I am swimming with a new coach and she is quite adamant that my breathe every stroke rhythm is holding me back and I *might* hyperventilate. I look at breathing as a choice. I don't breathe every time my head comes up, but rather do it for rhythm. As in head down strokes tend to lead to my hips dropping later in a race. So, I find the head up every stroke helps me with that.
Is there any other reason why I *need* to take a head down stroke that she isn't explaining to me? I'm almost getting to the point where I'm tuning her out unfortunately, but if it's simply a 'hyperventilate' mantra it makes zero sense b/c bringing ones head up doesn't necessitate a breath.
Is the only reason to take a head down stroke to avoid hyperventilating? I have asked her this question and received 'yes', but would like to hear from the forum brain trust on this. Thank you! If this is a technique issue by lowering the head that will make me faster I'm all for it, but I want to hear the how and why b/f I potentially disrupt the rhythm of my stroke.
Parents
Former Member
I agree with the other posters that hyperventilation is not very likely, but what the coach may be talking about is inadequate air exchange when you breath too often. It never happens to me in long axis strokes, but sometimes on short axis strokes (especially *** stroke during an IM) I won't breath out fully on each stroke cycle and get the feeling of not getting enough oxygen. I have to concentrate on fully expressing all my air befor breathing in. It has also happened to me on butterfly when I breath every stroke, but more rarely. Just a thought.
Ah that's a good point I never thought of it that way. Never had that problem, but I think I can see how it might be an issue. It's really kind of a mute point in my mind b/c all I want to do is swim the 100 IM. It's 25 yards of fly which amounts to a handfull of strokes after a start and streamline. She has grandiose ideas of me swimming the 100/200 fly which I can safely assure you will NEVER happen.
I agree with the other posters that hyperventilation is not very likely, but what the coach may be talking about is inadequate air exchange when you breath too often. It never happens to me in long axis strokes, but sometimes on short axis strokes (especially *** stroke during an IM) I won't breath out fully on each stroke cycle and get the feeling of not getting enough oxygen. I have to concentrate on fully expressing all my air befor breathing in. It has also happened to me on butterfly when I breath every stroke, but more rarely. Just a thought.
Ah that's a good point I never thought of it that way. Never had that problem, but I think I can see how it might be an issue. It's really kind of a mute point in my mind b/c all I want to do is swim the 100 IM. It's 25 yards of fly which amounts to a handfull of strokes after a start and streamline. She has grandiose ideas of me swimming the 100/200 fly which I can safely assure you will NEVER happen.
