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.
I used to start a 500 yard free breathing every three, then switch to every two when I started feeling out of breath (usually around the 200y mark). When I started breathing every two from the beginning, I dropped 10 seconds right a way. More air is better. The trend for middle distance and distance may go beyond breathing every two, with some swimmers now occasionally taking breaths on consecutive strokes, particularly before or after a turn.
I can't give you any tips how to make the change other than to tell you to just do it. Because of the many years experience breathing every three or five, you should try both sides and see if one is more comfortable for your shoulder situation. My guess is that left side breathing, with a hybrid hip/shoulder driven technique, would be effective with your asymmetrical reach.
Welcome. I was in the breathe every stroke club till I started Masters . I have tried to do bi-lateral, but I only do it for a few each length. I find ,for me, that every is easier. I also do distance events since I only had 10 fast twitch fibers to sprint and they have since retired. LOL
Hi SwimEagle! Welcome to the forum. First of all, I know your quip about rotator cuff problems was meant to be light-hearted, but just want to point out that rotator cuff problems are not a pre-requisite to being a swimmer! They are usually an indication of poor technique, which is something that can be corrected!
Back to your original question, however, you can certainly breathe evens instead of odds, but do try breathing both sides (for example one length to your left side, one length to your right). This will ensure that you do not put too much pressure on one side of your body, and will allow you to be proficient at breathing to both sides when necessary in a competition.
This is a good video that shows how you can practice varying your breathing. I coached this team for a number of years and some of the swimmers ended up being featured on GoSwim!
www.youtube.com/watch
Good luck!
I agree with GaryP...the more air the better. And, I just like to breathe as needed. I've been swimming for almost 35 years and essentially always been a bi-lat breather. But I do it a little differently than most (I think). Depending on how hard I'm going, or just how I feel...I may breathe two consecutive strokes on left, then two consecutive on the right, etc. OR...I might to three left, three right. Maybe even alternating lengths and sides like swimspire. Sometimes right before I flip at the end of a I might take a quick left and right breath on consecutive strokes...more air to get me through the turn/push-off/glide.
Dan
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
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.
Ande, everything is relative and depends mostly upon how you train. I think we need to be careful about how we label other individuals' training or race decisions, even if we disagree with them. It is perfectly fine to critique or offer opinions, but you can probably rephrase your thoughts to ensure that no one feels let down or discouraged. There may be plenty of swimmers who have raced and trained this way all their lives, and had success with it. To each his own, but let's keep a positive tone on the forum.
