Switching from every 3 to every 2/4?

Former Member
Former Member
Hi all, I've been following the USMS forums for a while now and just registered. I swam USMS in grad school as a 24 year old and now swim masters (age group B!) in South America. I love swimming down here but most coaches are about 10 years behind in technique/innovation, so I basically rely on friends who are coaches in the US and swim sites to stay up to date. It's pretty obvious that elite mid and long-distance swimmers breathe every cycle now, but have any of you forced yourselves to break a 3-5 habit and start to breathe every 2? I was taught to ALWAYS breathe every 3-5 and after 20-some years of that, I'm wondering if it's worth it in a race (specifically 200, 400/500). FWIW, I have major rotator cuff problems (who doesn't?!) with my right shoulder and seem to extend less with my right side than my left and am concerned breathing every cycle in practice would make that worse.
Parents
  • breathe on the side that is best for your shoulder. We are humans we need air. It's best to breathe every 2 on longer events. It's totally stupid to limit your breathing on mid distance and distance races, putting 3 to 5 strokes between breaths on 200's & up is idiotic. I'd like the coach who recommended that to race an 800 or 1500 & show me how he breathes every 5 & I'll get his splits. Watch Sun Yang's race footage. He's only the LCM 1500 world record holder. He breathes every 2 & sometimes he double breathes or breathes every stroke in and out of turns. We are humans we need air. How many strokes do you take per length? figure out how many breaths you get per length
Reply
  • breathe on the side that is best for your shoulder. We are humans we need air. It's best to breathe every 2 on longer events. It's totally stupid to limit your breathing on mid distance and distance races, putting 3 to 5 strokes between breaths on 200's & up is idiotic. I'd like the coach who recommended that to race an 800 or 1500 & show me how he breathes every 5 & I'll get his splits. Watch Sun Yang's race footage. He's only the LCM 1500 world record holder. He breathes every 2 & sometimes he double breathes or breathes every stroke in and out of turns. We are humans we need air. How many strokes do you take per length? figure out how many breaths you get per length
Children
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