Most kids hold their breath while swimming or come up to gasp. The right move is to breathe in a rhythm. Every two strokes (one side) or three strokes (both sides). The breath happens during the body rotation, not as a separate movement.
What you need: A pool.
Setup: Swimmer at one end of the pool.
How to run it:
- Swim freestyle slowly.
- Every 2 strokes (or every other right-arm stroke), turn the head to one side and breathe.
- The breath happens during the body roll. Don’t lift the head.
- Exhale slowly underwater between breaths.
- Do 4 lengths. Focus on the rhythm, not speed.
What to watch: Head lift. If the swimmer lifts the head out of the water, the legs sink. The head turns with the body, not separately.
If they’re struggling: Practice in shallow water. Walk and breathe to feel the rotation.
If they’ve got it: Move to bilateral breathing (every 3 strokes, alternating sides).