Swimming this summer? Here’s how to avoid getting breathless

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.As India currently emerges as one of the hottest countries in the world, it’s safe to assume that almost everyone is nursing the desire to dive into a pool at every chance they get. There’s no arguing that rising temperatures can disrupt your fitness routine, but access to a pool also offer a refreshing change from lifting weights in the air-conditioned yet often stifling confines of a gym.A lot of people associate a workout with being slightly out of breath—marked by a high heart rate, sweating, and muscle soreness—all of which signal a decent pump from lifting. These markers can be replicated in a pool workout, sure, but it’s also largely true that very few exercises can replace swimming.

Being out of breath in water, however, is very different from being breathless on land. It follows that one of the biggest challenges for beginners and even moderately experienced swimmers is avoiding fatigue midway through their lengths. Not knowing how to manage this can be frustrating, especially for those who have built stamina in another sport or through running but can’t replicate the same in water.

It’s hard to accept that you might not actually be tired, but simply out of breath while trying to swim even 20 to 50 metres. For the past few months, my biggest deterrent to swimming has been straining my neck and upper shoulder muscles by using the wrong technique: lifting my mouth and nose out of the water for a breath every few strokes. This has often meant taking a week off to recover rather than risk aggravating the strain.