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?
Former Member
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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.... What I meant is that swimming the 200bf by breathing at every 2 strokes is a bad strategy, no matter the technique used.
I'd love to hear anybody's description of Phelps *double-kick* technique.
Does anyone sees a double kick in these executions (for instance)?
YouTube - Michael Phelps Butterfly Tranining 1
YouTube - Michael Phelps - Butterfly 01
What I meant is that swimming the 200bf by breathing at every 2 strokes is a bad strategy, no matter the technique used.
I'd love to hear anybody's description of Phelps *double-kick* technique.
thanks! Got it!
again it depends on the person, my former rival , previous age group breath every 2 and she is 2:27.. on long course!
Do you want the description in Spanish? :)
Phelps (like most flyers) takes 2 kicks per stroke. I think that's all that was meant by "double-kick technique."
that is correct and Phelps's 2 kicks per stroke is hard to do for a full 50 meters. He does it for a 200 and makes it look so easy! Geesh. :applaud:
Most 200 specialists tend to go soft on second kick. Now I understand thanks!
In case of Phelps though, it's more a fitness thing than a technical. IOW, it's not all to be able to go hard on both kick, you have to be able to finish the race this way.
I also get impressed by 1500 specialists showing strong 6beat all the way to the end.
For what it's worth, looking at Phelps butterfly, the thing that stroked me the most is how deep he goes after entry. I have been struggling to stay very shallow on entry. I do this by using a *scull* to not dive. I am now seriously questioning this strategy.
He goes deep but if you look very closely, you don't see a lot of (visible) turbulence around the body when he dives/surfaces. This is what I am aiming for in performing my base mileage. Cutting drag. Finding this tiny little passage that gets me forward with as less drag possible.
Really tough I find. I feel a lot of drag, but some of it is just inherent to this stroke.
The 6beat on the 1500 is insane. I barely do any kick but people tell me that I had a pretty good kick in my 1500 at Indy. It is weird how what you think you are doing and what other people see are two different things. Ous and the Cochrane 1500 continuous 6-beat kick in the 1500 were so unreal.
Phelps's deep entry is another reason why he gets a good distance per stroke on his fly. Truly amazing.
Most 200 specialists tend to go soft on second kick. Now I understand thanks!
In case of Phelps though, it's more a fitness thing than a technical. IOW, it's not all to be able to go hard on both kick, you have to be able to finish the race this way.
For what it's worth, looking at Phelps butterfly, the thing that stroked me the most is how deep he goes after entry. I have been struggling to stay very shallow on entry. I do this by using a *scull* to not dive. I am now seriously questioning this strategy.
He goes deep but if you look very closely, you don't see a lot of (visible) turbulence around the body when he dives/surfaces. This is what I am aiming for in performing my base mileage. Cutting drag. Finding this tiny little passage that gets me forward with as less drag possible. Really tough I find. I feel a lot of drag, but some of it is just inherent to this stroke.
His arm entries are just amazing. Virtually no drag at all. He enters then takes the catch. Arms follow a downward path immediately upon entry. Slight scull to catch then hands almost touch underneath the body. This too, I can't do even if I know I should be doing it. I'll address this after my hunt for cutting drag. 1 thing at the time.
Can somebody explain what is the difference between first stroke and second stroke in "breathing every second stroke" case? What should be body position, head, arms, elbows, hands, timing etc.
I have problems with my arms-forearms getting stuck in water during no breath stroke.
Everything should be identical whether you breathe or not. But for some of us, it's not. That's what this thread is about.
Can somebody explain what is the difference between first stroke and second stroke in "breathing every second stroke" case? What should be body position, head, arms, elbows, hands, timing etc.
I have problems with my arms-forearms getting stuck in water during no breath stroke.
