Why does it seem that all freestyle swimmers breath to the right? I breath to the left but...yeah..
Former Member
I'm curious how being short of air manifests itself with others? There's gasping for air in the short haul (sprint), and then there's the cramp from the cumulative deficit in the long haul (distance swim). Haven't quite worked out variable frequency breathing.
Originally posted by JuneO
I'm curious how being short of air manifests itself with others
Things start getting dim and I begin wondering why I decided to enter that particular event.
Originally posted by JuneO
I'm curious how being short of air manifests itself with others?
I pass out. Tends to freak out the coaches, team mates, and trainiers.
As a side note - bad idea to swim a mile when you have a fever of 101º.
Seriously, what I feel is the lactic acid building up--my arms burn, my stroke falls apart, and I slow down (like I'm trying to swim through jello). The piano on the back syndrome. Once it begins, there's no way to turn it around. It's really cool when it happens in the middle of a 1000--then I spend the last 500 trying to figure out a way to quit without embarrassing myself.
I breath to both sides also and every third stroke, and was also amazed at the top swimmers at Athens breathing every stroke and only to one side. Hey they are better than me maybe I'll try that too.
The effects of insufficient oxygen can be determined in a simple experiment:
1) Swim 100m at the maximum steady pace you can.
2) Try to swim 200m at the same pace.
Pretty much all of the effects you experience that prevent you from maintaining your 100m pace for 200m are the result of insufficient delivery of oxygen to your muscles.
If you can maintain the efficiency of your technique while breathing every two strokes you will be able to maintain a faster pace for a greater distance than breathing every three strokes. I believe it is that simple.
Please do correct me if I'm wrong.
