I don't know if any of you have been following the new feature at the Swimming World website called "A day in the life" which has been following the daily routine (written by the subject) of various swimmers. It has been fascinating reading anyway, but now they feature a masters swimmer: Dennis Baker. We have expressed awe and admiration for his feats, now learn what he does to achieve his high level plus his life on a veritable coaching merry-go-round. And do note that most of his workouts are in meters. Day 2 has just been posted.
Kathy:
I think it totally depends on many factors such as whether you've been engine building, age, race distance, core strength, personal preference.
As for myself, if I'm swimming a 50, I try to breathe only 3-4 times. I'm now trying to stay underwater SDK-ing for awhile. (I can't do nearly the whole 15 meters on the second length though. Working on it.) On the 100, I would breathe every other stroke. I find I need the oxygen swimming the 100. I never do the 200 (see "whine" thread where I left you shoulder advice). That is left in my youth. In practice, I'd say unless I'm doing 25s or race pace 50s, I'm pretty much breathing every other stroke on most fly sets or IMs. But I'm sure others may be different, and they can weigh in. Good luck!
Breathing in butterfly is really inefficient. Since your head is like a rudder, breathing straight ahead like we do in fly gets your whole body position out of whack and we then have to fight to quickly get back to a correct position (thats the 2nd dolphin kick of every stroke cycle).
I tend to breathe at least every other stroke until the piano starts falling. :dedhorse:
You should try a 200 once or twice for sheets and googles. Unless you are actually trying, its not really as bad as it sounds
Kathy:
I think it totally depends on many factors such as whether you've been engine building, age, race distance, core strength, personal preference.
As for myself, if I'm swimming a 50, I try to breathe only 3-4 times. I'm now trying to stay underwater SDK-ing for awhile. (I can't do nearly the whole 15 meters on the second length though. Working on it.) On the 100, I would breathe every other stroke. I find I need the oxygen swimming the 100. I never do the 200 (see "whine" thread where I left you shoulder advice). That is left in my youth. In practice, I'd say unless I'm doing 25s or race pace 50s, I'm pretty much breathing every other stroke on most fly sets or IMs. But I'm sure others may be different, and they can weigh in. Good luck!
Breathing in butterfly is really inefficient. Since your head is like a rudder, breathing straight ahead like we do in fly gets your whole body position out of whack and we then have to fight to quickly get back to a correct position (thats the 2nd dolphin kick of every stroke cycle).
I tend to breathe at least every other stroke until the piano starts falling. :dedhorse:
You should try a 200 once or twice for sheets and googles. Unless you are actually trying, its not really as bad as it sounds
