Freestyle Breathing Technique: A Pain In The Neck

Fixing Major Faults in Freestyle Breathing Technique

I found a great article on freestyle breathing technique that deals with incorrect breathing.

Common Breathing Mistakes Leading to Neck Pain

Incorrect breathing technique in swimming can cause neck pain due to several common mistakes. One of the most frequent errors is >over-rotating the head. Many swimmers lift their head too far out of the water when trying to inhale. This motion creates tension in the neck and shoulders, leading to pain after prolonged swimming sessions. Keeping the head in alignment with the spine is essential to avoid this problem.

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Another issue is holding your breath while swimming. Some swimmers mistakenly hold their breath until they come up for air, creating stiffness in the neck and upper body. Proper breathing involves exhaling continuously underwater and only inhaling when your mouth clears the surface. Failing to maintain this rhythm forces unnecessary tension into the neck muscles.

Lastly, imbalanced breathing contributes to discomfort. Swimmers who breathe only on one side, known as unilateral breathing, often place more strain on one side of the neck. This repetitive action causes muscle imbalances, leading to stiffness and pain.

There are probably quite a few articles on the web about how to breathe while swimming freestyle, many of them are mine but the photo's and descriptions on just why they are such an issue are really well done in the article and I think you would be hard pressed to find better explanations.

However, you may have trouble finding this article under the description of "freestyle breathing" because it deals with another very important element of these faults that is rarely if at all mention: the pain that these faults can cause.

Incorrect Freestyle Breathing

Preventing Neck Pain While Swimming

To avoid neck pain from incorrect breathing technique in swimming, follow these preventative strategies. Maintain head alignment by keeping your face in the water and turning your head just enough to inhale. This helps minimize strain on your neck and keeps your spine in a neutral position.

Practice exhaling consistently underwater to prevent tension buildup in the neck and shoulders. Holding your breath forces your upper body to tighten, which can lead to long-term neck discomfort. By breathing out steadily, you will swim more smoothly and reduce the risk of pain.

Another helpful practice is bilateral breathing, or alternating your breathing between both sides. This ensures that your neck muscles work evenly, which helps balance muscle use and minimizes stress on one side of your body.

The Benefits of Proper Breathing Techniques

When swimmers address incorrect breathing technique in swimming causing neck pain, they can swim more efficiently and comfortably. Correct breathing enhances overall body coordination, helping to create a more fluid stroke. It also prevents neck stiffness, allowing for longer, pain-free swim sessions.

Incorporating these adjustments into your swimming routine will improve not only your breathing technique but also your overall comfort. With practice, proper breathing will become second nature, and neck pain will be a thing of the past.

Enjoy     
Richard