This is my first post here.
I started swimming four years ago. I grew up with a pool at our house and swimming was always an important part of summer for me, but I never swam competitively. Fast forward a few decades (I'm 47 now). I started swimming because running was becoming too painful for my knees and back, and I was tired of other problems (shin splints, for example).
I started out with breaststroke but now I swim almost nothing but freestyle. I started practicing bilateral breathing just a few months ago because my goal is to enter triathlons starting next year (Olympic distance), and I found that being able to breathe on both sides would be an immense asset after a few open water swims in which I breathed only to one side.
After a timed swim last week in which I tried to do bilateral as much as possible during a 1500m swim, I came up with a time that was slightly better than normal, and this even though I deliberately took it easy for the first half of the swim.
I knew it must have been the higher stroke rate that this unnatural style forces me to use. Yesterday, I timed myself again for 1500m and ended up under 28 minutes for the first time ever (27:48). I again used bilateral breathing and the higher stroke rate.
Now I'm sold on a higher stroke rate! When I breathe to one side, it's very smooth (almost no bubbles even when I push myself), but I pause for a second with my right arm in the water.
Has anyone else experienced something similar with a higher stroke rate?
This is my first post here.
I started out with breaststroke but now I swim almost nothing but freestyle. I started practicing bilateral breathing just a few months ago because my goal is to enter triathlons starting next year (Olympic distance), and I found that being able to breathe on both sides would be an immense asset after a few open water swims in which I breathed only to one side.
After a timed swim last week in which I tried to do bilateral as much as possible during a 1500m swim, I came up with a time that was slightly better than normal, and this even though I deliberately took it easy for the first half of the swim.
I knew it must have been the higher stroke rate that this unnatural style forces me to use. Yesterday, I timed myself again for 1500m and ended up under 28 minutes for the first time ever (27:48). I again used bilateral breathing and the higher stroke rate.
I think we need to clarify some terms.
Bilateral Breathing means different things to different people. Bilateral breathing usually means breathing every 3rd hand entry. Meaning you breathe, 3 hand entries and then breathe to the other side. You progress breathing every third stroke and keep breathing to alternate sides.
Single side breathing usually means breathing every two hand entries, though a few people would only breathe every 4th hand entry.
So to clarify for us please explain if when you say "bilateral breathing" you mean breathing every third hand entry.
And if single side entries mean you breathe every two hand entries.
Now, as to what you need to be able to do for triathlon. Breathing every third hand entry isn't really useful for triathlon except at the very longest distances. What you really need to work on is the ability to breathe every two hand entries to either side. If you can breathe every two to either side, then you can breathe away from the waves, or away from the rising sun, or toward the competition. Breathing away from the waves is by far the biggest advantage among those three.
This is my first post here.
I started out with breaststroke but now I swim almost nothing but freestyle. I started practicing bilateral breathing just a few months ago because my goal is to enter triathlons starting next year (Olympic distance), and I found that being able to breathe on both sides would be an immense asset after a few open water swims in which I breathed only to one side.
After a timed swim last week in which I tried to do bilateral as much as possible during a 1500m swim, I came up with a time that was slightly better than normal, and this even though I deliberately took it easy for the first half of the swim.
I knew it must have been the higher stroke rate that this unnatural style forces me to use. Yesterday, I timed myself again for 1500m and ended up under 28 minutes for the first time ever (27:48). I again used bilateral breathing and the higher stroke rate.
I think we need to clarify some terms.
Bilateral Breathing means different things to different people. Bilateral breathing usually means breathing every 3rd hand entry. Meaning you breathe, 3 hand entries and then breathe to the other side. You progress breathing every third stroke and keep breathing to alternate sides.
Single side breathing usually means breathing every two hand entries, though a few people would only breathe every 4th hand entry.
So to clarify for us please explain if when you say "bilateral breathing" you mean breathing every third hand entry.
And if single side entries mean you breathe every two hand entries.
Now, as to what you need to be able to do for triathlon. Breathing every third hand entry isn't really useful for triathlon except at the very longest distances. What you really need to work on is the ability to breathe every two hand entries to either side. If you can breathe every two to either side, then you can breathe away from the waves, or away from the rising sun, or toward the competition. Breathing away from the waves is by far the biggest advantage among those three.
