Comments on: What Convinced Me to Breathe Bilaterally after 28 Years?

By: Tim Yogerst

Tim Yogerst — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:39:00 +0000

True symmetry in breathing is much easier when all other movements are symmetrical. It’s tempting to start analyzing your neck rotation, but any correction there could be premature. Start by looking at the hips first, then upper torso, and finally rotation of neck/head. You might have one leg stronger than the other, and that could be causing your hip to under-rotate on the weak side, etc. Also, check the timing, as you might be inhaling longer on the non-normal side due to lack of muscle memory.

By: Stephen Howell

Stephen Howell — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 04:03:00 +0000

This a good solid article, well done. I believe that speed and power come through symmetry.
More of my thoughs are here:
http://www.swimbetterhq.com/2017/02/20/why-you-should-practice-bilateral-breathing/

By: Arina Thomsen

Arina Thomsen — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:32:00 +0000

I found this exercise very helpful. If you breathe every 4 strokes on one side, start exhaling only on the third stroke and hold your breath immediately after you take a breath. You might expell too much air too soon and your alveoli collapse which makes taking the next breath very difficult. With a course of time, you will be breathing more smoothly as you brain will adjust to this new breathing pattern and start expelling air more evenly leaving a necessary residual volume in your alveoli.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 16:28:00 +0000

I am new to TI having had one lesson and lots of practice. However I really struggle with breathing, I cannot seem to expel sufficient air before taking a breath and when taking a breath I find it difficult not to take in water at the same time. Once I’m short of breath I tend to panic a little and have to stop. I have watched many videos on line however none seem to help. Any thoughts?

By: Floyd Fisk

Floyd Fisk — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 20:20:00 +0000

I used to breathe to the right. Then an injury forced me to learn to breathe to the left. Now I’m more comfortable breathing left than right. I do breathe to both sides, usually by alternating laps in some sets, but predominately breath left now. And my stroke count is fairly consistant regardless of the side I’m breathing on.

By: SEB

SEB — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 20:38:00 +0000

Great post thanks Terry! It took me almost 2 years to breath bilaterally! Always been a right side breather until i made the decision to correct that a few years ago, taking a few laps bilateral breathing at the end of each session. I was literally not breathing at all on the left side but instead teaching my brain to get used to seeing the surface below the water on the left side until i was slowly but surely able to get 1 goggle out of the water. It took a while but well worth it…

By: Gray Beard

Gray Beard — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 19:55:00 +0000

Sorry that should have been right sided breather. Autocorrect problem that I didn’t catch.

By: Gray Beard

Gray Beard — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 19:51:00 +0000

I’ve always been a right sided greater. I tried 3 stroke breathing last week and was lower in the water when I took a breath to my left side. It was actually hard to get my mouth out of the water. What am I doing wrong?

By: KearneyHimself

KearneyHimself — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 16:14:00 +0000

I have always been a left side breather because I found it more comfortable. There was a reason for this, as I found out when I got straightened out by our local osteopath. But the habit of a lifetime is hard to shake off, however I will give bilateral breathing a try.