Take-in large volumes of air quickly, when using the DB technique.
Diaphragmatic breathing (DB) is a breathing technique used by swimmers and those with certain pulmonary diseases, because it slows your breathing rate, decreases oxygen demand and uses less effort and energy to breathe. DB contracts your diaphragm to take in a breath of air. If you're a swimmer first learning this breathing technique, begin by practicing on land and then progressively use it in the water, until you do it reflexively.
Instructions
Practicing DB on Land
1. Find an open and flat area that you can use to practice DB while walking.
2. Take a quick breath and take in a large amount of air through your mouth, just before you raise one of your feet to begin the walking motion. Take in the air from your diaphragm.
3. Step forward and exhale a long and continuous breath through your mouth, as you're about to touch your foot to the ground. Expel a last burst of air as you're finishing your exhalation.
4. Repeat this exercise ten times in a six-step stride cycle, remembering to breath in on every second step.
Beginning in Water
5. Enter the pool and hold onto a rail with one arm extended along it. Your body should be on its side and your other arm should be resting on your hip.
6. Take a quick breath, take in a large volume of air through your mouth and dunk your head underwater.
7. Bring your head up out of the water and exhale slowly and continuously through your mouth. Release a last puff of air, as you finish the exhalation.
8. Repeat this exercise ten times on each side.
Beginning to Swim Using DB
9. Enter the pool near the wall.
10. Push and glide away from the wall and practice the DB technique through one arm motion, such as one front crawl rotation. The distance you swim should not be more than 10 yards.
11. Repeat this gliding technique six times using right and left arm motions. Before you move on, you should comfortably be taking in a long continuous breath, before submerging your head and releasing that breath -- with a last puff of air -- upon finishing the arm motion, and raising your head.
Normal Swimming with DB
12. Incorporate the DB technique you've been practicing in very slow continuous swimming drills. As you practice swimming longer distances, remember to complete a full DB cycle for every full swimming cycle being executed.
13. Incorporate the DB technique into your normal swimming speed, until it becomes a reflex.
14. Practice outside of the water, when you are still incorporating the DB technique into your regular swimming action. This will decrease the time it takes for the technique to become automatic in the pool.
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