3 Drills to Improve Your Front Crawl Breathing Technique

Do you find yourself feeling breathless during front crawl? Don't worry; you're not alone! Improving your breathing technique is a common challenge for swimmers and one of the most common questions we're asked is how to improve front crawl breathing. So in this blog post, we explain three effective drills to incorporate into your next swim sessions, to help you achieve a more controlled and efficient front crawl.

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1.Kick with a Kick Board

A basic drill to focus on how you breathe in the water as well as working your kick. Inhale above the water, then return your face into the water practice different types of exhaling through your nose and mouth to find what feels most comfortable for you. Do you prefer trickle breathing (slowly releasing the air as you swim)? Do you prefer explosive breathing (a fast release of air)? In our opinion there is no right or wrong way, it is more about what you feel comfortable with.

Progression - remove the kick board or increase the intensity of your kick and try and maintain the same breathing pattern.

2. Side Kicking This is a great drill to improve body rotation and breathing coordination. Holding the kick board with one hand, kick with your face in the water whilst continuing to practice your preferred way of exhaling. To breathe, turn your face directly to the side away from the arm that's holding the kick board. To aid this rotation lift your shoulder out of the water towards the sky. Think about keeping your ear, cheek and one eye inside the water. Once you've inhaled, return your face to the water to exhale and then repeat. You should aim to continue kicking throughout this drill. Practice on both sides to improve bilateral breathing!

Progression - remove the kick board!

3. Single Arm Front Crawl Refine your front crawl breathing by focusing on one arm at a time. Hold the kick board with two hands and begin kicking with your face in the water. Keep one arm on the float in front and start your arm pull with the other. As your arm exits the water look directly to the side to inhale using the rotation you practiced in the previous drill. As your arm comes past your face look back down into the water. Continue your arm pull until you need your next breath; you do not need to breathe every every single time you use your arm during this drill. Aim to keep a continuous kick and keep focusing on your breathing technique throughout. Practice on both sides to improve bilateral breathing!

Progression - remove the kick board!

Share these drills with your swim partner and improve your front crawl together. Consistent practice of these breathing-focused drills will contribute to improved endurance, reduced breathlessness, and an overall more enjoyable swimming experience. 🏊‍♀️

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with these drills in the comments below.

Happy swimming! 🌊