I can’t do front crawl

[StonwEd]

Any swimmers out there fancy explaining the breathing part to me?
i love swimming, I go 4 times a week and do 20-30 lengths at a time. I’m strong at breaststroke and have got quite fast, our pool is split into 4 lanes by speed and most of the time I’m now in the fastest one unless it’s full of front crawlers then I’ll stay in the one before it.
I’ve been practicing front crawl as it’s something I’ve never learned so I’ve watched some stuff on YouTube and am trying to put it into practice but I just can’t do the breathing! So I’m getting half a length in and having to stop as I think I’m holding my breath? I am trying to breathe on my 4th stroke but was wondering if I’m missing a trick!!
I should ask one of the good swimmers but I’m really shy and my swimming time is my one peaceful part of my week that’s just for me and the last thing I want to do is chat!!
Any tips?!

Pay for some lessons

Could explain it on here but it probably wouldn't help you. Get a short course of 1.1 lessons if you can afford it, I did this about 15 years ago and went on to enter lots of swimming related events, it was so worth it.

Briefly you need to turn your head to the side so your mouth is mosty out of the water but your ear is still in the water (most commonly every 3rd stroke but up to you) and breathe out as your face is in the water. Unless your technique is reasonably good it might be difficult which is why I recomend lessons. Good luck!

Do you slowly breathe out bubbles while your head is underwater doing breaststroke?

I recently did a short crawl course (in my fifties!) and I'm now a completely reformed ex-breaststroker.. Really worth it.

In terms of technique, i breathe one side, rather than both, so every 2nd stroke. Head to one side - keep about 1/2 of the lower eye in the water, breathe out the last of the out breath then breathe in. Breathe out underwater keeping a bit to push on the next breath. But, yes, lessons!

I taught myself but my stroke is apparently quite good. I do it every third or fifth stroke, so breathing to both sides. I don't just turn my head, my body rotates a bit too. You may be trying to move your arms too quickly and so making too much energy expenditure for your breathing. Where do you think you might be going wrong?

Nah definitely don’t have the budget for lessons at the moment sadly, keeping my membership is a luxury but I couldn’t be without my swimming! I will ask how much they are but imagine they’re not cheap.
Really interesting reading all this though, I think I’ll get there eventually!!

Yes the poster above makes a good point about rotating your whole body. You should never be "flat" when swimming FC, you rotate from one side to the other - this might also help 🤞

Swimming teacher here you need to be trickling the air out in the water through your nose and mouth, turn head to the side inhale then exhale into the water.

Ex competitive swimmer here - When your head is in water breathe out slowly, then breathe to side every 3 strokes, alternating sides, lifting more than just your head if you know what I mean it's kind of like lifting your shoulder and top half of body in a rotation. Kick all the time as well.

I'm sure there's a you tube video on it posted by swim England.

What sort of breathing do breaststrokers do if they don't slowly breathe out while head is under water? how is the breathing out different for breaststrokers compare to crawlers?

nb: I can't / don't do a proper breast-stroke & was never taught anything about how to do it. I just avoid their scratchy nails & strong kicks.

My head doesn't go underwater 😁

Yes, it's not a proper breast stroke, but I can stay on top of the water and not get my face under.
My front crawl is better described as a sprawl.

As PPs have said, learning to breathe out under water is key, otherwise you are having to breathe out and in again in a very short time when you come up for breath. With practice you will get there!

lljkk explosive breathing for butterfly breathing every 2 and breastroke breathing every 1 and trickling for front crawl breathing every 3.

So breaststrokers just hold their breath the whole time while under water & don't exhale ("blow bubbles") when head/face under water?

Some of these people look they are blowing air out while under water, but only some of them I suppose.

Oh well, I'm sure OP can learn to blow bubbles under water if she needs to for crawl.

Breaststrokers definitely breath out under water. You dont want to waste time breathing out when you lift your head to take a breath.