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Something that is commonly said by swimming and triathlon coaches is: Breathe bilaterally in training to keep your stroke balanced but in races just breathe to one side, you need the oxygen.
Certainly breathing bilaterally in training is a great idea to help keep your stroke technique symmetrical but will you be faster breathing to one side in races? Is it good advice or not?
Let's consider the most common scenario for open water swimmers and triathletes - racing in a wetsuit in open water:
The irony is that swimming in a wetsuit actually reduces the oxygen demand for swimmers because the body is held higher (reducing drag) and the swimmer barely has to kick. This is true at all levels of effort, including race pace.
If you're not convinced by this, try bilateral breathing in the pool with and without a large pull buoy to simulate a wetsuit - how does it compare? Or even better, try swimming in the pool with your wetsuit on at your current race pace (no faster) - most swimmers are surprised to find they can breathe every three strokes pretty easily doing this, even at target race pace.
As well as reducing kicking effort, the extra speed from swimming in a suit lifts your stroke rate, meaning your breaths come around more frequently.
Breathing Every 3 Is Just The Right Length Of Time
It's interesting to take note that when you feel short of air it is not the lack of oxygen you are feeling but the build up of CO2. That's why it's key to exhale into the water whenever you swim to blow it out into the water - leaving you feeling much more relaxed with your breathing.
For most swimmers breathing every three is about the right length of time to get rid of the CO2 from their system, breathing every two just isn't long enough and causes an uncomfortable build-up in your lungs and bloodstream.
Breathing every three is breathing less frequently than when you cycle or run but the oxygen demands of distance swimming are lower than cycling or running because the you're using smaller muscle groups. Plus exhaling into air is easy, blowing out into water is harder and takes longer to achieve.
Bilateral Breathing In Races
So it's surprising but true, once you get your head around it you will find it easier to breathe bilaterally in open water races than when training in the pool... and if you can you should because:
- Flaws appear in your stroke when breathing which reduces speed - so less breathing means more speed.
- Breathing regularly to both sides keeps your stroke symmetrical even within the duration of the race, helping you swim much straighter, as we have seen previously on the blog (here and here). In fact it's common for athletes to swim 10 or 20% too far by moving off course, losing them huge chunks of time.
- You can keep a strategic eye on what's happening to both sides of you, allowing you to pick up on more drafting opportunities or to spot break-aways.
Swim Smooth!
Certainly breathing bilaterally in training is a great idea to help keep your stroke technique symmetrical but will you be faster breathing to one side in races? Is it good advice or not?
Let's consider the most common scenario for open water swimmers and triathletes - racing in a wetsuit in open water:
 |
| How should you breathe here? |
The irony is that swimming in a wetsuit actually reduces the oxygen demand for swimmers because the body is held higher (reducing drag) and the swimmer barely has to kick. This is true at all levels of effort, including race pace.
If you're not convinced by this, try bilateral breathing in the pool with and without a large pull buoy to simulate a wetsuit - how does it compare? Or even better, try swimming in the pool with your wetsuit on at your current race pace (no faster) - most swimmers are surprised to find they can breathe every three strokes pretty easily doing this, even at target race pace.
As well as reducing kicking effort, the extra speed from swimming in a suit lifts your stroke rate, meaning your breaths come around more frequently.
Breathing Every 3 Is Just The Right Length Of Time
It's interesting to take note that when you feel short of air it is not the lack of oxygen you are feeling but the build up of CO2. That's why it's key to exhale into the water whenever you swim to blow it out into the water - leaving you feeling much more relaxed with your breathing.
For most swimmers breathing every three is about the right length of time to get rid of the CO2 from their system, breathing every two just isn't long enough and causes an uncomfortable build-up in your lungs and bloodstream.
Breathing every three is breathing less frequently than when you cycle or run but the oxygen demands of distance swimming are lower than cycling or running because the you're using smaller muscle groups. Plus exhaling into air is easy, blowing out into water is harder and takes longer to achieve.
 |
| A group training session is a great time to practise breathing patterns in open water. |
Bilateral Breathing In Races
So it's surprising but true, once you get your head around it you will find it easier to breathe bilaterally in open water races than when training in the pool... and if you can you should because:
- Flaws appear in your stroke when breathing which reduces speed - so less breathing means more speed.
- Breathing regularly to both sides keeps your stroke symmetrical even within the duration of the race, helping you swim much straighter, as we have seen previously on the blog (here and here). In fact it's common for athletes to swim 10 or 20% too far by moving off course, losing them huge chunks of time.
- You can keep a strategic eye on what's happening to both sides of you, allowing you to pick up on more drafting opportunities or to spot break-aways.
Swim Smooth!