https://community.usms.org/swimming/f/general/11951/breathing-in-4-strokesHey everybody, I used to swim freestyle and breath every 2 strokes. Today I swim and breath every 4 strokes. I swim significantly faster but of course have to breath harder. I read that people only breath every 3, 5, or 7 strokes. Am I breathing everyen-USTelligent Community 12https://community.usms.org/thread/192635?ContentTypeID=1Sat, 18 Oct 2014 12:34:16 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:21cb0ee7-dd1d-42e1-bfe3-dc6e28a2abf4orca1946Bilateral breathing is used to teach you about the weakness of the free style stroke that you mention. It&#39;s ok to do odd or even if it works for you. As distance swimmer, I breathe every stroke as an old guy.<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/192619?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Oct 2014 06:40:30 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:8338360e-4050-4ae3-88bf-adccc998030cAllen StarkHey everybody, I used to swim freestyle and breath every 2 strokes. Today I swim and breath every 4 strokes. I swim significantly faster but of course have to breath harder. I read that people only breath every 3, 5, or 7 strokes. Am I breathing every 4 strokes is very odd? The thing is I only breath on the right side and it&#39;s very difficult for me to breath on the left side. Every time I breath on the left side, I always lose balance. I just wonder if anyone here actually breath every even stroke like 4,, 6, 8. Thanks. The breathing 3,5,7 stokes is a drill,and not a very good one in my opinion. Learning to breathe every third is a good drill and it&#39;s useful to be able to breath to both sides.The vast majority of swimmers breathe to only one side in a race.People almost always breathe every 2nd for races 200 and over.For 50s people generally breathe as little as possible. For 100s some every 2nd,some every 4th,some a little of each.<div style="clear:both;"></div>