Scott is a master at hiding the breath, and this is one of the key factors in his success as a freestyler.   

In these clips, you may not believe Scott is actually breathing…but he is.  He swears to it!   How does he do it?  How can you do it?   We’ll have to slow things way down to find out.

In this clip, Scott is just cruising.  Nice and smooth.  Breathing to both sides.  When it’s time for a breath, he keeps his lead arm extended.  He keeps driving forward, but gives a little turn with his body and head, and gets his air.  The breath is very relaxed.  You never see Scott gasping for air.

As he increases his speed, Scott turns his head even less.  That’s because – at speed – his head and shoulder create a trough, in which he can find his air.   

Scott breathes right in the trough, with only half his mouth out of the water.   When you try this, you’ll need some velocity to create the trough, and you’ll need to look back slightly, to get your air.

As you practice, try to keep one goggle in the water at all times.  Watch how Scott actually looks down during the breath.  One eye is completely under water…the other eye is barely out of the water…and his mouth is barely visible.  

This is the ultimate example of a low breath, and it allows Scott to get air without disrupting his balance, alignment, or forward motion.

From under water, notice that you can still see half of Scott’s mouth as he goes for air.  The breath is very relaxed.  It never interrupts his rhythm or flow.

In this above-water clip, see if you can find the breath.

Here’s the same clip in slow motion.  Now can you find it?

Here it is in super-slow motion. You can barely see the corner of Scott’s mouth.  Right there.  That was it.  That’s how well he hides the breath.

Let’s watch that again.  The breath comes…right there.  That’s it.

Scott can breathe low to either side, but he’s a little better to the left, which is the side he uses most when he sprints.

Here’s Scott at race pace.  He swears he is breathing on this.  And if you don’t believe it….

…Here’s a clip of Scott doing a tough training set.   He’s pulling a bucket…and breathing on every cycle.    Obviously, this takes practice, but hiding the breath is something every swimmer can do to go faster.  


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Hide the Breath