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Bi-lateral Breathing. Essential?
MintyMat
Posts: 98
in General Chat
I'm entering my second season of triathlon. Had a great year last year, completing 2 sprints - Henley and Isle of Wight. Both in the top half.
I've entered my first Olympic Distance this year in Bournemouth. I don't just want to finish, I want to get in the top half at least. As a consequence I'm working on my swimming, getting a wetsuit soon but trying to rewire the brain in order to breath bilaterally in the pool. It's gone really well and after 4 sessions I'm as quick as I was when breathing only to the right, and I'm using less energy.
I'd love to know people's experiences of learning this and how essential they've found it in open water. I'm keen to press on as it feels much more rhythmic and natural but curious about how much it actually helps.
Mat
I've entered my first Olympic Distance this year in Bournemouth. I don't just want to finish, I want to get in the top half at least. As a consequence I'm working on my swimming, getting a wetsuit soon but trying to rewire the brain in order to breath bilaterally in the pool. It's gone really well and after 4 sessions I'm as quick as I was when breathing only to the right, and I'm using less energy.
I'd love to know people's experiences of learning this and how essential they've found it in open water. I'm keen to press on as it feels much more rhythmic and natural but curious about how much it actually helps.
Mat
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Comments
It's essential in my opinion and can only lead to you becoming a better swimmer. I'd suggest mixing it up and bit during swims so that you can chop and change during a race if you need to!
Well done.
Breathing both sides in training will prepare you for events where, as has already been mentioned, there's a reason not to breathe on one or the other. But it will also contribute to injury prevention as you will lower your risk of injuring one shoulder, or your neck on one side, improve mobility and generally keep you balanced.
However, when you're swimming hard, if you're like me, it will probably feel better to revert to 2-stroke breathing.
If you go as fast bi-lateral then fair play to you - I cant!
I can swim bi-laterally but swim 99% of all my swims breathing one-sided. I'm more balanced and alot faster breathing one-sided than I am bi-lateral.
If your leading up to your first triathlon this summer and have still not mastered it I would suggest concentrating on other (more important IMO) aspects of your stroke and leaving bi-lateral training as a winter project.
It is more preferable to be as strong breathing one side as the other but not essential.
It only took me 3 sessions of making an effort before it felt perfectly natural so as it's potentially one of the swimming basics may be worth while getting used to it now before you 'master' swimming when it may be harder once you get into a decent rhythm.
No matter how much I try I always seem to take on more water than air
I have been trying really hard to get it right lately but just cant seem to pull it together.
Any ideas?