Front Snorkel What you have to know about the breathing tube

The front snorkel tube is not only part of the useful equipment for swimming or diving, since it is also a tool used by some athletes to improve their breathing techniques and gradually increase resistance. It is also widely used by rehabilitation therapists to treat back conditions.

The front snorkel, in recent times, has become an infallible ally for many athletes, especially for those who are just starting out in the world of water sports. This is because the person can achieve a much more horizontal posture underwater by directing their head to a single point, without having to turn to breathe and continue swimming. In this way, it improves the slow or accelerated rhythm of breathing, as well as concentration, to give more dynamism to both the kick and the arm.

When thinking about complementary equipment for swimming, along with the best diving goggles , there are now also front-type snorkels, for all the benefits that the use of these accessories represents. Hence, both pieces are generally purchased together.

Frequently asked questions about the use of the front snorkel

The use of the front snorkel is becoming more frequent for swimming, triathlons, diving and a few other aquatic modalities. In the case of freestyle swimming, it allows the athlete to adopt a better posture, by not having to constantly turn their head to breathe. It also helps you maintain the natural rhythm of your breathing as you glide underwater.

Although the use of this equipment is quite intuitive, it is also true that it generates many concerns among buyers. For this reason, we have reviewed the purchase portals and some specialized forums on the subject, obtaining as a result the most frequent questions about the use of the front snorkel.

What is a front snorkel and how should I use it?

If you are just starting out in the world of water sports, it is not surprising that you have little knowledge about the different necessary equipment that you will need. Among them, the snorkel stands out, also known as a breathing tube. This is a plastic piece with an arched shape that adapts to the frontal or lateral area of ​​our face, although in this article we refer only to the first model. In this way, the athlete places the mouthpiece inside his mouth and submerges his head, leaving the other end of the tube above the water level so that the air enters and he can breathe comfortably.

Regarding how to use the snorkel, the first thing you should know is that this equipment is used independently, so you will need to initially put on the diving or swimming goggles and then the snorkel. Always keep in mind that the tube must be placed frontally. Likewise, it is necessary that you take in and release the air through the mouth and not through the nose, since the water would enter.

On the other hand, at the moment of performing the “bell turn”, you will not be able to release the air until you finish the turn and are close to the surface. Thus, you must blow very hard so that the water that has entered the snorkel comes out quickly.

How does the use of the snorkel help to improve the free swimming technique?

To achieve a good swimming technique, it is necessary to have perseverance and discipline in the execution of each of the practices, as well as maintaining good breathing underwater. 

It is precisely in this last aspect that the snorkel will help us, since thanks to it we will not have the need to turn our heads to take in the necessary air to continue swimming. Therefore, the athlete’s brain, not being forced to carry out this process, will develop a higher level of concentration in the execution of each of the arm and kick movements.

Also, the use of the front snorkel can help the body to acquire a better posture when swimming and thus be completely horizontal. Thus, the muscles relax and the movements become much more efficient. 

How to improve aerobic endurance?

Aerobic resistance is the tolerance that athletes have in the face of fatigue typical of an exercise, maintaining the intensity of the exercise for a certain time of practice. Once again, breathing is essential to achieve optimal performance, since, in order to achieve a good level of aerobic endurance, it is necessary to create a certain tolerance to carbon dioxide or CO 2. 

In this sense, experts assure that, with the simple fact of starting to use a snorkel, both the lungs and the body in general will be working on this factor. This is possible thanks to the small opening that the air draft of the snorkel has, so that, in this way, a smaller volume of air is taken in each one of the puffs. This means that the CO 2 is not exhaled completely, but a part remains in the tube and this process generates the tolerance and the increase in resistance.

Benefits of the front snorkel in back rehabilitation practices

A highly recommended therapy to relieve back injuries is swimming. These types of conditions have different degrees of complication, generally limiting the execution of wave movements. Precisely, these are the ones used in the butterfly and breaststroke swimming styles and when doing the well-known Olympic lap when reaching the end of the pool. 

In this sense, therapists use the free and backstroke modality, for which it is necessary to acquire a horizontal posture without curvatures that can aggravate the ailment and thus help to strengthen the legs, arms and trunk. But what are the benefits of using a front-type snorkel? By using this implement, your head will be able to be completely straight, directed towards a single point. In this way, the body performs the movements uniformly and at the same time, this enhances the rapid recovery of the affected areas of the sword.