Need help w/breathing technique

I'm trying to breathe every 4th stroke (...) What tips can anyone offer? Breathe more often. I wish I could breathe every third for ever, but that gives me only five breathing opportunities per 25 m, as opposed to eight or nine if I alternate with left one length and right the next. My main reason for coveting alternate-side breathing is the improvement in stroke length. Ideally, breathing should take care of itself with little conscious effort. Do not raise your head, just use long axis rotation. Once you start choking on water, it's because you are learning a new habit.

Recswimmer - I've tried alternate breathing but I always slow way down and even begin to sink when I breath on the left...any tips?

Recswimmer - I've tried alternate breathing but I always slow way down and even begin to sink when I breath on the left...any tips? It's like learning to wink, whistle, ride a bike, etc. It gets better with practice. If it doesn't, it's not critical to breath on alternate sides. But you have to live with breathing every 4 strokes. Breathing every two strokes is probably too disruptive, though I think distance swimmers do it...

Whatever you try, get in the habit of beginning your out breath as soon as your face goes under. I used to have the very bad habit of holding my air in too long, and almost having to breathe out and in when my face turned for the breath. To me, the best way is to have your out breath finished just as you are breaking the surface with your face. You have to work on that, as folks have different styles, capacities, etc. Of course if you are breathing 2 or 4, that changes the exhale also. But constantly think "out breath" and it will eventually come naturally.

I’d recommend exhaling rapidly from the nose AND mouth, with the exhalation finishing just as the mouth breaks the surface to inhale. Exhaling too much too early reduces buoyancy.

Recswimmer - I've tried alternate breathing but I always slow way down and even begin to sink when I breath on the left...any tips? You should search "bilateral breathing" on this forum. There are lots of good tips out there. The tip that worked for me was to do sets of 300s: 1-bilateral, 2-strong side (2 or 4 strokes), 3-weak side (probably 2 strokes since at first you won't feel like you're getting enough air) - after the 3rd you're grateful to get back to bilateral, LOL. It's natural to sink when you first learn this, so don't give up hope!

You should do a quick exhale through the nose in the water right before your head comes out to breathe.

... I'm working on technique, but I can't get the breathing deal down exactly.... What tips can anyone offer?... I've found Yogic Breathing exercises to be really helpful. i've posted on it here: Flotation is Fundamental – Good Breathing is the Key as mentioned, there are a number of other threads on breathing. here are a few i stumbled upon: Breath on one side or two? Breathing Breathing??