Home Chat General Chat

Talkback: How important is bilateral breathing for beginner swimmers?

Thank you for recognising that "...bilateral doesn't always mean breathing every three arm strokes". I find this is often overlooked. I learned freestyle 25 years ago and started forming good habits by simply making myself look out towards the same side of the pool, both coming and going. This gives you right side one way, and left side the other. Bilateral breathing. I like this because it allows me to breathe every two arm strokes which is where I am most comfortable and effective. Having the ability to switch sides at will is a great benefit in open water as it allows you to breathe away from where the flailing arms of your competitors are more intense and thereby protect both your face and your swim split (which won't be helped if you get your goggles ripped off mid-swim). I agree with you and would encourage everyone to keep at this. Practice makes perfect.

Comments

  • JarredJarred Posts: 5

    I usually don't bilaterally breath or at least not for the entire swim. I train doing laps breathing off of either the left or the right side so that I am comfortable doing it. But in a race I prefer to just raise up slightly to sight usually. But maybe that's just me, probably not the most effective way

  • Because it's the natural way to keep your stroke technique symmetrical. Bilateral is particularly good for developing good body roll to both sides since you need to rotate well to breathe .. here is also a cool way of syncing the tempo to a lap of left side breaths, to a lap of right side breaths, to a lap of bilateral breaths, to bilateral breaths of different frequencies

     http://triathlonresearch.org/triathlon-research-total-immersion-live-hangout5-september-7pm-est/

    .


Sign In or Register to comment.