Utilising Breathing Techniques to Become a Better Swimmer
Nix Ocean in her element (Image credit: Clare James Photography)
Within this blog post we discover how to breathe in the water with yoga instructor, breath work and swimming coach Nix Ocean. Nix has an incredible relationship to the ocean and has learnt how to utilise breathing techniques to become a stronger and more efficient swimmer. Nix is qualified as a SLSGB lifeguard which means that she is fully aware of safety in the water, and she is also a Total Immersion Coach, a divemaster, free diver and surfer. In short, Nix has become a master of being calm within water. She has trained with big wave surfers the likes of Andy Cotton and has helped triathletes train for events. As well as training with those who are already competent swimmers, Nix is a patient and understanding teacher to those who are only just beginning their journey into the world of water. Through our discussion we discover the importance of breath and why we should utilise it when we are in the water.
Why is breath work important for swimmers?
Breath work is important for swimmers as our breath, which we can also think of as our prana – our life force – gifts our body and all our systems the energy they require to function. Without breath, our ears cannot hear, our eyes cannot see, our minds cannot think. To be functioning optimally, which is a primary desire when swimming/playing in the water we need to focus on our breathing technique. Both in and out of the water we benefit from consciously making an effort to breathe properly.
How should you breathe when you are swimming in the ocean?
When we are in the ocean we want to remain calm, powerful and dynamic. To do so, it’s important to sync our breath with our movements. Remember we can alter our cadence with awareness and practice. Much like a modern bike, we have gears! We are not a one breath setting only! If we are navigating swell whilst swimming we benefit from feeling into the waves and aiming for a breath in with the crest (rise up on a wave). If we are paddling out to surf we would sink our breath with each powerful paddle stroke. Once we are out back watching the waves we would soften into a resting breath in and out of the nose for a count of 4 on the inhale and 6-8 on the exhale. Once we have spotted a wave we want to catch we would power up our breath as we effectively use our energy to catch the wave. With our swim strokes we are looking to time the inhale with feeling into our ocean conditions – especially if racing or going for a longer swim. We would also consider our game plan, when we may wish to speed up and slow down our stroke, our breath powers this. A huge game changer is rhythmically exhaling as we stroke count, 3, 5 or 7. Many of us sometimes forget to exhale which builds up CO2 levels, then we have to try and exhale and inhale all at once to expel the excess Co2 but this will disrupt our breathing, it can also throw off our body position in the water. To avoid this it’s always important to remember to breathe out even when your face is beneath the water, I like to ensure a small but steady stream of bubbles is released so that when you next inhale you are taking in fresh air rather than feeling the need to expel CO2. It is also important to remember to leave some air in the lungs for two reasons, firstly, when our lungs are full of air it gives us more buoyancy in the water. So, leaving some air in them as we turn for our next breath allows our body to be in the optimal position for seamlessly taking in a fresh breath. Secondly, if we don't make a good turn for air, or a wave throws water in our mouth, we have air and can remain calm as we pop our head down to make one more stroke and go for a cleaner breath on the other side. This is also why bilateral breathing is hugely beneficial and creates more ease within our bodies not taking unnecessary strain on one side and opening up seamless breathing on both sides.
What are the benefits of learning the correct way to control your breath for swimming?
There are numerous benefits in learning the correct ways to breathe for swimming. It will allow you to sustain longer swims or cold water immersions and feel much more comfortable in the water. Powerful full breathing can also warm us from the insides out – as specified by cold endurance expert Wim Hof. It also allows us to get deeper into the layers of our swimming, and to tap into our innate inner seal. As we master our breath, our minds become more seated and we can access and feel more space. Everything we do in the ocean feeds into everything we do out of the ocean and vice versa, this is particularly true with our breath.
What do you focus on in your classes for open water swimmers in relation to breath work?
An important thing to focus on in classes for open water swimmers in relation to breath work is firstly to zoom out, to be truly honest about where you are, right here right now in this moment. As we are consistently growing and changing, everything fluctuates. We learn to listen to the air, feel the body of water, and listen and feel our internal landscape too. Are there any fears, what are our stress levels like, do we have any breath practice on land, do we consider our breath sacred, do we understand that it is our life force. Without it we can survive only for minutes. We practice what our breath means to us, understanding that when we inhale we absorb, not only oxygen, but nutrients from our food, ideas from the words and sounds we expose ourselves to. Similarly, we understand our exhale is a cleansing breath and releases what we no longer require. Then I look at each person individually and what their goal is and implement breath work practices to be utilised both in and out of the water. As our breath really is our best friend, it can help us respond and not panic, it can change our life and often save it.
Before entering the water we say hello to the body of water we are going to play in by drizzling some water on our third eye, the space between our eyebrows. Practically this also activates the mammalian response which slows our heart rate, and it synchronises breath with intention. Of course we look at the practical aspects to fitness level too. Balance in the water is particularly important, if you are off balance you will be using a lot of energy attempting to right yourself in the water and it will be challenging to breathe properly. Often it’s not so much the waves, swell or wind that affects how we swim but how we position ourselves in the water.
Drizzling water on our third eye helps instigate a mammalian response which slows our heart rate (photo credit: Clare James Photography)
How can we utilise breathing to become happier, healthier humans?
We can utilise our breathing to become happier, healthier humans as our breath is our life force – it’s the closest tangible thing we have to our essence. Remember we are here in the experiment of life, having experiences and during those experiences we can use our breath as a comb, as we would untangle our hair! To comb through our internal landscape, let go, and release what no longer serves us. We are so small next to water, choose to say thanks with your light, your joy, your delight. Knowing your breath is your gateway tool, to your lit energy pool.
And finally, is there anything else you would like to add regarding breath work and swimming?
I would love to invite you to sit with your breath and see where it is. Right now, begin self inquiry and notice. Then practice daily - we can't stay clean from yesterday’s shower! Start with 5 mins, build to an hour or more! Delight in your breath, ride it like you would ride the waves, let it feel good.
Place one hand on you belly and one on your heart space and breathe full, wide, round breaths, drink the breath down into the pelvic floor and fill up like you’re filling a glass with water. Fill up with breath into your front body, side body, back body. Breathe right up to the clavicle, the neck, gently sit and hold the breath for a moment or two and then slowly exhale. Breathe in and out the nose, whatever you inhale for, double the exhale moving you from your sympathetic nervous system to your parasympathetic nervous system. Print off or draw the shape of your lungs and really consider what they mean to you, air, love, life. Fill them in with art work, words of affirmation, whatever works for you. Do this monthly, notice how your relationship with the organs that nourish your life force evolves.
Ultimately our breath is the only thing with us from birth until we transition, it is the wisest, kindest part of us, it is our best friend and gives us the power to stay when we want to run! The power to go harder and faster when needed, and the power to self soothe and draw ourselves to that place deep down. Like when we say, “deep down I know I can do it, deep down I know it will be ok, deep down I know this isn't right for me.” Being in tune with our breath allows us to ride our breath, to let it feel good, if we can gift ourselves the power of breathing well, we can let so much else feel good. If we can live, move and breathe from deep down we remain connected to our unique truth.
For more information or to get in touch with Nix to discuss training options head to her website.
Nix practicing breathing techniques (photo credit: Lizzie Churchill)
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