Learn to Swim 2: Breath Control & Kicking

Learn to Swim Session 2 develops two skills that make later stroke work much easier: controlled exhalation in the water and comfortable, repeatable submersion. The goal is not to hold your breath longer. It is to learn a calm rhythm of inhaling at the surface and exhaling underwater.

Swim Session at a Glance

  • Level: beginner / Learn to Swim.
  • Primary skills: bubbles, bobs, breath timing, water comfort, kick technique.
  • Training concept: work interval gradually increases while recovery decreases.
  • Progression: face submersion → controlled exhalation → repeated bobs → rhythm.
Beginner swimmer practicing underwater exhalation and bubble control

Warm-Up Review

  1. Standing Kick — 3 × 20 seconds. Keep the kick small and controlled with relaxed ankles.
  2. Sit & Kick — 2 × 20 seconds easy. Reinforce the same kick pattern in a supported position.
  3. Shallow-Water Marching. Use the water’s resistance to build comfort and body awareness.

Pre-Set: Work and Recovery

Complete six short rounds of hard sitting kick. Begin with roughly 10 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest, then increase work time by about one second each round while decreasing rest by about one second.

The point is to feel how rising work and falling recovery change fatigue. Technique should remain recognizable even as the set becomes harder.

Drill Set: Bubbles

  1. Submerge the mouth and exhale gently.
  2. Progress to the nose and face as comfort allows.
  3. Practice a steady stream of bubbles rather than holding the breath underwater.
  4. Return to the surface, inhale calmly, and repeat.
Breathing principle: Swimming breathing becomes easier when exhalation happens in the water and the brief time at the surface is used primarily to inhale.

Drill Set: Bobs

A bob combines submersion, exhalation, resurfacing, and a new breath. Use the wall or instructor support as needed.

  1. Submerge to a comfortable depth.
  2. Exhale while going down or while submerged.
  3. Return to the surface.
  4. Inhale and repeat without rushing.

Progress only when the swimmer is comfortable. Depth, speed, and number of repetitions can all be adjusted.

Combine Bobs and Bubbles

Once both skills feel controlled, string several repetitions together so breathing begins to feel rhythmic. The goal is not maximal speed; it is a repeatable pattern that can later transfer to freestyle breathing.

Key Takeaways

  • Comfort with the face in the water is foundational for efficient swimming.
  • Exhale underwater instead of saving all of the breathing work for the surface.
  • Natural buoyancy differs from person to person; drills can be scaled.
  • Fatigue should not erase the kick and breathing technique you are trying to learn.

For Class

After this session, you should be able to:

  • Exhale comfortably with the face in the water.
  • Perform controlled bobs at an appropriate depth.
  • Explain why swimming uses a repeated inhale/exhale rhythm.
  • Describe how increasing work and reducing rest changes a short interval set.
  • Journal which drills increased or reduced water confidence.

Used in College Coursework

This Learn to Swim session is used in Binghamton University Health and Wellness Studies aquatics coursework. In-water skills should be practiced in a supervised environment appropriate to the swimmer’s ability.

January 28, 2025 — Matthew Gawors
Tags: Beginner Swimming Breath Control HWS Class Session Learn to Swim Swim Drills Swimming Workouts Water Confidence
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