Breath holding is common in swimming, therefore understanding the physiology of breath holding is essential for swimmers. Learn if breath holding is safe and the physiology of breath holding.
Swimming requires frequent periods of breath holding. This is an uncommon characteristic compared to other sports, where breathing is unrestricted. The requirement of a breath is obvious, oxygen is necessary to supply the muscles for aerobic exercise. However, the breath in swimming does impair biomechanics, even in the swimmers with the best breathing biomechanics. Breath holding also allows swimmers to utilize underwater dolphin kicking, arguably the fastest form of swimming. The swimming community frequently uses breath holding during practices to reduce the frequency of breathing and to practice breath holding for underwater dolphin kicking.
Apnea is no movement of the muscles of inhalation while the volume of the lungs remain unchanged. In swimming training, breath holding underwater is incorrectly referred to as hypoxic training. Nonetheless, breath holding underwater utilizes apnea and is the results in hypercapnea, the excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream [read more about hypercapnea training and the great work by Dr. Woorons;
