Swimming.. how many strokes per breath?

Ive just scurried over from RW. Can you give me a bit of advice please in respect of number of strokes per breath.

Im a runner who uses front crawl as cross training, my aim isnt to swim fast, but more to tone my arms and hopefully my core. I currently do up to 90 lengths at about 40 seconds a length (Im not v fast). I also aim to have grace through the water rather than choppy strokes.

I currently do 4 strokes for each breath. I find that nice and easy, and I feel more comfortable, particularly on stroke 2 and 3.

But, is this efficient? Is it better to do 2 strokes or 4, between breaths? Or should I not be worrying about my breathing (other than actually doing it, obviously!) if Im merely aiming to tone up my upper body?

Thank you (I will scurry back to RW now...rumours that Im going into trathlons are totally unfounded on the basis that I ride a bike like Miss Marple)

«1

Comments

  • M.ister WM.ister W ✭✭✭
    If breathing every 4 is working for you then keep doing it.  If you're getting out of breath then go for every 3 or 2.  Most triathletes breathe every 2 because they want maximum oxygen but that probably doesn't apply to you if you're working within your comfort zone.
  • well put Mr. W.

    I use every 3 mostly coz I like the variation. I use every 2 if I'm trying to do longer stuff a wee bit faster for the oxygen but otherwise I stick to a nice rythymn of every 3.

  • yep, agree with above...

    You could do every third stroke as the bi-lateral breathing will ensure you (a) stay oxygenated, but also (b) ensure you don't get unbalanced by repeatedly turning/breathing to the same side.  If it's comfy however why change.  

  • Ali....... honestly, honestly, Miss Marple could beat me.......

     Many thank for this, guys, I really didnt know what I was doing. It certainly makes sense that I need to do it every two strokes if I go fast. I must admit I didnt see any merits in going any faster, and from what you have said, I have the means to do so, which in the end will help.

     Many thanks again

  • I saw an OW dvd that said you absolutely must do every 2 strokes for OW swimming or you will go into oxygen debt. I find it hard to settle into a rythmn every 2 so always swim every 3, in the pool and in OW (unless the waves are very bad in a particular direction).
  • M.ister WM.ister W ✭✭✭
    That's not true, ec.  You only need as much oxygen as you're using up so if you're not swimming as hard then you won't need to breathe so often.
  • Which bit do you mean?

    If your breath is rushed, and you don't breathe as deeply, you could actually end up shifting less oxygen breathing every 2 than every 3 strokes.

    It's also not necessarily about how hard you are swimming, but how quickly. If you are more streamlined and efficient, you may well swim faster than if you are swimming hard. I think my technique is much better when I breathe every 3.

  • M.ister WM.ister W ✭✭✭

    I meant the bit about having to breathe every 2 strokes.  You don't have to do it and, as you've said, it can be more effective to breathe less frequently.  But... the best swimmers breathe every 2 strokes for a reason and as you improve you will find that this gives you most oxygen.

  • I heard somewhere it was more to do with how much you are breathing out rather than how much O2 you are getting in...

    I may have made that up.....

    Something to do with build up of CO2

  • Farnie - I heard that too.

    Does anyone else like seeing how far they can stretch it - 5 strokes, 8 strokes etc........ if you're just tootling you can go for ages without coming up for air - it's fun.

  • i kind of do that with a pyramid session, it int half tricky.....

    I pretend I am a free diver image

  • I go every 3 on the basis that the bi-lateral will even everything up. Plus if I go OW then I can breathe either side if need be.

    Swim coach gets us pushing 5 strokes (which I find hard) as part of a drive towards efficiency

    Meface

  • I used to breathe on 4 but found I was getting a sore arm on one side. 3 works for me in pool and ow - it feels balanced.
  • I can do 3 now!image

    I just wanted to boast.....image

    One thing i've found MASSIVELY different going from 4 to 3 is how much easier I'm finding it to keep going.....image

    I'm sticking with 3 - I need to strengthen my right side

  • try doing the pyramid sesh LB,

    3 then 5 then 7 then 5 then 3 it makes you slow down and think about stuff.  Like oxygen mainly image

  • 7 - I'd be thinking about blacking out.

     I can pretty much do 25m under water swimming a slow breast stroke but with F/C I struggle for 5 strokes let alone 7. Not even certain that I could go that far with 4 strokes.

    Meface

  • Yes, our club trainer often has us do pyramid breathing drills. I can do 5 comfortably but 7 puts me in oxygen debt very quickly in our 50m pool.
  • I'm going to try this pyramid sesh!

    If I die on the seven stroker, remember me fondly as the blonde gob on a stickimage

  • 4 strokes for every breath is great in training, but in a race it doesnt get you much oxygen ....  your best IM swimmers breath much more, i bet most of them breath every other stroke or very most every 3 strokes.

    i suggest you try to breath every other stroke (meaning every right or left depending on which side you prefer) you can get into a rhythm this way.

  • It's called Hypoxic breathing or something like that when you go for 5,8etc  stroke breathing as drills.

    Dave who has been a competetive swimmer- over 50/100metres does breathe every two, but for longer or open water I would say every three is more comfortable- the pace is slower it's less aerobic so less breaths required. That's my understanding anyway. I do go every 4 for periods it's just whatever suits at the time, when you're in for hours you get to play around a bit. Getting used to breathing both sides is very useful should you make the shift to open water as you can choose to breathe away from waves and choppiness caused by the wind.

  • I took Farnie's advice today and did some pyramids. I did 2,3,4,5,6,and 7 strokes.

    7 nearly killed me. I only learned to breathe to the right last week!image

    Very interesting exercise though - and I'll stick with 3 because it seems to maximise oxygen for me for now.....

  • I have to force myself to breath to the left!!!  It feels so unnatural to me........not something I do all the time but definitely need to work on it.
  • I have only been taught crawl from scratch about six months ago. I was told to try breathing on both side early on. I breath on every third stroke so I'm quite happy with what you have all said that I've masterd that early on image
  • I breathe every 3. We did hypoxic breathing at squad on Tuesday, we had to increase our stroke count until failure, so breathe every 2, then 3, then 4, etc and when you fail start from the beginning. I got to 10 about 4 times during the 400m session, but usually 9. Some people got to 11, unsure of the max but one could only go 5. No idea the reasoning behind it but I liked it!
  • Nick LNick L ✭✭✭

    oooh i have been wondering about this stuff....I breathe only on my left side, and every 2 I assume (I breathe with each left stroke)

    As you can tell i am a numpty about swimbling.

    I have tried bi-lateral (some woman said it would improve my aerobic capacity...whihc I think is probabyl pretty good anyway!)....but ended up drinking too much water. So didnt.

    I manage 1km in about 20mins, but that is sort of 'plodding'.....although I suspect my technique is pretty rubbish.

  • 1km in 20mins isn't plodding! That's what I manage and my fastest IM swim is 1:14.

    Of course, it would be great to go a bit faster but then there would be more cyclists passing me!

    Bilateral breathing is helpful in staying straight and coping for when there are waves.

  • 20 mins is NOT plodding, I can't even do that!

    Ally - how nice to hear from you - how's things "down under"? The Pirate ship is on its way to Roth next week, and will be sailing for Regensburg in 2011.

  • 20 mins for a K is pretty slow in the grand scheme of swimming I have to admit - that equates to 8 mins per 400, which is slower than plodding imo. 

    It is really useful to be able to breathe both sides, as races can be clockwise and anti clockwise, you want to be breathing to the inside all the time.  Or if at the sea, always breathe to the shore.

  • Nick LNick L ✭✭✭

    ...sorry, that may have caused some confusion/offence or both. By 'plodding' I meant its sort of a sustainable pace....which is of course a relative term for an individual, one person's plod is another person's eye-balls-out (or whatever the swimming equivalent is!)

    I have only really been swimming regularly now for about a month. Prior to that it was several years since i had been in a pool with a purpose, and even then it was only 'once in a while'. That isnt meaning I couldnt swim prior to that, I can swim, but have never really done it as a form of exercise - hence my 'form' comment.

    If I get a quiet moment I will try bi-lateral, but dont envisage myself entering a race/tri

Sign In or Register to comment.