float, but your body feels as though it immediately starts to sink. You may tense your muscles, move your arms and legs or fight to keep your face above the water. The harder you work, the less comfortable and balanced you feel. Why it happens...