distance with a 25-metre swim leg I'll be fine; anything longer and I'm screwed.Air supplyThree hours earlier I was breathing without a problem. My swimming was still atrocious but I could breathe. Now I can't breathe and I can't swim, but, strangely enough

Q. I've tried to perfect bilateral breathing but I've discovered I seem to swim faster when I breathe only on my weaker side (left). Why?A. This may seem initially puzzling but it can be explained by the fact that on your preferred breathing side

LessonsThe art of breathing when swimming front crawl is the area that holds most fear for newcomers. “Lots of people panic when their face is in the water; they forget you can breathe out in the water,” says Cox. “Many people try to breathe in and out

, as it will require less searching and can be spotted and remembered before the race." Be sure to make your reference point an object that will not move.Breathing lessonsThe art of breathing when swimming front crawl is the area that holds most fear for newcomers

until you turn you head to inhale. "Blow out the whole time that your head is under water, so that when you breathe in you fill your lungs," says Kelly.On sightSighting is an essential skill in open-water swimming, but one that many triathletes struggle

you turn you head to inhale. "Blow out the whole time that your head is under water, so that when you breathe in you fill your lungs," says Kelly.On sightSighting is an essential skill in open-water swimming, but one that many triathletes struggle with

is beneficial in open-water swimming, for these reasons: It allows the swimmer to breathe above the waves in choppy conditions The larger back muscles (lats) will be used more than your smaller shoulder muscles. This is particularly beneficial over longer

)Body Roll is beneficial in open-water swimming, for these reasons: It allows the swimmer to breathe above the waves in choppy conditions The larger back muscles (lats) will be used more than your smaller shoulder muscles. This is particularly beneficial over

"There is nothing like pink toilet paper or a floating plaster to come at you from the deep to make you swim faster!" says Duncan Hough, vice chair of the Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club (www.bratclub.co.uk). But your first open-water swim

and sitting on your feet with the tops of your feet against the floor. Gently lift your knees off the floor and hold for 10 seconds. Do this four times and repeat on alternate days.2. The Mistake: Poor Breathing Timing"If your technique or timing is off when