I've always tried to breathe every other stroke in fly, but watching the elites at Worlds breathe every stroke made me want to try it out. So recently I experimented with breathing every stroke in fly. Findings after a couple workouts where I averaged about 600 total yards of full-stroke fly:
Breathing every stroke has a negative impact on my body position
I can help that by kicking harder
The additional oxygen that I get from all the extra breathing helps fuel the harder kicking, but it seems like I'm working harder overall (higher perceived pulse rate at the end of each swim, but I didn't actually measure it)
Stroke counts and times are about the same
So I think I've found a useful drill to make me kick harder, but I doubt I'll be trying this in a race anytime soon. Has anyone else (who hasn't always swum fly this way) messed around with breathing every stroke in fly? What were your findings?
Thanks for all the feedback. Perhaps one day I will master this style of fly. I will keep at it, though I will plan on competing the same old way for this training cycle.
You can breathe every stroke but you can have to really utilize the double kick technique to move across the water like Phelps. That is hard to hold up for just one lap. Phelps just makes it look so easy.
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Michael's coach said that, depending on your particular physiology and how precise your "body awareness" is through dedicated training, you can swim butterfly not only faster, but farther by breathing every stroke.
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he is wright!
depends on the person...
breath every stroke 2:30... 200 fly, 40-44
Personally, I breathe every stroke in butterfly EXCEPT for my break out strokes and finishes. It does not mess up my rythm, but infact actually helps me control my stroke and go faster. With that said, I have been doing butterfly this way for almost 15 years...
he is wright!
depends on the person...
breath every stroke 2:30... 200 fly, 40-44Darn, bloooody fast. This is my target for next year, same age group. And even then, this is not a guaranteed winning time here up north in Quebec. 2:30 wasn't enough for Gold at our last State Championship LCM
However, for swimming the 200, I'd say that it doesn't depend that much on the person. Starting for a 200 breathing every other at 40yo, not sure if it can be a winning strategy for anyone.
You can breathe every stroke but you can have to really utilize the double kick technique to move across the water like Phelps. That is hard to hold up for just one lap. Phelps just makes it look so easy. What double kick technique are you referring to?
He said, by breathing every stroke, Michael has learned to sacrifice very little horizontal stability in exchange for increased LEVERAGE. Leverage and increased oxygen uptake made the difference for him--and me. And the rational behind this explanation has been clearly documented in latest Ernest Maglischo's book (Swimming Fastest).
In the Stroke Mechanics analysis section for butterfly, Dr.Maglischo refer to this Leverage thing as generating what he calls the Reverse Bodywave effect. That is after dive/arm entry/first kick, a wave is traveling back, hitting the swimmer's back and thus increasing the forward propulstion.
That's huge part of the reason why I intend to perform a lot of base mileage at BF. These things aren't easy to feel and integrate, but I do believe that they exist.
I'd love to hear anybody's description of Phelps *double-kick* technique.
Does anyone sees a double kick in these executions (for instance)?
Phelps (like most flyers) takes 2 kicks per stroke. I think that's all that was meant by "double-kick technique."
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However, for swimming the 200, I'd say that it doesn't depend that much on the person. Starting for a 200 breathing every other at 40yo, not sure if it can be a winning strategy for anyone.
did not get the last part, my poor English....
no double kick like Phelps. Just fat on my bottom, helps being on surface J
Here in Europe is enough for ER . good luck!
