Myth #7: When it comes to getting oxygen in freestyle, breathing every cycle is as good as it gets.
In almost every other sport but swimming (freestyle, fly, breaststroke), we get the luxury of breathing whenever we want. Typically, with maximal exertion, that means we are inhaling at a respiratory rate of between 50 and 65 times per minute. Not so in swimming.
Most swimmers breathe every cycle and to one side only (a cycle is two arm strokes, or hand entry to hand entry). Since many swimmers turn their arms over slowly (say 35 to 55 strokes per minute), that means the respiratory rate while swimming is 18 to 28; hardly what one would do voluntarily, if one had the choice. (try running or biking with that respiratory rate and see how you do!)
But you do have a choice...sort of. First, you can learn to swim with a higher stroke rate and second, you can try a different breathing pattern. Specifically, I am referring to a 2:3 pattern rather than a 1:2 pattern of breathing. What that means in the Left Stroke Breath Right (LBR), Right Stroke Breathe Left (RBL) Left Stroke no breath (L), Right Stroke no breath (R) terminology is the following:
LBR, RBL, L, RBL, LBR, R, LBR, RBL, L etc
So, as is so common in swimming, this too presents compromise. What are the pros and cons?
Pros: You get 27% more oxygen than if you breathe every cycle, and with oxygen you'll produce 15 times more ATP than without it, and hopefully produce less lactate. You get the associated benefit of breathing more...less fatigue. You get to see the scenery on both sides of the lake or pool.
Cons: Most swimmers feel awkward breathing to their weak side. The act of breathing slows the stroke rate. Breathing often results in the arm being pulled too far under the body, creating more drag. In open water swims, if there is a nice swell on one side, breathing to that side may lead to swallowing more water.
So this begs the question, if this 2:3 pattern is so good, why aren’t world-class distance swimmers using it? A few have on occasion, like Kieren Perkins. It may be that it is yet an undiscovered technique...or, more likely, in the world of superbly conditioned, oxygen deprived distance swimmers, it may be that the cons outweigh the pros. But for this almost-60-year-old-not-so-superbly-conditioned swimmer, who enters an ocean swim once or twice a year and dislikes any pool race over 100 meters, I love the 2:3 pattern, especially on those long aerobic sets. And for those swimmers who dare to try it (and it takes some getting used to), you may not actually swim any faster than by breathing every cycle, but, barring swallowing more water, I'll bet you will feel a lot better afterward.
Gary Sr.
Parents
Former Member
health.howstuffworks.com/.../sports-physiology.htmpeople.eku.edu/.../301notes6.htm
Gary: a couple of thoughts, not mine originally. "The more I know, the less I know" or "the more I study, the more confused I get" and "what you believe in does not make it the truth". All these apply to me. Dang, I wish someone would clear this issue once and for all. I have been studying, asking other doctors, looking stuff up in the internet and there are still areas that are in the dark. For instance, it is well known that ATP lasts 8 to 10 seconds in the Phosphagen System, 90 seconds for the Glycogen-Lactic Acid System, and then indefinitely for the Aerobic System. So you could say that an exercise full out lasting less than a minute and a half would need no oxygen. That would cover most sprints in swimming. When going underwater with no breathing for over 25 meters, for instance, or swimming 50 and above with no breathing, is it the oxygen that is limiting us or is it the C02 drive? If you are told to go without breathing for a distance, don't you dose your speed with your time, i.e. the faster you go the sooner you will get there, but the faster you go, the more C02 builds up and makes you want to breathe. And lastly, there's an article that says C02 is not a factor in increasing respiratory rate in exercise, there are other factors. So now, I am back to zero, starting all over.
Here is my understanding in the simplest way I can explain this physiology. We need ATP to make the muscle contract. We have stored high energy phosphate in the form of ATP and Creatine Phosphate (other?) and we produce ATP either anaerobically (without oxygen), producing 2 moles of ATP from each glucose molecule or aerobically (with oxygen), producing approx 30 moles of ATP from each molecule of glucose. Anaerobic production of ATP is not only less efficient (by a factor of 15) but also produces lactic acid as a byproduct.
Now, here are some facts (I believe):
1) Available (stored) ATP or other high energy phosphate is used up in approximately 20 seconds of maximal exertion.
2) The two systems of producing ATP (aerobic and anaerobic) work simultaneously, not one then the other; though it takes longer for the the aerobic system to get into full swing.
3) The production of enough lactic acid, lowering the pH of the body, reduces efficiency of the muscle contraction (for several reasons).
4) The act of breathing in all strokes except backstroke, reduce speed in swimming by either slowing the stroke rate or increasing drag or both.
5) Having air in the lungs increases buoyancy and reduces drag.
Now the most important thing to glean from all this is to use common sense. Learn from the champions. The winners of the 50 sprint take zero or one breath (except Dara Torres...there is always an exception). Most of the time, the 50 is won or lost in the last 10 meters, when lactic acid is coming on the scene. When Gary Jr won the 50 in athens he took a breath 10 meters from the wall, but then finished faster than everyone else. Cielo won in Bejing without breathing. Every male who has won the 100 m fly since 1984, except Pablo Morales in 1992 (who barely hung on to win), has breathed every stroke. So, once we get past the 50, most swimmers breath as often as they can...even at the expense of increasing drag. Bottom line, we need 02...lots of it when racing...and when you get to be my age, you need it more than ever.
I am not sure the 2:3 pattern will ever be adopted by world class distance swimmers, because they are so aerobically fit, they have trained their body to function better with oxygen deprivation. So the increase drag or slowed stroke rate may not be worth it. There is not one human on the planet who would willingly breath at the respiratory rate of a world class swimmer breathing every cycle in a 1500 (30 to 40 respirations per minute) unless he or she had no choice. The human body is capable of amazing adaption...and that is what training is all about.
Gary Sr.
The Race Club
health.howstuffworks.com/.../sports-physiology.htmpeople.eku.edu/.../301notes6.htm
Gary: a couple of thoughts, not mine originally. "The more I know, the less I know" or "the more I study, the more confused I get" and "what you believe in does not make it the truth". All these apply to me. Dang, I wish someone would clear this issue once and for all. I have been studying, asking other doctors, looking stuff up in the internet and there are still areas that are in the dark. For instance, it is well known that ATP lasts 8 to 10 seconds in the Phosphagen System, 90 seconds for the Glycogen-Lactic Acid System, and then indefinitely for the Aerobic System. So you could say that an exercise full out lasting less than a minute and a half would need no oxygen. That would cover most sprints in swimming. When going underwater with no breathing for over 25 meters, for instance, or swimming 50 and above with no breathing, is it the oxygen that is limiting us or is it the C02 drive? If you are told to go without breathing for a distance, don't you dose your speed with your time, i.e. the faster you go the sooner you will get there, but the faster you go, the more C02 builds up and makes you want to breathe. And lastly, there's an article that says C02 is not a factor in increasing respiratory rate in exercise, there are other factors. So now, I am back to zero, starting all over.
Here is my understanding in the simplest way I can explain this physiology. We need ATP to make the muscle contract. We have stored high energy phosphate in the form of ATP and Creatine Phosphate (other?) and we produce ATP either anaerobically (without oxygen), producing 2 moles of ATP from each glucose molecule or aerobically (with oxygen), producing approx 30 moles of ATP from each molecule of glucose. Anaerobic production of ATP is not only less efficient (by a factor of 15) but also produces lactic acid as a byproduct.
Now, here are some facts (I believe):
1) Available (stored) ATP or other high energy phosphate is used up in approximately 20 seconds of maximal exertion.
2) The two systems of producing ATP (aerobic and anaerobic) work simultaneously, not one then the other; though it takes longer for the the aerobic system to get into full swing.
3) The production of enough lactic acid, lowering the pH of the body, reduces efficiency of the muscle contraction (for several reasons).
4) The act of breathing in all strokes except backstroke, reduce speed in swimming by either slowing the stroke rate or increasing drag or both.
5) Having air in the lungs increases buoyancy and reduces drag.
Now the most important thing to glean from all this is to use common sense. Learn from the champions. The winners of the 50 sprint take zero or one breath (except Dara Torres...there is always an exception). Most of the time, the 50 is won or lost in the last 10 meters, when lactic acid is coming on the scene. When Gary Jr won the 50 in athens he took a breath 10 meters from the wall, but then finished faster than everyone else. Cielo won in Bejing without breathing. Every male who has won the 100 m fly since 1984, except Pablo Morales in 1992 (who barely hung on to win), has breathed every stroke. So, once we get past the 50, most swimmers breath as often as they can...even at the expense of increasing drag. Bottom line, we need 02...lots of it when racing...and when you get to be my age, you need it more than ever.
I am not sure the 2:3 pattern will ever be adopted by world class distance swimmers, because they are so aerobically fit, they have trained their body to function better with oxygen deprivation. So the increase drag or slowed stroke rate may not be worth it. There is not one human on the planet who would willingly breath at the respiratory rate of a world class swimmer breathing every cycle in a 1500 (30 to 40 respirations per minute) unless he or she had no choice. The human body is capable of amazing adaption...and that is what training is all about.
Gary Sr.
The Race Club
