I saw someone today breathing every 4 strokes, so it took her 4 or 5 breathings to finish the length. Thought it interesting to know the breathing styles of the people here, and maybe the advantages of each.
Edit: Replace "breath" by "breathe" in the title.
I find that breathing (left) every cycle (2 strokes) helps maintain a steady rhythm, whereas breathing every other cycle wouldn't.
Why do I find that breathing every cycle does not alter my rhythm? I am a roller, i.e., I don't keep my shoulders on the same horizontal level but rotate the torso, therefore I don't even have to lift my head to breathe and I don't have to roll my head from the neck more than an absolute minimum to breathe in the trough created by my head.
It was actually bi-lateral breathing that helped me add greater roll to my stroke which has been the greatest improvement for me taking me from a aging mediocre sprinter that eats too much to go fast to being someone who likes to swim distances. I agree, that once I had a good roll, it really doesn't matter when or how I breathe.
However, in OWS events, it's nice to be able to breathe to either side. Like all right handers, my natural side was the left. However, OWS circuits (all that I've done, anyway) run counterclockwise making shore sighting to the right. By shore sighting, I can avoid having to pull up and look forward too often.
I find that breathing (left) every cycle (2 strokes) helps maintain a steady rhythm, whereas breathing every other cycle wouldn't.
Why do I find that breathing every cycle does not alter my rhythm? I am a roller, i.e., I don't keep my shoulders on the same horizontal level but rotate the torso, therefore I don't even have to lift my head to breathe and I don't have to roll my head from the neck more than an absolute minimum to breathe in the trough created by my head.
It was actually bi-lateral breathing that helped me add greater roll to my stroke which has been the greatest improvement for me taking me from a aging mediocre sprinter that eats too much to go fast to being someone who likes to swim distances. I agree, that once I had a good roll, it really doesn't matter when or how I breathe.
However, in OWS events, it's nice to be able to breathe to either side. Like all right handers, my natural side was the left. However, OWS circuits (all that I've done, anyway) run counterclockwise making shore sighting to the right. By shore sighting, I can avoid having to pull up and look forward too often.
