Triathlon Swimming Q&A:
Swallowing Water While Swimming

Q: I keep swallowing water whenever I swim. It happens all the time and is extremely frustrating. Is there something I can do to make this go away?

A: Taking a lungful of water in the pool or the lake is a horrible experience.  It is something that should be avoided at all costs.  When it happens on triathlon race day, it can take you right out of the race, especially if it happens early on.  So here’s something simple you can do to reduce the likelihood of making your lungs into gills.  When you turn your head sideways to breathe, make sure you twist your lips upwards as high as you can.  You are doing it right if no one can see your front teeth.

Breathing this way has several benefits.  You don’t have to turn your head as far to breathe, which makes the stroke more efficient overall.  If you are swimming in choppy water, it allows you to breathe much higher out of the water, reducing the likelihood of breathing any waves. 

Perhaps the best benefit is that it creates an angled passageway to your throat.  If you breathe straight down the middle and inhale water, there’s nothing to stop it from going straight down the windpipe.  But if your lips are angled, the water has to make some twists and turns around your teeth.  This reduces the likelihood of swallowing water, and reduces the amount of water you do swallow if a big wave hits you at the wrong moment.  Hope this helps!  Until next time, happy training.

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