Should I breathe out through my nose or mouth while swimming?

Breathe out through your nose, your mouth, or both while your face is in the water — whatever feels natural. The important part is exhaling continuously underwater so you only need to breathe in when you turn your head.

Why do I get out of breath so fast when swimming?

Usually because you're holding your breath underwater instead of breathing out, then trying to inhale and exhale in the split second your face is up. Exhale steadily underwater and breathing gets far easier.

When do I breathe in while swimming freestyle?

You breathe in during the brief moment you turn your head to the side, timed with your arm stroke. Your face is in the water the rest of the time, where you breathe out.

How do I stop water going up my nose when I breathe?

Keep a slow, steady stream of air flowing out through your nose while your face is submerged. Moving air out keeps water from coming in.

How to Breathe While Swimming for Beginners

By Jordan Rivers · June 7, 2026 · 4 min read

Learning how to breathe while swimming for beginners is the skill that turns exhausting, panicky splashing into calm, steady swimming. Most beginners aren’t unfit — they’re just breathing wrong, holding their breath underwater and then trying to cram a whole breath into a split second. This guide fixes that with one simple rhythm and a few easy drills.

The short answer

To breathe while swimming, breathe out slowly and continuously while your face is in the water, and breathe in only during the brief moment your mouth is above the surface. Never hold your breath underwater. Get that exhale-under, inhale-up rhythm solid while standing first, then add it to your stroke. That single habit is what stops the gasping.

Why breathing feels so hard at first

Here’s the mistake almost everyone makes: they hold their breath the whole time their face is under, then lift up and try to breathe out and breathe in during the half-second their mouth clears the water. It doesn’t fit, so they end up gulping, tensing, and running out of air fast.

The fix flips it around. If you spend the underwater time slowly breathing out, then when your mouth reaches the air you only have one job: breathe in. Suddenly there’s plenty of time, and the panic disappears.

Step 1: Master the rhythm standing up

Before you swim a stroke, own the breathing on its own. Stand in shallow water:

Take a normal breath through your mouth.
Lower your face into the water and breathe out slowly and steadily (nose, mouth, or both) — a smooth stream of bubbles.
Turn or lift your face to the surface and breathe in.
Repeat, calm and unhurried.

If putting your face under still feels hard, spend time on how to put your face in the water first — that’s the foundation this whole skill sits on.

Step 2: Exhale like a slow leak, not a burst

A common error is blasting all your air out at once, then having nothing left and needing to breathe in too soon. Instead, let the air out in a slow, continuous trickle the entire time your face is under. Hum gently if it helps keep it steady.

Steady exhaling does two things: it keeps water out of your nose, and it means your lungs are ready for a fresh breath exactly when your mouth reaches the air.

Step 3: Turn your head, don’t lift it

When it’s time to breathe in during freestyle, you don’t lift your head up and forward — that sinks your hips and throws off everything. Instead you rotate your head to the side, keeping one goggle in the water, until your mouth clears the surface. Sneak the breath in, then rotate your face back down.

A helpful mental image: rest the side of your head on the water and turn just far enough for your mouth to find air. Lifting the head is one of the most common beginner mistakes — we cover more of those in common swimming mistakes beginners make.

Step 4: Add it to a glide or kick

Once the rhythm is automatic standing up, blend it into gentle movement:

Kicking on a float/kickboard: face down, breathe out into the water, turn your head to the side to breathe in, face back down. Keep kicking gently the whole time.
Short glides: push off the wall in shallow water, exhale as you glide face-down, stand up, breathe. Add a head-turn breath as you get comfortable.

Being able to see clearly makes this far calmer — a good pair of goggles keeps water out of your eyes so you can stay relaxed and time your breath. Our best swim goggles for beginners guide covers comfortable, low-fuss options.

Common breathing mistakes to avoid

Holding your breath underwater. The root cause of gasping. Always exhale.
Lifting the head instead of turning it. Sinks your body and strains your neck.
Breathing too late. Start your exhale as soon as your face goes under so you’re never oxygen-starved.
Tensing up. A stiff neck and shoulders make head rotation hard. Stay loose.

Keep it safe

Practice in shallow water where you can stand, with a lifeguard or capable swimmer present. Never alone.
Rest whenever you need to — standing up to catch your breath is smart, not a setback.

The next small step

For your next session, forget swimming entirely and just do Step 1: stand in the shallow end and practice the exhale-under, inhale-up rhythm twenty times until it’s boring. That boring rhythm is the exact thing that makes swimming feel easy — everything else builds on it.

Frequently asked questions

Should I breathe out through my nose or mouth while swimming?: Breathe out through your nose, your mouth, or both while your face is in the water — whatever feels natural. The important part is exhaling continuously underwater so you only need to breathe in when you turn your head.
Why do I get out of breath so fast when swimming?: Usually because you're holding your breath underwater instead of breathing out, then trying to inhale and exhale in the split second your face is up. Exhale steadily underwater and breathing gets far easier.
When do I breathe in while swimming freestyle?: You breathe in during the brief moment you turn your head to the side, timed with your arm stroke. Your face is in the water the rest of the time, where you breathe out.
How do I stop water going up my nose when I breathe?: Keep a slow, steady stream of air flowing out through your nose while your face is submerged. Moving air out keeps water from coming in.