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.
There was a common drill 20 yr ago that still pops up with some coaches of doing sets with some variation of 3/5/7 breathing.I think under some(rare) circumstances it may be useful for some swimmers.Unfortunately some coaches used it more for a test of toughness.Some swimmers then began to think that this was a good way to swim distance.I think experience in this mode of training leads to some of the vitriol against any technique that artificially restricts breathing in a race(over 50.)
Yes, agree with you, Allen. In any case, the whole point of this post was to encourage the OP to breathe bilaterally, regardless of what pattern he chooses to use. Breathing patterns vary widely among swimmers, and during a race itself. A swimmer may switch breathing patterns during mid or long-distance races. It is just disrespectful to label one particular way of training or racing 'stupid' because you yourself don't consider it feasible.
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.
Uh, sure, but ande is right. It is stupid to limit your breathing in distance races. There's a reason we call them "aerobic."
Probably you are faster breathing to one side than you are breathing to the other. If so, just breathe to your faster side in pool races. In open water, where the races can be much longer and where hazards or the sun can impair visibility, breathing to your slower side might make sense for a race. But those considerations just don't occur in the pool.
If you want to maintain the ability to breathe to either side I join the recommendation to do it in practice by lengths or by sets (e.g., always breathe to the west side of the pool, or breathe L on this set and R on that one). When you simulate racing in practice, though, breathe like you'll race.
I certainly think there's value in breathing less in certain sets at practice and I agree that it makes zero sense to breathe every 5 during a race over 100, it's like shooting yourself in the foot (or the lung?) from the start. Calling it 'stupid' is just a less polite way of saying 'zero sense' and there's really no argument there! I wasn't asking about breathing from a hypoxic/aerobic argument, but more of a balance/efficiency argument. After reading all of your replies, I'll work on breathing every 2 to both sides and see how each affects my rotation and shoulder.
Swimspire, don't worry, I also work with a trainer who has developed a workout specifically for my rotator cuff issues :) I'm a big fan of Finis's agility paddles too, which keep me from nursing my bad shoulder and falling into bad technique.
Ryan Cochrane breathes every third. He was ranked second in the world last year in the 1500.
I began breathing every third about ten years ago. My stroke became more symmetric, and my shoulder problems resolved. I train that way.
Last year I swam Masters PRs in the 1500 and the 1650 breathing every third.
I just watched a couple of Ryan Cochrane's races. He starts breathing every 3 but switches to every 2 a little after half way.
This simply reinforces my earlier point: breathing patterns vary widely among swimmers, and during a race itself. A swimmer may switch breathing patterns during mid or long-distance races. There is no right or wrong breathing pattern - it's all about how you train and what you achieve with the pattern you choose.
Ryan Cochrane breathes every third. He was ranked second in the world last year in the 1500.
I began breathing every third about ten years ago. My stroke became more symmetric, and my shoulder problems resolved. I train that way.
Last year I swam Masters PRs in the 1500 and the 1650 breathing every third.
I just watched a couple of Ryan Cochrane's races. He starts breathing every 3 but switches to every 2 a little after half way.
This simply reinforces my earlier point: breathing patterns vary widely among swimmers, and during a race itself. A swimmer may switch breathing patterns during mid or long-distance races. There is no right or wrong breathing pattern - it's all about how you train and what you achieve with the pattern you choose.
You have made excellent points on this thread, Julia, and I absolutely agree with you on them. Thank you for your excellent contributions to the Forums! :applaud:
