swimming - 2 or 3 strokes per breath
staggly
Posts: 8
in General Chat
Hi,
I'm getting into my front crawl training and currently breathe every 2 strokes. So always to the same side. I've tried doing 3 strokes per breath and although I can get the hang of bi-lateral breathing, I seem to run out of breath very quickly. In the end I rush my strokes so I can catch another breath. This seem to happen when if I'm going the same pace as when I do 2 stroke breathing.
How often do others breath? What's the optimum? I'm thinking if I can get used to three per breath I'd create less drag, is that right?
I'm getting into my front crawl training and currently breathe every 2 strokes. So always to the same side. I've tried doing 3 strokes per breath and although I can get the hang of bi-lateral breathing, I seem to run out of breath very quickly. In the end I rush my strokes so I can catch another breath. This seem to happen when if I'm going the same pace as when I do 2 stroke breathing.
How often do others breath? What's the optimum? I'm thinking if I can get used to three per breath I'd create less drag, is that right?
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Comments
Aside from that i go for 3
and 250 doing three.
Which ever is the quicker and it wont be much, is the way to go.
Everyone is differant, and you have to find your own comfortable way to swim.
But what ever you do slow down, well that what the swim coach says anyway, everytime i hit the water.
Weather it be after 2, 3, 5, 8 strokes just breath when needs be. When in open water many things could happen such as waves, being swum over, elbows/feet etc all of which could disrupt your breathing pattern so practice breathing when you need on both sides.
However, if you stick with unilateral breathing, and say alsway breathig to your right, then one day there will be spray / waves / wind coming from that way, and you'll have difficulty breathing.
I find the best option is to not restict your self to one method. Try to train doing 2, 3, 4 or even 5.
Race day will be different to any training swims, and you may find that the firsy half you'll be fine using 3 strokes, but as you put more effort in and go into oxygen debt, then changing to breathing every 2 strokes will help. this is why it's worth training at a mixture of rates so you've always got that felxibilty to chnage as the situation predicts.
I spent ages practicing breathing every 4 strokes in training, then got to my first race, and found that nerves got the better of me, and ended up breathing every 2 or 3 until I settled down.
I think the key thing is to make sure you are confortable breathing on either side, as then you have plently of options.
i agree with the suggestions from others that you should breathe when you need to - if you practice breathing on your less favoured side then you always have it there when you need it (in case of wave, spray, other swimmer, etc).
if you are finding that you are running out of breath swimming 3 then is there any way you can hold a lungful for 1/2 a stroke before you exhale it? if your breathing is geared up to 2 then you might need to just delay the breath out or slow the exhalation a bit so that you make it to the next breath.
But in a race scenario and the need to get oxygen into your lungs two is fine - according to swim coach!
It doesnt matter if you breath every 1, 2, 3, ...10 strokes to performance..
I breath every 2 strokes always on Left side.... and I swim 400 in 5:22, 1500 in 22 mins...