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.
Former Member
Keep workin! You'll get it soon enough! Creating that "good bilateral habit" takes time...
Thank you :D
Have any of you noticed--I did--many, perhaps most, who breathe one side, the recovery arm of the breathing side is always higher than the other side in recovery. It is very obvious if you look at them in the pool.
Every two strokes, right side. I have tried with my left side a few dozen times now, but I always end up splashing my open mouth. Once, I even gulped lots of water. I am glad to report that I am quite good at keeping my head down and actually breathing from the side, instead of tilting my head up. That part came naturally to me.
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.
Just want to report that I have made a little progress on the bilateral practice. I can do bilateral breathing without getting sinus headache now, but still don't get enough air from left breathing and the movement is awkward. Still, happy to be on the way to join the bilateral camp and hopefully I'll become more balanced :D
Keep workin! You'll get it soon enough! Creating that "good bilateral habit" takes time...
