This study investigated the effects of different breathing rhythms on freestyle swimming performance among university-level swimmers. Using a 14-week quasi-experimental design, thirty swimming enthusiasts from the University of Malaya completed 50-meter freestyle trials under three breathing conditions: every 2 strokes (BR2), every 3 strokes (BR3), and every 4 strokes (BR4). Performance outcomes included swimming time, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and heart rate recovery (HRR). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the BR3 condition resulted in significantly faster swim times, lower perceived exertion, and more efficient heart rate recovery compared to BR2 and BR4 (p < .001). These findings suggest that a moderate breathing rhythm, specifically every three strokes, provides an optimal balance between oxygen intake and stroke efficiency. The study offers practical implications for swimming training, highlighting the importance of integrating breathing rhythm strategies into performance-oriented programs.

Pengcheng Xu. The Effect of Different Breathing Rhythms on Freestyle Swimming Performance: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Frontiers in Sport Research (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 2: 40-45. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSR.2025.070207.

[1] Ceviz, E. (2024). The effect of 3 breathing techniques on 25 m freestyle swimming performance level in swimming branch. Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise, 26(3), 574–583.

[2] Giannis, M., Mountaki, F., & Kioumourtzoglou, E. (2017). The effects of verbal and visual feedback on performance and learning freestyle swimming in novice swimmers. Kinesiology, 49(1), 97–104.

[3] Grossman, K. J., Lim, D. J., Murias, J. M., & Kowalchuk, J. M. (2021). The effect of breathing patterns common to competitive swimming on gas exchange and muscle deoxygenation during heavy-intensity fartlek exercise. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 723951. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.723951

[4] Holmer, I., & Gullstrand, L. (1980). Physiological responses to swimming with a controlled frequency of breathing. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science, 2(1), 1–6.

[5] Hruzevych, I., Bohuslavska, V., Kropta, R., Shepelenko, T., & Fedorenko, O. (2017). The effectiveness of the endogenous-hypoxic breathing in the physical training of skilled swimmers. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 17(4), 2650–2656. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2017.17402

[6] Jakubovskis, G., Zuša, A., Solovjova, J., & Skurvydas, A. (2024). Effects of breathing exercises on young swimmers’ respiratory system parameters and performance. MCB: Molecular and Cellular Biomechanics.

[7] Jeng, C. C. (2021). Hierarchical linear model approach to explore interaction effects of swimmers’ characteristics and breathing patterns on swimming performance in butterfly stroke with self-developed inertial measurement unit. Journal of Computers, 32, 99–118.

[8] Kauki, M. K., Prasetyo, Y., Rismayanthi, C., Kusumawardani, A. D., & Gunawan, D. (2024). Effect of windmill arm exercises on junior swimmers' 50-meter freestyle speed in swimming. Fizjoterapia Polska, 24(5).

[9] Liu, H., & Wang, J. (2023). The effects of incorporating dry-land short intervals to long aerobic-dominant in-water swimming training on physiological parameters, hormonal factors, and performance: A randomized-controlled intervention study. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 22(2), 329–337.

[10] Robertson, C., Lodin-Sundström, A., O’Hara, J., & Weatherwax, R. (2020). Effects of pre-race apneas on 400-m freestyle swimming performance. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(3), 828–837. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003392.

[11] Sin, T. H., & Hudayani, F. (2020). The influence of swimming learning method using swimming board towards students' interest in freestyle. Journal Keolahragaan, 8(2), 216–221. https://doi.org/10.21831/jk.v8i2.34608.

[12] Solana-Tramunt, M., Bofill-Ródenas, A., Cabedo, J., Amaro-Gahete, F. J., & Marín-Puyalto, J. (2025). Effect of an 11-week repeated maximal lumbar movement with controlled breathing on lumbar sagittal range of motion in elite swimmers: A randomized clinical trial. In Healthcare (Vol. 13, Issue 5, p. 457). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13050457.