Your face is up in backstroke — yet the breathing rhythm decides: one breath per arm cycle, exhale through the nose, and calmly breathe past any spray.
## Introduction "In backstroke your face is up — so why is breathing even a topic?" Good question, honest answer: precisely because your face always stays above water, backstroke is the most breathing-friendly stroke — but "being able to breathe freely" does not automatically mean "breathing calmly".
Without a fixed rhythm, many beginners breathe frantically and shallowly. They unconsciously hold their breath, tense up, and then water splashes over mouth and nose on the gasping inhale after all. The thinking error behind it: because you could theoretically breathe anytime, you do not bother with it — and so you breathe chaotically.
Breathing calmly, deeply and rhythmically, by contrast, is one of the cores of water competence — and in backstroke that is easier to practise than in any other stroke, because the whole surfacing timing of the front strokes falls away.
The goal of this guide: a steady breathing rhythm linked to your arm stroke, plus a simple trick so that spray no longer bothers you.
## What You Need - A calm lane without much wash from other swimmers. - Optional a nose clip — perfectly legitimate at the start and no cheating. - Optional goggles so splashes do not bother your eyes. - A feel for your own breathing beat — one breath per arm cycle. - The willingness to swim slowly until the rhythm settles.
## Step by Step ### 1. Find the rhythm standing first Stand chest-deep, lay your head back on your back and breathe deliberately: in through the mouth, out through the nose. The light airflow from the nose keeps water out on the exhale. Repeat ten times until it feels natural.
### 2. Link breathing to the arm stroke Swim off and link one breath to one full arm cycle: when one arm enters, you breathe in, when the other enters, you breathe out. This gives you exactly one calm breath per cycle — no panting, no breath-holding.
### 3. Breathe deep into the belly Breathe into the belly, not just the chest. A deep breath fills the lungs, and the full lung lifts your upper body as well — breathing and body position work together here. The fuller the lung, the higher the ribcage and the less you fight against sinking legs. Shallow, frantic breathing, by contrast, makes you sink and tense up.
### 4. Deal with spray When water runs over your face, that is exactly when you exhale gently through the nose — the airflow acts like a small bouncer. Do not swallow in panic, do not hold your breath. If it bothers you at first, use a nose clip and focus only on the beat.
### 5. Extend the rhythm Deliberately swim longer stretches in exactly this calm beat. Once you no longer think about breathing but it simply runs along, you have reached the goal: calm, deep, automatic. A good test: can you swim a whole length without holding your breath even once? Then the rhythm is set.
## Common Mistakes - Holding your breath: out of fear of water on the face — makes you stiff and breathless. Fix: exhale deliberately and audibly through the nose. - Panting / shallow chest breathing: too fast, too shallow. Fix: one breath per arm cycle, deep into the belly. - Lifting the head to inhale: tips the body position. Fix: keep the head still, only mouth and nose work. - Panic at water in the nose: interrupts everything. Fix: stand up, breathe, use a nose clip.
## Safety Notes Holding your breath and tensing up tires you faster and pushes you into stress — so practise the breathing rhythm first in standing-depth water where you can stand up anytime. Water running into your nose is never dangerous, only unpleasant; stand up and restart. Avoid hyperventilation: fast, deep pre-blowing before swimming can dangerously dull the urge to breathe. Calm and steady is always right.
## Pro Tip Count your breaths like a metronome — "in, out, in, out" to the beat of the entering arms. This silent counting turns breathing into an automatism and at the same time takes the fear out of your head because it is busy. Many only notice through this counting that they were unconsciously holding their breath before. A calm breathing beat is, in backstroke, the difference between "I am fighting" and "I am gliding".
## FAQ ### Do I even need to think about breathing in backstroke? Yes, more than you would think. True, your face stays up the whole time, but without a fixed beat many breathe shallowly and unconsciously hold their breath. One breath per arm cycle, deep into the belly, makes you calmer, gives you more endurance and even lifts your body position. On longer stretches especially, the breathing beat decides whether you glide relaxed or run out of air after 25 metres.
### How do I keep water out of my nose? Exhale gently through the nose as soon as water runs over your face — the light airflow acts like a barrier. This only works if you do not hold your breath. If it annoys you at the start, a nose clip is a perfectly legitimate aid.
### In or out through mouth or nose? The proven way: inhale through the mouth (a lot of air fast) and exhale through the nose (keeps water out). More important than the exact split is that you exhale steadily at all instead of holding — the exhale is the part beginners most often forget.
### Is a nose clip cheating? No, not at all. Especially while learning and with a sensitive nose, it removes one worry and lets you focus fully on technique and rhythm. Many drop it later on their own once the exhale reflex is set — but there is no reason to feel ashamed of it.
Rotation Around the Long Axis: the Engine of Backstroke