Every third stroke at the start, every other stroke once I start getting tired.
For me, it’s normally every 3, 2 if I’m out of breath.
3 ideally but could go down to 2 or sometimes 9.
Short Course
50: 0 breaths
100: 50 every 4, 40 every 2, 10 no breath.
200, 500, 1650: every 2.
Long Course
50: 0 -1 breaths.
100: every 4, last 10 no breath.
200, 400, 1500: every 2.
Bilateral every 3.
I swim long distance (minimum of 2k up to 4 per session) and seem to be in the minority breathing every 6 strokes for a normal day (no drills, no fins, no sprints, etc). If I breathe anything less than that, I feel over-oxygenated.
I have been swimming for so many years now that it is just built into my system. Maybe if I am tired I will breathe every four.
@Neve
That’s impressive! How many strokes do you take in a 25? I swam for a very long time, including at the Division 1 level, and I was an every other guy. Lung busters were tough; it feels like they would be a piece of cake for you!
When I’m guessing, it’s every 2 on the left but otherwise every 3 sometimes 4.
Is every other stroke too much?
Tenny said:
Is every other stroke too much?
Not really, in my opinion.
I typically breathe every 3 strokes on each side. This is how I was taught to breathe when doing long distance or gliding.
If I am sprinting 50 in short course, I take one breath on the right side just before the turn and about 2 breaths on the way back, one on each side.
Every 3 or 5 strokes.
Practice pace once every 4 strokes.
Lap swimming usually every 5 on a slow swim, 3 mid-set when I’m getting more tired and need the oxygen, 5 again cooling down.
I breathe every three strokes! If I feel good, it goes up to one breath every four to five strokes.
50 free: none.
I gallop all other events so every 2.