Blowing bubbles! This is part 6 of my 3 Strokes, 3 Breathes Freestyle Breathing sequence offering a side practice if you are struggling with the action of breathing.
Did you know you it is most efficient when swimming to exhale while the face is still under the water. Exhaling or blowing bubbles seems easy, but getting a rhythm and timing while swimming can be a challenge. We don't think of breathing, it is an automatic feature of our bodies, until we can't. Try these 3 exercises of inhaling and exhaling above the water. Once you have a rhythm, put your mouth in the water to keep the rhythm going. Next start to submerge your head under to exhale then surface for that sip of air without pausing-bobbing up and down in a smooth rhythm. Aim for 10 or more cycles. Most of the challenge with this is not exhaling enough or too forcefully -beyond what you would do while walking casually.
You can then mimic arm strokes as you would in freestyle as you continue your breathing practice.
Be sure to check out part one of this sequence.