Why Front Crawl Breathing Feels Hard
Unlike other strokes where your face stays above water, front crawl requires you to rotate your head to the side—while your body is horizontal and moving—to take a breath. You have a fraction of a second to exhale and inhale before your face returns to the water. Most beginners try to hold their breath underwater, which makes everything worse.
The Core Breathing Technique
Proper front crawl breathing follows a simple principle: exhale underwater, inhale above it. The mistake most swimmers make is trying to both exhale and inhale in the brief window when their mouth clears the water. There is simply not enough time. Instead, your exhalation should happen continuously while your face is submerged, so that when you rotate to breathe, you only need to inhale.
Step-by-Step Breathing Sequence
Face enters the water — begin exhaling
As soon as your face submerges, start breathing out slowly through your nose or mouth (or both). Trickle the air out steadily — don't dump it all at once.
Rotate your body, not just your head
As your lead arm pulls through, your body naturally rolls to the side. Allow your head to follow this rotation so one goggle stays in the water and one comes out. Your mouth should just clear the surface — no need to lift your whole head.
Inhale quickly and return your face
Because you've already exhaled, you only need to take a quick breath in. Then rotate your face back into the water immediately — don't pause at the surface.
Bilateral Breathing: Should You Alternate Sides?
Bilateral breathing means alternating which side you breathe on — typically every three strokes. So you breathe right, take three strokes, breathe left, and repeat. Most coaches recommend learning it for several reasons:
- Balanced muscle development: Breathing only to one side creates asymmetry in your stroke over time.
- Better stroke symmetry: Bilateral breathing encourages you to develop an even pull on both sides.
- Open water awareness: In races or open water swims, you need to sight in both directions.
Beginner Tip
If you're just starting out, don't worry about bilateral breathing yet. First establish a comfortable breathing rhythm to your stronger side, then introduce the alternating pattern once you're more confident. Breathing every two strokes (same side each time) is a perfectly fine starting point.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Lifting the head too high
Many swimmers crane their neck upward to get their mouth clear of the water. This sinks your hips, disrupts your streamline, and makes breathing much harder. Instead, keep one eye in the water and let body rotation do the work.
Holding your breath underwater
This is the most common beginner error. Holding your breath builds CO2 quickly, makes you feel desperate for air, and leaves no time to inhale properly. Always be exhaling when your face is in the water.
Pausing to breathe
Stopping your arm stroke to give yourself more time to breathe kills your momentum. The breath should slot into the stroke cycle without interrupting it — use the rotation that's already happening naturally.
Breathing too frequently (or not enough)
Breathing every single stroke disrupts your rhythm and reduces propulsion. But going too long without breathing leads to panic. For most swimmers, breathing every two or three strokes is the sweet spot.
Drills to Practice
These drills isolate the breathing action so you can work on it independently before combining everything in full front crawl.
Bubble Blowing at the Wall
Hold the pool edge, submerge your face, and practice blowing a slow, steady stream of bubbles. Get comfortable exhaling continuously before you add any movement.
Standing Side Rotation Drill
Stand in shallow water and practice the head rotation movement without swimming. Submerge your face, exhale, then rotate to the side so your mouth just clears the water and inhale. Repeat until the motion feels natural.
Kickboard Breathing Drill
Hold a kickboard with both hands and kick along the pool. Every few kicks, rotate your head to one side to breathe. This isolates the breathing without the complexity of arm movement.
One-Arm Drill
Swim with one arm extended ahead and only pull with the other. Breathe to the side of the pulling arm. This slows down the stroke cycle and gives you more time to work on the breathing timing.
When to Breathe in the Stroke Cycle
Timing your breath to the correct moment in your arm stroke makes everything easier. Here is the sequence to aim for:
- 1Your right arm begins its underwater pull — your body starts to rotate right.
- 2As your right arm reaches mid-pull, rotate your head to the right — your mouth clears the water.
- 3Inhale quickly as your right arm finishes the pull and your left arm enters the water.
- 4Rotate your face back into the water and begin exhaling through your nose or mouth.
- 5Continue exhaling for the next one or two strokes until it's time to breathe again.
The key insight is that breathing is triggered by your arm pull, not by how desperate you feel for air. Build the habit of breathing at specific points in the stroke cycle rather than grabbing air whenever you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I exhale through my nose or mouth?
Either is fine — many swimmers exhale through both nose and mouth simultaneously. Exhaling through your nose helps prevent water from entering when you rotate to breathe. Experiment and find what feels most natural for you.
How long does it take to get comfortable breathing in front crawl?
For most adult beginners, consistent breathing technique develops over four to eight weeks of regular practice. The drills described above will accelerate your progress significantly. Working with a qualified instructor can also help you identify and correct issues faster.
Why do I keep swallowing water when I breathe?
This usually happens because you're lifting your head too high, which causes water to wash over your mouth. Keep one goggle in the water when you rotate, and aim to breathe in the trough created by your bow wave rather than lifting above it.
Is bilateral breathing necessary for fitness swimming?
No — many recreational and fitness swimmers breathe exclusively to one side without issue. Bilateral breathing is most beneficial for competitive swimmers and those doing open water swimming. For general fitness laps, breathing every two or three strokes to your preferred side is perfectly fine.