Swimmers - question

[gumi]

I am taking my swimming seriously this summer. I say that every summer, but I mean it this time.

I know you are supposed to breathe every 3 strokes. I can do this but when I am in open water, I always resort back to my default way of swimming (every 4 strokes).

My friend won the olympic distance at the last race - she said breathes EVERY stroke. i dont like that, but she says its best because you get more oxygen.

Should I try every stroke?
Should I focus on every 3rd stroke until I make it my default?
Or should I stick to every 4th stroke and just correct other parts of my stroke?

[mrs.jacinthe]

IMO, breathing rate is a personal choice. It's good to be able to breathe bilaterally, because it'll keep you swimming straighter than sticking with one side. On another note, say you're swimming in chop - it's much easier to breathe to the side that isn't getting washed by waves. It's true that when you do distance, more breathing is better oxygen-wise, but every three or four is fine. I breathe every two or three when I'm OWS and every three or four in the pool.

Again, this is all my personal opinion, but breathing every stroke would totally NOT work for me. I'd hyperventilate. As well, I don't know a single coach that would recommend breathing that often, even in OWS and distance races. I'd stick with what works with you.

[katandkevin]

I agree that it is a matter of personal preference. I only breathe to my right and often I end up breathing every stroke when I am doing a long set. (I am counting this as breathing to the right every time my right arm is coming over, not breathing on every single stroke.) I can't breathe bilaterally, it throws my whole stroke off.

[joenali]

I breathe to my right and only to my right and I still swim straight. i also breathe every stroke cycle. I've been first female out of the ater in my age group and I didn't bilateral breathe. I think I started swimming this way because I wanted to piss off my coaches and be stubborn. Well, it stuck and I can't/don't want to breathe to the left.

When you are swimming in open water you will be sighting so to me it doesn't matter anyway which side you breathe on as long as you sight your target you will be fine.

The glory about being an adult athelete is that you can do what you want! Especially if that is what makes you comfortable in the water.

I sometimes try to breathe on both sides, but I really hate it!

[gumi]

hmm, maybe i will breathe every stroke cycle (that is what she meant, i think). it just seems like a lot of breathing! but, sometimes i find myself gasping for breath in the open water so maybe that is a sign i need to breathe more, huh?

joenali, when you swim in open water, what is your thought process? does someone with your experience need to think about their stroke at all?

[joenali]

May 24, 2012 20:31:27 GMT -5 gumi said:

hmm, maybe i will breathe every stroke cycle (that is what she meant, i think). it just seems like a lot of breathing! but, sometimes i find myself gasping for breath in the open water so maybe that is a sign i need to breathe more, huh?

joenali, when you swim in open water, what is your thought process? does someone with your experience need to think about their stroke at all?

Oh yeah I do!! I think I have a lot of bad habits because I swim by myself and don't have a coach for swimming. I try to do drills to remind myself of good technique, but yep, it's still something I think about and still try to improve.

[Susie]

There's nothing inherently magical about every 3. The biggest advantage it gives you in training for OWS is that it ensures that you are able to breathe on both sides relatively comfortably.

In reality, in OWS, you need to be prepared depending on wind, current, chop, and hordes to breathe to only one side -- be it right or left -- during a race. Rarely do I breathe on both sides during a race. If the chop's coming at you from the right, you've gotta breathe left or get a mouthful.

So if every 4 is what you like, go to town. Just make sure you're making a conscious decision to alternate the side that you favor in practice. Nothing worse than getting into a race and realizing you're uncomfortable with the side conditions dictate you breathe on.

That's my take, anyway. Personally I am an every 2 or 4 but not 3 swimmer, and I'm comfortable on either side. I just don't like switching back and forth. I have a 2-beat kick and a very kayak-like stroke. I can get into a better rolling rhythm if I pick a side and go with it.

[emilyj]

I do every 3, but I can also do every 4. I tend to stick to 3 because doing every 4 will start hurting my shoulder on the breathing side.

One of my coaches (I swim masters) has us do drills where we breathe every 3, then every 5. I think it just boils down to what you're most comfortable with - there's no right or wrong.

[Deleted]

I just started swimming, but here's what I've learned.

When I am swimming at a moderate speed, every 3 strokes is best. When I'm using a pull buoy or sprinting - both of which are very fast for me - , I breath every 4 because I find breathing every 3 is a little too often and it's more disruptive. If I'm doing drills, these tend to be quite slow and breathe to the same side every stroke.

So it's totally a matter of personal preference, IMO. Do what feels like it is working, though I recommend trying all the different breathing patterns to see what works.

[bluelikejazz]

I was thinking about your question while I was doing a breathing drill set this morning. It was 4x (1x50 breathe right, 1x50 breathe left).

I've been breathing 3-2-3-2 for so long, this was a hard set for me. I was trying to do 4-2-4-2 for each 50 and I felt like I couldn't have kept it up for longer. I'm so much more comfortable switching sides.

But if you are very comfortable breathing on one side only, I don't see any issues (though Susie made a good point about wind and waves and such in OWS - so knowing how to breathe on both sides would be beneficial)

Just my thoughts.

[zitiqueen]

Speaking of breath-holding, can somebody explain what competitive and/or repetitive breath-holding is? There's a sign at my Y pool that forbids them and I have no idea what either one is.

[dmxm]

I'm an every stroke breather on the right side and have tried to shake the habit. I took a clinic recently and the instructor had been an ocean lifeguard for 20 years and is now a pro triathlete and he breathes only on the right, every stroke, and he said he couldn't shake the habit either. There have been times in OWS when I wish I could breathe bilaterally, but I'm able to get through it. Just a matter of preference I suppose.

As for the competitive breath-holding thing, two guys actually drowned in NYC last year at a public pool doing this. I think they were both military or joining the military. I guess people actually try to see how long they can hold their breath, and it sounds like the trend is spreading. Yikes!

[joenali]

You know when kids hold their breath the longest? That is what they mean!

[trigal]

Do what is most comfortable for you. However, I do think there is a benefit to being able to breathe on both sides, particularly in the open water. When the waves are coming in on the right side, it is easier to breathe on the left.

I also try to lift my head to sight as little as possible (slows you down), so when I bilateral breathe, I can see people on both sides of me, which tells me I'm doing alright with staying on course. That's usually only helpful in big races where it doesn't spread out too much.

[cgpm]

I'm a newb in these parts but I'm going to chime in here as a former competitive swimmer who now coaches a high school swim team who also competes in tris. When you are training - breathe every 3 (or 5 or some other odd number). This eliminates potential strains on your opposite shoulders.
Yes it is important to get oxygen, but breathing every stroke is not the way to do it. When you swim, focus on exhaling completely while your head is in the water so that when you turn your head to breathe, you are only taking air in, allowing you to get the max amount of oxygen. My new swimmers tend to forget to do this and what happens is they need to breathe out and then in in the amount of time their head is turned out of the water, which isn't very efficient.

When you do swim in a race, if conditions warrant, you can adjust how many strokes you're breathing. But when your training, breathe every 3 at least. You can try doing 5 or 7 breathes as a drill to build lung capacity. HTH!

[joenali]

May 26, 2012 15:42:34 GMT -5 cgpm said:

I'm a newb in these parts but I'm going to chime in here as a former competitive swimmer who now coaches a high school swim team who also competes in tris. When you are training - breathe every 3 (or 5 or some other odd number). This eliminates potential strains on your opposite shoulders.
Yes it is important to get oxygen, but breathing every stroke is not the way to do it. When you swim, focus on exhaling completely while your head is in the water so that when you turn your head to breathe, you are only taking air in, allowing you to get the max amount of oxygen. My new swimmers tend to forget to do this and what happens is they need to breathe out and then in in the amount of time their head is turned out of the water, which isn't very efficient.

When you do swim in a race, if conditions warrant, you can adjust how many strokes you're breathing. But when your training, breathe every 3 at least. You can try doing 5 or 7 breathes as a drill to build lung capacity. HTH!

It is how some people do it!! And I say this as a current and past competitive swimmer who used to coach as well. It works for me!!

[gumi]

huh, i never really took note of when i exhaled. thanks for the tip!

i tried breathing every stroke (cycle) when i swam on friday and it was way too much for me. i can see it being useful maybe at the end of an OWS for me (when I am tired) but i thought it was more effort.

joenali (or anyone), what are your favorite drills?