Step-By-Step Guide for Learning How to Breathe Underwater with a Snorkel

You are an avid swimmer looking for a way to improve your technique without having to focus on the factor of breathing. So you buy some snorkel gear from our guide, but how do you use it? There are a few ways to breathe with a snorkel but here is an easy step-by-step guide for you to learn the art.

Step 1 – Inhale

This is pretty self-explanatory. Put on the snorkel and position it so that the tube extends from your mouth towards the back of your head. The intake of air must go through the snorkel obviously but the point of difficulty comes with the exhale.

Step 2 – Exhale

You can either exhale through your mouth or your nose. Breathing out through your mouth allows a large possibility of inhaling a large amount of breathed carbon dioxide to enter your lungs which is obviously not good for you. So why would that even be an option? Well, if you are using the snorkel as training wheels and are planning to start swimming without it, this would be the best way to warm up to breathing in hard-to-breathe conditions. If you’re just looking to breathe normally and look at marine life, exhale through your nose.

Step 3 – Don’t Choke

Most beginners have a hard time with the main problem being their fear of inhaling a wave of water getting into their tube. Don’t be afraid. Instead, take charge and tell yourself that every time that happens all you must do is blow a sharp and hard amount of air to push it straight out. This is called purging your snorkel. When you have that down, you can practice your breaststroke without a problem.

Another problem beginners usually have, however, is their mask fogging. Believe it or not, the main reason why the mask gets foggy is because it is dirty as the moisture needs something to stick to in order to become a ‘cloud’ of water vapor. To prevent this from occurring, make sure you clean your mask regularly. Also, do try to avoid letting water go in the mask as much as possible. Do not wear sun screen either because it is waterproof which means the mask while not adhere to your face well enough to keep water out.

Those interested in snorkeling for the purpose of getting closer to marine life usually have to dive down to get as close as they would like which is why more experienced snorkelers are more familiar with the concept of purging their snorkels. Once you dive down, your snorkel will fill with water which may seem scary but, they usually just purge it out when they reach the surface once again. Mastering the art of breathing while snorkeling may seem like a daunting task but with practice, you will eventually forget about that and focus on just snorkeling or training.

Breathing while snorkeling is just a matter of practicing and purging. Try to only wear the sunscreen on your back next time and unless you are training to become the next Michael Phelps, exhale through your nose.