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
OK, I tried this today too and now I have some questions. I may be a little dense so go slowly with me:
1. As I am streamling off of the wall with both arms in front, I begin to take my first stroke with my left hand. If I were to breath on that first stroke, I would be breathing to my left side, so what does LBR mean? How do you pull with your left hand and breath to your right? Am I missing something here?
2. Now, lets say I have taken that left hand/arm pull and breath to my left side. Then I take a right arm pull and breath to my right. That's now a 1:1 cycle, correct? How do you take two breaths in a row like that and have much time to exhale before taking the next breathe? I can do that of course, but it feels like I am not taking a full breathe, nor am I exhaling fully. Maybe it just takes more practice to get comfortable with.
3. After taking a breathe which each arm stroke now, i.e., left breathe, right breathe, left no breathe, now I start the cycle again but this time starting on the right side, correct?
Dear Glen,
When you are pulling underwater with your left arm, you'd better be breathing to the right side....or you have a real problem. But you got #3 right...you breathe two strokes in succession, then hold one stroke, then begin two in a row on the same side you took your last breath. You should have plenty of time to exhale before getting your next breath, even with 2 successive breaths. Hold the air in your lungs....in all breathing patterns, as long as you can for more buoyancy. More buoyancy means less drag.
Gary
OK, I tried this today too and now I have some questions. I may be a little dense so go slowly with me:
1. As I am streamling off of the wall with both arms in front, I begin to take my first stroke with my left hand. If I were to breath on that first stroke, I would be breathing to my left side, so what does LBR mean? How do you pull with your left hand and breath to your right? Am I missing something here?
2. Now, lets say I have taken that left hand/arm pull and breath to my left side. Then I take a right arm pull and breath to my right. That's now a 1:1 cycle, correct? How do you take two breaths in a row like that and have much time to exhale before taking the next breathe? I can do that of course, but it feels like I am not taking a full breathe, nor am I exhaling fully. Maybe it just takes more practice to get comfortable with.
3. After taking a breathe which each arm stroke now, i.e., left breathe, right breathe, left no breathe, now I start the cycle again but this time starting on the right side, correct?
Dear Glen,
When you are pulling underwater with your left arm, you'd better be breathing to the right side....or you have a real problem. But you got #3 right...you breathe two strokes in succession, then hold one stroke, then begin two in a row on the same side you took your last breath. You should have plenty of time to exhale before getting your next breath, even with 2 successive breaths. Hold the air in your lungs....in all breathing patterns, as long as you can for more buoyancy. More buoyancy means less drag.
Gary
