After swimming around 4 years, primarily breathing to my right side I thought I'd attempt to mix in some bi-lateral breathing to my practices to help develop a more symmetrical stroke.
I'm struggling hard-core. Each time I try to breathe to my left I lose a lot of momentum and rhythm to my stroke. I breathe too late, I lift my head too much, which drops my legs, I scissor kick to maintain balance and generally become a mess. I have improved slightly but still struggle bad.
Right now I'm attempting my entire workouts with a 3 breath pattern but I'm thinking of switching it to 3 breaths on warm-ups/pull-sets/cool-downs and than breathing comfortably on main-sets/sprint sets.
Has anyone tried bi-lateral breathing after being a one sided breather for a while and if so what are some good tips to becoming more efficient at it?
I tend to have a loping stroke, and it doesn't work well with bilateral breathing. I have to really really think about it when I do attempt it though, usually only in my age group practices where the coach has us breathing every 3 or 5 or so. I usually start out like that, but I can get any real rythem to my stroke, and my speed suffers as well. I've swum breathing right side only for so long, and that's the way it's gonna be.
I tend to have a loping stroke, and it doesn't work well with bilateral breathing. I have to really really think about it when I do attempt it though, usually only in my age group practices where the coach has us breathing every 3 or 5 or so. I usually start out like that, but I can get any real rythem to my stroke, and my speed suffers as well. I've swum breathing right side only for so long, and that's the way it's gonna be.
