This post is sponsored by Airofit! Use the Airofit Breathing Trainer to improve your accessible lung capacity for better breath control during workouts and races. Use code MySwimPro to save 15% on Airofit.

Snorkeling isn’t just for tropical vacations. In fact, incorporating a snorkel into your swim training can be a game changer for your technique and breath control!


Learn how a swimming snorkel differs from a traditional snorkel, and check out three sample swim workouts to help you incorporate it into your training.

What is a Swimming Snorkel?

A swimming snorkel differs from a leisure snorkel in two important ways:

  1. Position on your head: A swimming snorkel is center mounted, meaning it sits in the center of your face, going from your mouth up over the top of your head. It’s much more hydrodynamic. A traditional snorkel is placed to the side of the face.
  2. Strap to your head: While a traditional snorkel hooks onto your goggles on the side of your head, a swimming snorkel has straps that run all the way around your head to ensure it stays put during your workouts.

The Benefits of Training with a Snorkel

When you consistently train with a snorkel, you’ll likely see improvements in your technique and your breath control.

Technique

When you swim with a snorkel, you’re able to keep your head stationary. This is a huge advantage when you’re working on drills. When you don’t have to rotate or lift your head to breathe, you can focus on more granular aspects of your technique that you may not have noticed before. 

Related: The 5 Worst Breathing Mistakes Swimmers Make

Try using a snorkel during drills for your catch, head position, rotation, or balance. 

Breath Control

Your snorkel limits your breathing (you’re breathing through a tube, after all!) which can improve your breath control and aerobic capacity over time.

For maximum breath control gains, we recommend using a snorkel for 30-50% of your workout. It’s important to note that you will likely have to spend some time building up your snorkel “tolerance.” Don’t try to do an entire workout with your snorkel right away! 

To take your breath control to the next level, try incorporating the Airofit Breathing Trainer into your routine. 

The Airofit Breathing Trainer helps you improve your breath efficiency, anaerobic threshold and accessible lung capacity, which will give you the edge you need to get faster in all four strokes and push your underwaters further.

Start with a guided accessible lung capacity test in the Airofit Sport app, and then spend just 5-10 minutes per day on your swimming-specific breath training program.

After 4 weeks of training with Airofit, Fares increased his accessible lung capacity by over 25%! Check out his experience here >

Save 15% on the Airofit Breathing Trainer with code MySwimPro.

When to Use a Snorkel

Not sure when you use your snorkel? Each Workout in the MySwimPro app includes suggested equipment for each Set. Just look for the snorkel icon next to the Set!

If you build your own Workouts, you can add a snorkel (along with other equipment, like paddles or a pull buoy) when creating a Set.

Save $35 on your first year of training with MySwimPro with code SWIM35 >

Swim Workouts with a Snorkel

Got a snorkel? Give these swim workouts a try to start building better aerobic capacity!

Beginner Workout (1,200 meters total, 700 meters with snorkel)

Warmup

  • 1 x 200 Free
  • 4 x 25s Kick (Streamline on Stomach) w/ Snorkel
  • 4 x 50s Drill/Swim by w/ Snorkel 

Main Set (2x)

  • 1 x 100 Free Build
  • 3 x 50s Free w/ Snorkel Descend
  • 1 x 50 Back

Cool Down

4 x 25 Perfect Freestyle

Intermediate Workout (2,000 meters total, 1,200 meters with snorkel)

Warmup 

  • 1 x 300 Free
  • 8 x 25s Kick (Streamline on Stomach) w/ Snorkel
  • 4 x 50s Drill/Swim by 25 w/ Snorkel 

Main Set (2x)

  • 1 x 200 Pull w/ Snorkel Build
  • 4 x 50s Free w/ Snorkel Descend
  • 1 x 100 Back

Cool Down

6 x 50 Perfect Freestyle

Advanced (4,000 meters total, 2,800 meters with snorkel)

Warmup 

  • 1 x 500 Free
  • 8 x 50s Kick/Swim (Streamline on Stomach) w/ Snorkel
  • 6 x 50s Drill/Swim by 25 w/ Snorkel 

Main Set (3x)

  • 1 x 300 Pull w/ Snorkel Build
  • 4 x 100s Free w/ Snorkel Descend
  • 1 x 100 Back

Cool Down

8 x 50 Perfect Freestyle

If you haven’t invested in a snorkel, now is the time! Give these workouts a try and let us know what you think in the comments. For more swim workouts like this, download the MySwimPro app to start a personalized Training Plan.

Save 15% on the Airofit Breathing Trainer with code MySwimPro.

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