You’re sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool, lungs burning just a tiny bit, watching a silver donut wobble toward the surface. It’s mesmerizing. It’s also incredibly frustrating when you try to do it and all you get is a face full of chaotic bubbles and a stinging nose. Learning how to make bubble rings underwater is one of those useless but deeply satisfying skills that separates the casual swimmers from the people who actually spend their summers living like fish.
It isn't magic. It's physics. Specifically, it's about creating a toroidal vortex. When you blow air out of your mouth in a specific way, the friction between the rising air and the surrounding still water creates a spinning motion. The air essentially rolls in on itself. If you do it right, the pressure keeps the air trapped in a perfect circle. If you do it wrong, you’re just burping underwater.
The Physics of the Toroid
Most people think you just blow a big bubble and it somehow magically turns into a ring. Nope. You have to understand the fluid dynamics, even if you don't want to admit you're doing science on your day off. A bubble ring is a vortex ring. As the air rises, the water in the center of the ring moves faster than the water on the outside. This creates a pressure differential.
Bernoulli's principle is at work here. Since the water is moving faster through the center, the pressure there is lower. This lower pressure sucks the air inward, maintaining the donut shape as it expands and rises. Professional free divers like Guillaume Néry make this look effortless, but they are manipulating surface tension and buoyancy with surgical precision.
Getting Your Body Ready
You can't just jump in and expect to blow a ring. You need to be still. Like, really still. Any movement in the water creates turbulence. Turbulence is the enemy. It tears the delicate structure of the ring apart before it can even form.
Go to the deep end. You need at least eight to ten feet of water above you to really see the ring develop. Sink to the bottom. If you’re buoyant, hook your feet under a pool ladder or hold onto a weighted brick. You need to be looking straight up at the surface. Your neck should be extended, your face parallel to the sky.
Exhale a little bit before you try. If your lungs are totally full, the air comes out too fast and too messy. You want controlled, deliberate pressure.
The "Pop" Method: How to Make Bubble Rings Underwater
There are a few ways to do this, but the "Pop" or "Puff" method is the gold standard for beginners.
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First, tuck your lips over your teeth, almost like you’re imitating an old man without dentures. You’re creating a small, tight seal. Fill your mouth with a bit of air—not from your lungs, but just what fits in your cheeks.
Then, you make a "Puh" sound. It’s a sharp, percussive burst. Imagine you’re trying to spit out a watermelon seed as hard as possible, but without the spit. The goal is to eject a single, thick slug of air.
As the air leaves your mouth, your tongue plays a huge role. Some divers flick their tongue forward and back quickly to "cut" the air off, which helps initiate the spin. It’s a flicking motion, almost like you’re trying to touch the back of your front teeth and then pulling away instantly.
The Tongue Flick Technique
If the "Pop" isn't working, try the flick. This is what many synchronized swimmers use.
- Step One: Form a small "O" with your lips.
- Step Two: Stick your tongue out slightly through the hole.
- Step Three: Pull your tongue back into your mouth rapidly while releasing a short burst of air.
The rapid retraction of the tongue creates a vacuum that pulls the center of the bubble, forcing the edges to roll outward. If you see a messy cloud of bubbles, you’re releasing too much air. It should be a tiny amount. Think "espresso shot," not "fire hose."
Why Your Rings Keep Breaking
Honest truth? Your rings are probably breaking because you’re moving your head. As soon as that bubble leaves your lips, you’re going to want to watch it. If you move your head to follow it, the wake from your movement will catch the ring and shred it.
Stay perfectly still. Watch it with your eyes, not your neck.
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Another common fail is the "tail." This happens when you don't cut the air off cleanly. A long string of tiny bubbles follows your ring and eventually gets sucked into the vortex, destabilizing it. This is why that sharp "Puh" sound is so vital. It’s about the "attack" and the "release" of the breath.
Advanced Maneuvers: The Hand Push
Once you’ve mastered the basic ring, you can start manipulating them. You’ve probably seen videos of divers "pushing" a ring. Since a bubble ring is a vortex of moving water, you can actually add energy to it.
After you blow the ring, swim up behind it and gently push the water behind the ring with your palms. If you do it right, the ring will accelerate and grow larger. Some experts can keep a single ring going for thirty seconds or more just by "feeding" it more water movement.
The famous researcher David Sharp, who has studied vortex rings in various fluids, notes that these structures are surprisingly stable once they reach a certain velocity. In the ocean, you’ll see dolphins doing this for fun. They’ll blow a ring, then swim through it or "bite" it. If a dolphin can do it with a blowhole, you can do it with a mouth.
Environmental Factors
Pools are easiest. No current, no waves, no salt.
The ocean is harder. Even a slight current will tilt your ring or pull it apart. However, the salt water provides more buoyancy and a different surface tension, which some divers swear makes the rings "crispier." If you’re in the ocean, try to find a spot shielded by rocks or a reef.
Chlorine vs. Salt: Does it matter? Not really for the physics, but it matters for your eyes. You can’t blow a good ring if you’re squinting through the sting of chlorine. Wear a mask or goggles. It lets you see the ring clearly so you can adjust your technique in real-time. If you see the ring is lopsided, you know your lips weren't symmetrical when you popped the air.
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Common Myths About Bubble Rings
People say you need to be a smoker or have "strong lungs." Total nonsense. It’s about muscle memory in your face and tongue.
Others think you need to blow a huge volume of air. Actually, the best rings—the ones that look like shimmering silver halos—often come from a very small amount of air. The "slug" of air should be about the size of a golf ball when it leaves your mouth. As it rises and the water pressure decreases, the ring will naturally expand. A ring that starts at three inches wide can grow to three feet wide by the time it hits the surface.
Steps to Success
Don't expect to get this on your first day. It’s a weird sensation.
- Neutral Buoyancy: Sink to the bottom and stay there. If you’re struggling to stay down, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Use a weight belt if you have to.
- Look Up: Your face must be dead-flat toward the surface.
- The "O": Purse your lips. Not too tight, not too loose.
- The Percussive Puff: Use your diaphragm to push a quick "thump" of air out.
- The Reset: Close your mouth immediately. Don't let extra air leak out.
Once the ring is about two feet above your face, you’ll see it stabilize. If it makes it past the five-foot mark, you’ve done it. The ring will start to oscillate and expand.
To really get good, try blowing multiple rings in a row. The "double ring" is when you blow one, wait a second, and blow a second one through the center of the first. Because of the low-pressure zone created by the first ring, the second one will actually be sucked through and accelerated.
Stop trying to "blow" the bubble. Start trying to "launch" it. Think of your mouth as a cannon, not a fan. The air is the projectile, and the water is the rifling in the barrel that gives it the spin.
The next time you’re at the pool, skip the laps for ten minutes. Sink down. Look up. Let out a sharp "Puh" and watch the silver halo rise. It’s the most relaxing way to fail at something until you suddenly, perfectly, don't.