In the finals of the 1500 at Worlds, I noticed that all of the swimmers were breathing on the first stroke coming out of their turns instead of taking a pull with the deeper arm and breathing on the second stroke. Any thoughts?
Must ... get ... air ...
Yes, I've noticed that as well. In the old school days, I was always taught not to breathe off the wall, but I was also taught to breathe every 3. I have abandoned both of this ideas, convinced that my coaches were just masochists.
In the finals of the 1500 at Worlds, I noticed that all of the swimmers were breathing on the first stroke coming out of their turns instead of taking a pull with the deeper arm and breathing on the second stroke. Any thoughts?
Hey Gull,
Yes, in longer swims, I breathe the 1st stroke off each wall & every 2 while swimming. (except for the start)
When I'm really hurting I'll breathe the 1st & 2nd stroke off each wall,
Did that in my Aug 2011 10k, I know I did it in the recent 1650 I swam, may have done it in a 500 & 400 IM. Breathing the 1st stroke off the wall is a bad idea for 50's, 100's 200s, 400's & 500's
Asked Eddie Reese about it and I think he said it's OK for distance swimmers to do that. I'll ask again.
Ande
btw You don't live too far from the swim center now, drop in for some work outs
right now Mon, Wed & Fri mornings are LCM
Usually Saturday is too and the focus is distance.
You'd enjoy FAST FRIDAYS
Must ... get ... air ...
:agree: I have tried and tried to take a stroke off the wall before breathing and can only do it on the first turn or two before I must...get...air! Even on easy swims, I give up on that idea after the first few laps.
Back in high school, I did it every time and breathed every 4 strokes regularly. But, as I have aged, I MUST breathe every stroke, due to diminished lung capacity. :cane:
As a breaststroker, the most difficult thing for me is the last pullout on a 200 race. :afraid:
As a breaststroker, the most difficult thing for me is the last pullout on a 200 race.
Good thing you don't do the 400IM. :D I had a masters coach who was an IMer in college. he said the pull-out at 275 was the worst.
It could be worse, I yell at my swimmers not to breathe off the walls and they noted I breathed off every wall on my 500 and 1650 in Greensboro. Oh, that went over like a pregnant pole vaulter with them. That dang oxygen is addictive.
Good thing you don't do the 400IM. :D I had a masters coach who was an IMer in college. he said the pull-out at 275 was the worst.
I am definitely a sprinter. My 50 breaststroke is the best and it gets worse as the distance increases. So, I am out of my element even swimming a 200.
One of these days, just to challenge myself, I am going to do a 400 IM, though. This year, my challenge is to swim the 3K in the Georgia Games Open Water Swim. (Geek, I will dedicate this swim to your "Both Sides of the Lane" column. ;)) And, hopefully, I will make it back in time to turn around and start the 1K with everybody else, one hour later! (I heard the 3K is much longer than a true 3K, so who knows?)
(I heard the 3K is much longer than a true 3K, so who knows?)
What does that mean? A 3K is 3K. In open water you often get incorrect distances measured so it could be more or less.
If I feel deprived of air after the turn I get sloppy and loose speed whether I breath on the first or not. If I'm not despirate for air and keep my cool I can actually breath on the first without much loss of momentum, but in order to do this I have to hold as much as I can while flipping to the point of taking water through the nose.
