Hey swimmers....

How many strokes do you take between breaths? I usually took a breath every 4 strokes before I started training myself to breath bilaterally instead of just on the left side. Now, if I alternate sides every breath, I have to do 3 or 5 strokes (3 feels like too many and 5 feels like not enough). I have also tried doing a few breaths on one side and a few on the other, but this seems to require a lot of concentration and is frustrating for me, as I am also trying to work on other aspects of my swim technique. Any suggestions?

hi FL,

here's my take on bi-lateral breathing...

it's a good thing to be able to do, especially in a race. you may have either swimmers or waves on one side or the other and it is imperative that you be able to breathe on the other side.

so....

practice. That's really all there is too it. I was a left-side breather and sank like a rock when I would try to breathe to the right side. That was 8 or 9 years ago and now the right side is actually my stronger side.

I am more comfortable breathing every 4 strokes as well, and many times breathing on 3 makes me dizzy. The other idea of bi-lateral breathing is that balance is achieved in the water as you motor on down the lane. You will become better balanced as you practice bi-lateral breathing, even if you breathe to the right going down the lane, and to the left coming back. Work on s-l-o-w-l-y blowing bubbles as you exhale and that might help regulate your breathing so the 3 or 5 stroke can become more comfortable.

lots of practice and it will become second nature. FWIW I've been lifeguarding and teachign swimming lessons for about the last 4 years, so I've been able to observe a lot of really good swimmers and help some on their way to being good. A lot of Master swimmers do not bi-lateral breathe. When I asked why I was told "because it's too hard." Hrmph. I'm not buying that! However MOST of the triathletes I know do bi-lateral breathe.

good luck, and "just keep swimming!"

:)

I've been a left breather, breathing every second stroke. All fall I've been working on bilateral breathing, breathing every third stroke. I'm getting increasingly proficient at the bilateral breathing but I still find it more tiring.

I think I made some progress tonight. I tried to focus as much as possible on rotating to the left and right, and this actually helped with my breathing, as well as my stroke efficiency. I started to get comfortable breathing on every 3rd stroke. It was tiring, but I think I'll get the hang of it. :)

Side swimming drills helped improve my balance and rotation.

I breathe every 3 strokes, unless I'm using a pullbuoy and then my strokes go faster so I breathe every 5 strokes. If you feel like 3 is not enough time to breathe properly, try lengthening your stroke, I do this by envisioning that a piece of string is tied to my hands and when the leading hand is out front i really streeeeetch from my shoulder out to the tips of my fingers. This lengthens not only the stroke, but increases the time of each stroke, lowers my heartrate, and allows me to modify the amount of time in between breaths alot more.

Alternately, you could use faster arm strokes and breathe every 5 strokes.

Good luck!

Kim

Hi froglegs! My take on bilateral breathing is 3-2-3-2-etc. Pseudo-bilateral, I guess you could call it. I like the pattern b/c whether I'm in the pool or open water, I can really look around on one side (say, at the shore to figure out where I am, or for a competitor to guage how I am doing in a race), then the other; yet still breathe on both sides to keep a balanced stroke. If you like to breather every 4 strokes, maybe something like 5-2-5-2- would work for you?

I've been alternating sides with every breath (breathing every 3 strokes) but once I start open water swimming, I have a feeling that may change. :)

Every 2 strokes on the right side. I have been doing this since I started on a swim team when I was 13 years old. I'm 35 now and still swimming that way.

I've tried bilateral breathing... but it was just too much effort. I swim fast doing what I do now... why spend effort and energy on improving it... when I need to spend that time on improving my running and cycling.

Good luck on finding what works best for you! :)

I don't put my head underwater. I may the be only chickie to do the Danskin Tri with a doggie paddle/left sidestroke/no water in my face technique.

Someday I want to learn to swim properly, like you guys.

Knot, serious? And you could do sprint tri distance? I bow down in awe. I can put my head in the water and I still struggled.

I think I will start going to swimming in Queen Ann on sundays. You are so welcome to join me!

Serious. Took me 25 min to do half a mile (3/4 of a kilometer or so) but I did it. Everyone passed me.

(but I passed them on the bike leg! Yeah! ...but then they passed me again on the run)

Knot - you are the reason I decided to make triathlon my goal. :)

:)
I always tell my patients that I'm the example of what not to do.

I sucked at the tri, but I had a great fun time! I kicked serious heinie on the bike leg, so at least I know where my strength is!

Wanna do the same course again. (I've heard they shortened the swim leg, which is FINE with me) Wanna do it on my road bike and walk/jog the run leg and see if my time picks up.

Tri is the most crazy fun I've had in years. Doing a women's only tri is an absolute blast!

If anyone has ever considered it, or just thought it might be a distant goal, GO FOR IT! It doesn't matter how well you do, everyone cheers for you! And you end up cheering for everyone!

It's cosmic love and harmony and "us vs. the course" rather than "me vs. you."

(and Sally Edwards does every Danskin, and she is one HOT "older" babe! She always is the last person to cross the finish line. If you are second to last, she and a few other elites go with you every step of the way -until the line, where you go first- and you get a huge cheer from the crowd and a basket of goodies)

I did 700 meters on the Subaru tri and did it in like 30 min. It was bad...all the bikes were out of transition before me. At least the ones in my wave, at least.

And womens tri's are the best :D I did the Subaru (womens, with the escort finish at the end) and the Kirkland one which was mixed. The Kirkland one, even with a shorter swim segment, wasn't as good as the womens only.

To go way way way off-topic, the half-marathon I signed up for is womens only. It's a different atmosphere entirely and I prefer it.

So back to swimming. I'm trying bi-lateral and am doing poorly. I guess it's practice but I am so used to trying harder instead of practicing technique. It's highly frustrating.

happy new year!!!