Finally broke my streak of running out of air on the last lap at the pool

I've been swimming laps at the YMCA for about 6 months now, and every single time I'd hit lap 18 or 19 and just run out of breath. Like, my lungs would burn and I'd have to stop and gasp at the wall for 30 seconds before finishing. This week I tried something different - I started breathing every three strokes instead of every two, and it's like a switch flipped. I did a full 30 laps without stopping yesterday, which is a 12 lap improvement from two weeks ago. The weird thing is I'm actually going slower, but my heart rate is way more steady and I don't feel like I'm dying at the end. Has anyone else dealt with that breathing rhythm thing or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael_coleman106d agoTop Commenter

Ain't it better to go slow and steady than to be the fast guy who has to stop every 18 laps? The whole point of lap swimming is building endurance, not winning a race against some imaginary timer. Slowing down and nailing your breathing is how you actually get better in the long run.

eric_knight76d ago

Laughing at the thought of you gasping at the wall like a beached fish while everyone else just swims past. Three strokes per breath is a game changer though, even if you look like you're gliding through molasses now.

the_grace6d ago

Funny thing about the molasses comment is that water density changes with temperature, so pools that are kept cooler actually make you feel slower because the water is thicker. Swimmers who train year-round in a 78 degree pool will notice a massive difference when they hit a warmer 82 degree lap swim at a different gym. That "gliding through molasses" feeling might just mean your local pool is running cold, which means you're actually working harder than you realize for every stroke.