Just Breathe

Remember to breathe is a phase I've said many times over the years to my training clients.  Seems basic and natural but you'd be surprised how easy it is to forget to breathe.

So last week the wife and I went swimming. We signed up for a sprint triathlon this summer.  We have been cycling and running and I figured I'd wait till the weather warms to start swimming.  I mean it's only a sprint right?!?  

Well one day I was out on the lake kayaking with a buddy and decided to see how far 1/2 mile looks on the water.  Using my buddy as the starting point I turned on my gps and kayaked a half mile.  When I turned around the first thought that popped into my head was "damn that's far!"  I texted my wife right away and she's like duh.  She had signed up for a local pool and had been practicing already.  

So back to last week.  I hop into the pool, get a few tips from the lifeguard, put on my goggles and go.  One lap and 25 meters later the first thing the lifeguard says to me "are you breathing?" Ironically not really. Every 3 strokes I would turn my head and suck in some air.  The issue was I wasn't fully breathing out.  I forgot how to breathe!!

We finish the swim session and I'm exhausted and slightly deflated.  I consider myself to be athletic and in good physical condition but I can't swim 25 meters without starving for air.  So I talked to a few people I know that have done triathlons and someone who does competitive swimming and coaches and ask for tips.  My wife finds a video from an open water swim instructor who said "let your breath determine your strokes, don't let your strokes determine your breath."  That simple phrase changed my outlook and gave me motivation to get better. 

Yesterday we hit the pool again and keeping that phrase front and center in my thoughts I took off and this time didn't try to race down to the end.  Instead I kept a controlled pace that let me breath naturally.  By the end of this session I felt comfortable doing 50+ meters without feeling I needed to rest.

Those first 25 meters caused my thoughts to turn from I can't wait for the race to I can't do this.  But can't is not a word that I accept from clients so there no way I'm going to accept it from myself.  

If there's something new you want to try or something you're struggling with just remember it CAN happen.  Ask coaches, personal trainers or any other professional in what you want to do.  Then go work hard..... and breathe!