Breath Control: How to Use It When Sprinting in Rowing

In a sprint, your stroke rate and effort rise, and breathing can fall apart. Good breath control keeps you relaxed and lets you hold your speed for longer.

Why breathing matters in a sprint

A sprint works your anaerobic system hard, but your body still depends on oxygen to recover between strokes and to clear what builds up. When breathing becomes ragged, three things tend to follow. Your shoulders and neck tense, your stroke shortens, and your rhythm drifts. The result is a slower boat or erg score even though you are working harder. The aim is to keep a steady breathing pattern that supports the stroke, not to take as few breaths as possible.

You may read advice that tells you to limit the number of breaths over a set distance, or to exhale more than you inhale as a way to make your heart work harder. We would not recommend either. Restricting your breathing does not make you faster, and it can make you dizzy. Aim for a rhythm you can keep up.

Don’t hold your breath

Breath-holding is the most common sprint mistake. It raises tension, shortens your stroke and makes you feel worse sooner. Aim to breathe on every stroke, in a steady rhythm, even when you are going flat out.

Exhale fully

Breathing in is rarely the problem. Many people under pressure take small, shallow breaths and do not empty their lungs. Focus on a full exhale, and the next inhale will follow naturally. A sharp, forceful exhale during the drive is a common cue.

Find a pattern that fits your rate

At low rates, many rowers breathe once per stroke: out on the drive, in on the recovery. As the stroke rate climbs in a sprint, the recovery gets shorter and one breath per stroke may not be enough. Many rowers then move to two breaths per stroke, for example a short breath out and in on the drive, and another on the recovery. Try both and see what works for you. There is no single right answer.

Stroke rate	Pattern to try
18 to 24	One breath per stroke: out on the drive, in on the recovery
26 to 30	One breath per stroke, with a quicker, sharper exhale
32 and above (short sprints)	Two breaths per stroke, or an in-out on each half of the stroke

These are starting points, not rules. Test them in practice, not on race day.

Keep your shoulders and jaw relaxed

Tension in the neck, jaw and shoulders restricts breathing. Think about keeping your face loose and your grip light. Posture also helps: sit tall so your ribs can expand. See proper breathing when using a rowing machine. If your neck is sore rather than just tense, read rowing with a bad neck.

How to practise

• Steady rowing. Practise your pattern at a low rate until it feels automatic.
• Short bursts. Add 10 to 20 stroke bursts at a high rate, keeping the pattern.
• Sprint intervals. Use sets of short, hard pieces with recovery. For example, 8 x 20 seconds hard with 100 seconds easy between, or 6 x 250 m with 2 minutes’ rest. See 5 indoor rowing sprints every rower trains for.
• Count. Count your breaths against your strokes so you notice when you start holding.
• Finish drill. At the end of a steady piece, do 10 strokes at a higher rate while keeping the same breathing pattern as at the start.

Common mistakes

• Gasping at the catch and holding through the drive.
• Letting the shoulders rise as you tire.
• Changing your pattern mid-race without having practised it.
• Starting a sprint too fast and then being unable to breathe in rhythm.

If your breathing is out of control in the first third of a piece, you probably started too fast. Pace the piece, then add the sprint when you have a base to fall back on. Our do’s and don’ts of rowing machine workouts covers the wider habits, from warming up to building up one thing at a time.

When to stop

If you feel dizzy, faint or get chest pain, stop. See your GP if it happens regularly.

For more on pacing a race, see 2k erg pacing strategy, and for the broader skills, see technique.