Mile Swim

I am of the opinion that with a proper stroke, breathing only on one side will not negatively impact you. With proper body rotation breathing ALMOST becomes a matter of opening your mouth and inhaling. With proper body rotation one's face should be sufficiently turned (because the whole body is turned that much) to either side. Very few swimmers achieve this, though. (I am not one of them.) If you cannot master the technique and coordination of alternate breathing, consider trying to extend your breath for FOUR strokes. (Easy to say, I know. I'm sure that will be a picnic the last 100 yards of your 500!) Here's a hint to help you develop the technique to breath on both sides. Don't start off trying it with alternate-side breathing. Since you now breath to the right, consider doing the WHOLE LENGTH once in a while breathing to the left. Develop the feel for it before trying to incorporate it into alternate-side breathing. But back to technique, I suspect that your coach is dinging you for right-side-only breathing because you are doing something inefficient in your stroke to accommodate your breaths. (Which, if true, will make your attempt at left-side breathing all the more difficult.) Maybe your left arm is doing something odd under water as you breath, or you do some awhward kick, or you cross your right arm beyond center after your breath... I can only speculate. Ask your coach to be frank with you. Even better, see if you can get someone to video tape your stroke. It may become bluntly obvious when you get to see yourself on tape. (If you get someone to tape you, get some footage from various angles -- especially directly from the side and directly oncoming. It will let you see various imbalances and inefficiencies in your stroke.)

I am of the opinion that with a proper stroke, breathing only on one side will not negatively impact you. With proper body rotation breathing ALMOST becomes a matter of opening your mouth and inhaling. With proper body rotation one's face should be sufficiently turned (because the whole body is turned that much) to either side. Very few swimmers achieve this, though. (I am not one of them.) If you cannot master the technique and coordination of alternate breathing, consider trying to extend your breath for FOUR strokes. (Easy to say, I know. I'm sure that will be a picnic the last 100 yards of your 500!) Here's a hint to help you develop the technique to breath on both sides. Don't start off trying it with alternate-side breathing. Since you now breath to the right, consider doing the WHOLE LENGTH once in a while breathing to the left. Develop the feel for it before trying to incorporate it into alternate-side breathing. But back to technique, I suspect that your coach is dinging you for right-side-only breathing because you are doing something inefficient in your stroke to accommodate your breaths. (Which, if true, will make your attempt at left-side breathing all the more difficult.) Maybe your left arm is doing something odd under water as you breath, or you do some awhward kick, or you cross your right arm beyond center after your breath... I can only speculate. Ask your coach to be frank with you. Even better, see if you can get someone to video tape your stroke. It may become bluntly obvious when you get to see yourself on tape. (If you get someone to tape you, get some footage from various angles -- especially directly from the side and directly oncoming. It will let you see various imbalances and inefficiencies in your stroke.)