breath holding while floating

Question
QUESTION: Hello Kate

I am a beginner in swimming and ever since i have been searching and visiting sites on tips/techniques of swimming. I wished to know whether holding breath is a technique or a skill. I can hold my breath for not more than 20 seconds and though my coach is teaching me how to float but because i am not able to hold breath i lose balance in water and gasp for breath. Am fond of learning swimming but was wondering whether i would be able to cross this first step.Pls reply

in anticipation

Sunita

ANSWER: Sunita--That's an unusual question.  Breathing while swimming I would consider a technique that you can train to improve, but breathing while floating is more of an intuitive ability.  Holding your breath while floating does make it easier to float(air in your lungs increases bouyancy), but when swimming it is not a good technique.  Floating is a basic skill that is a starting point not a skill that is vitally important.  It's more to get comfortable in the water.  If you have some comfort in the water, start working on your kicking and getting your arms involved, then start adding breathing to the mix.  In general there is no time while swimming that you should hold your breath, you should either inhaling(face out of the water) or exhaling(face in the water).
Hope this helps,
George

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you George for replying. Fortunately/Unfortunately am with a coach who is using the method of floating to start with, i have learnt kicking holding the side of the pool bar, then trying to reach one end of the pool to the other by kicking legs and using hand as a support-it is here that i lose balance and sometimes lose breath and have to struggle to find my way(though i have been successful many times to reach the other end)-i hope you have understood what i am trying to say. As a result i have got a little scared of water which i was not initially and was looking ofrward to learning swimming-but right now have stopped for a while. Do you think this is the correct method or should i change my coach/style of learning. I do not wish to be an expert in swimming but i wish to learn swimming so that whenever there is a pool i can swim and also take it up as an exercise.

Answer
I think what you are doing is great.  Don't get discouraged or scared(everyone is a little afraid of the water),don't panic.  If you have access to a kick board(type of float), use it in addition to your hands as support(might help with the struggling).  Keep working at it and things should get better.  Ask your teacher if he can start teaching you to use your arms to breathe, it may help.
George