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.
Grant Hackett 1500m video:
YouTube- Grant Hackett Front Crawl Technique
He breathes once every stroke cycle - always on his right side. He breathes into and out of every turn. At the 1:20 mark you can see him take an additional breath on his left side going into the turn.
I've watched quite a few 1500m videos of elite level men and breathing once per stroke cycle and into/out of turns seems to be the norm.This video has changed my life. I've known for awhile that elite d-guys tended to breathe every two, but I never paid attention to the turns. I've been trying to break a bi-lateral breathing pattern ingrained in me for 30+ years of swimming and to breathe to my left side only, the stronger of my two breathing sides. However, to do that means that I either need to:
breathe the first stroke off the wall (because I've tried, but can't succeed in breaking the habit of pulling with my left arm first off the wall); OR
taking 3 strokes off the wall before breathing (a non-starter); OR
do what I'm doing now: take 2 right breaths off the the wall, 3 strokes and then breathe every 2 to the left side the rest of the race.
If breathing off the wall is good enough for Grant Hackett, it's good enough for me.
...My age-group coaches drilled bilateral breathing into us so much that I no longer know which side is my weak side for breathing. I breathe every 3 (1.5?) automatically. I also keep hearing disparaging comments about breathing every 3 - is it really that bad? I guess I should experiment more with my own swims to see if there's a difference....Despite what I just said above, I still think bilateral breathing ability is good to have, particularly for OW races.
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?
I breathe only to one side and I think I have developed an imbalance in my stroke. the most glaring issue is I breathe to my left, but I notice in OW I drift right. As a result I am bilateral breathing in warm up and cool down and I am also trying certain sets this way. Maybe raciing every breath is good, but I would not eliminate bilateral from a workout.
Despite what I just said above, I still think bilateral breathing ability is good to have, particularly for OW races.
I agree.
It sure seems that a greater percentage of women both train and race breathing every three. My guess is that because they typically have a higher stroke rate than men, the end result is that they take roughly the same number of breaths per length as most men.
Ok. I know this is coming from a real racing newb, but hang with me. This kind of fits with the whole O2 discussion. If it needs to be moved, please move.
The more I compete, I'm finding that I'm not as much of a sprinter as a distance swimmer. My main problem is coming into the flip. Since I'm farily new to it, I tend to really have to blow out of my nose to keep the water out. By the time I do my SDK's and get to the breakout, my toes are tingling. Troubleshooters? Suggestions?
Also, I tend to swim breathing every 4 and to my left. I've tried different breathing patterns, and this tends to feel the best for me. My coach is constantly telling me to breathe more often in distance, but everything else I try seems to wind me. Is that something that will come with more experience, or is it just something I need to keep working on?
Thanks for any advice.
Breathing every cycle for distance swimming is good. What I see most do, is blowing out too hard. Many try to expel all of their air and I would rather breathe as if I were out for a long walk, take air in (not gulping) and not forcing the air out.
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
I am very intriqued by this myth because of the adaptation to triathlon and aquathlon.
When I get out of the water it takes me a good 2 minutes or so to feel normal and I think that is because of the oxygen debt. I think what I might try is a 3:4 pattern for the last 60 seconds of the swim.
Also a good idea for the last few minutes of a swim. Eliminate a hard kick before a change over. A light no effort kick would work. The legs consume a lot of oxygen in long swims.
