Normal breath-holding time in adults

I’m not a swimmer, but I’m learning to enjoy it more. Google says holding your breath for 1-2 minutes is normal and not impossible or too difficult. But how? I start feeling air hungry after just 20 seconds. What might this suggest about me or my physique? Or is it simply because I’m new to swimming?

Also, when holding your breath, is it okay to push yourself? Not to your limit, of course, but sometimes I feel like I might come up earlier than I could if I just tried a bit harder. I understand it’s better to be safe than sorry, but is improving your breath-holding ability part of training for swimming?

I’m aware this sounds dangerous, but I’m just curious as I have no idea what training in this sport involves.

Thanks!

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The average person can hold their breath for about 30–90 seconds. However, this time can increase or decrease because of factors like smoking, underlying health conditions, and breath training. The length of time a person can hold their breath voluntarily typically ranges from 30 to 90 seconds.

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The normal breath-holding time for adults varies widely and can depend on several factors including individual health, fitness level, and experience with breath-holding techniques.

The normal breath-holding time for adults swimming varies depending on a number of factors, but for most healthy adults it’s somewhere in the range of 30 seconds to 1 minute