If we are supposed to be, in the front crawl, always rolling from side to side, what are the advantages of not breathing every other stroke or breathing less and swimming straight? Or should we roll to the side even though not taking a breath? Or is is the fact that the moving of your head a little more to take the breath making more drag? I can see the not breathing an issue in fly because breathing breaks the natural porpoising of the body. The more I swim the fly without breathing the faster I go, so I have to dwell with that, but in freestyle what is the deal? Newbie questions again. billy fanstone
Parents
Former Member
In freestyle, you should roll partway (~45 degrees) to the side with every stroke. If you are not breathing, your head should not move as your body rotates. When you breathe, you upset the alignment of your body some - if you lift your head to breathe, you really upset your alignment, but if you only rotate your head, you may barely change your alignment. If you can breathe smoothly, then you might as well breathe as often as you need to. If you can't, you should try to breathe less often. Videotape yourself, and you should be able to see whether you are breathing smoothly or not.
I agree vehemently with everything you say, except:
If you can't, you should try to breathe less often.
In my humble opinion, you should practice smooth breathing if that's what you need. Fair assumption?
:smooch: Make Love, not War.
In freestyle, you should roll partway (~45 degrees) to the side with every stroke. If you are not breathing, your head should not move as your body rotates. When you breathe, you upset the alignment of your body some - if you lift your head to breathe, you really upset your alignment, but if you only rotate your head, you may barely change your alignment. If you can breathe smoothly, then you might as well breathe as often as you need to. If you can't, you should try to breathe less often. Videotape yourself, and you should be able to see whether you are breathing smoothly or not.
I agree vehemently with everything you say, except:
If you can't, you should try to breathe less often.
In my humble opinion, you should practice smooth breathing if that's what you need. Fair assumption?
:smooch: Make Love, not War.
