I am trying to learn to breathe on both sides while doing freestyle. I have been breathing on the right side since I started swimming 20 yrs ago, and old habits are hard to break.. no matter how much I try I end up lifting my head way out of the water and/or swallowing water when I try to breathe on the left. Do any of you know any way I can learn to breathe on the left quickly? It will GREATLY improve my triathlon swimming.. it seems breathing on both sides provides a perfect interval between breaths and also allows better form as I would have to roll exactly the same way on both sides. It also allows better lateral vision so in open water I can stay on course easier. thanks for any advice you can provide.
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by Bob McAdams
I had more or less the same problem 7 years ago. I was originally taught to swim breathing on only one side, and if I started a lap trying to breathe on my left side, I just couldn't do it. By the end of the lap, I'd have switched back to my right side, and I wasn't even clear on exactly how it happened.
The way I got over it was by attending a Total Immersion weekend workshop in February of 1999. Total Immersion essentially retrains your stroke using a set of drills that are far enough removed from regular swimming that your mind doesn't realize it's swimming, and can therefore learn new habits. Since the drills are done on both sides, your new stroke develops symmetrically. I went into the workshop on the morning of the first day unable to breathe on my left side, and came out on the afternoon of the following day breathing on both sides, and I have been breathing on both sides ever since.
Bob
Patiently waiting for the TI bashers to arrive....
I am a single sided breather and I really need to break out my 4 strokes TI DVD to get a handle on it. Maybe after the February meet I'll make an effort.
Originally posted by Bob McAdams
I had more or less the same problem 7 years ago. I was originally taught to swim breathing on only one side, and if I started a lap trying to breathe on my left side, I just couldn't do it. By the end of the lap, I'd have switched back to my right side, and I wasn't even clear on exactly how it happened.
The way I got over it was by attending a Total Immersion weekend workshop in February of 1999. Total Immersion essentially retrains your stroke using a set of drills that are far enough removed from regular swimming that your mind doesn't realize it's swimming, and can therefore learn new habits. Since the drills are done on both sides, your new stroke develops symmetrically. I went into the workshop on the morning of the first day unable to breathe on my left side, and came out on the afternoon of the following day breathing on both sides, and I have been breathing on both sides ever since.
Bob
Patiently waiting for the TI bashers to arrive....
I am a single sided breather and I really need to break out my 4 strokes TI DVD to get a handle on it. Maybe after the February meet I'll make an effort.
