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Breaststroke - Breathe Every Other Stroke

Posted by Glenn Mills on Jun 14, 2011 08:50AM (14,108 views)

Originally published February 12, 2004

Many swimmers love to pop out of the water for their breath on breaststroke. They get a bit out of air, and think the most effective way to continue to move forward, AND get their air, is to push themselves high out of the water. This is not only unnecessary but also sends you in the wrong direction for fast swimming.  It sends you UP rather than FORWARD.


Why Do It:
This drill shows you that you don't have to climb out of the water to breathe. It also teaches you to stay lower on your stroke, sending more of your energy forward when you breathe. This can help you develop a smoother, lower, more direct breaststroke.

How to Do It:
1. Start by swimming regular breaststroke.
2.  On every other stroke, keep your eyes in the water, or as close to the water level as possible.
3.  You'll see just a subtle difference between a breathing stroke and a non-breathing stroke. The head simply stays more in line with the rest of the body during the non-breathing stroke.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
Maintain your rhythm, and don't let your hands get caught under your chest. Don't go under water completely to avoid the breath, just don't come up so high.


Tags breaststroke, breathing


Responses

Responded Apr 02, 2005 01:50PM

I love this drill. In fact I have long believed that there is no real reason to breathe every stroke in breaststroke. Some of my swimmers have done lifetime bests in the 200 by breathing every other stroke.

But if you dont feel froggy, this drill is still great. Combine this with the one second drill of holding the body in streamline underwater after the kick. Then go at race speed in practice using the same drill. FUN
Responded Jun 14, 2011 03:22PM

I'm fairly new to swimming but I have always wondered why coaches dont press the issue of breathcontrol on breaststroke like they do with free and butterfly. I was just recently talking to my friend who is a breaststroker about breathing every other stroke and she said that she never thought of it before. Why is this not more common in swimming?
Responded Jun 14, 2011 07:54PM

First question, is it legal not to breath every time' or you just must break the water surface in each stroke?. I have practice not breathin, but the question is about the impulse you get falling from a high position and getting speed from it, if you fall from a lower position less impulse, true it is an energy waste to be high. But again it is the flat style and teh modern ondulatory style. ¿?
Responded Jun 14, 2011 11:46PM

Here is an old article about this issue:

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/artic...
Responded Jun 15, 2011 12:34PM

This is a drill that's meant for certain swimmers. It's not meant for everyone, and will typically be used for developing swimmers who are having a difficult time understanding how to control the direction they're heading when going to air in breaststroke. The article you linked to was published in 2002, and the techniques of the top swimmers has changed since then. Many of the top level breaststrokers DO indeed lift the head during the insweep, and for many swimmers this should be taught, and not avoided.

Yes, what I just said contradicts what I posted in this drill, which further points that there are different techniques that are meant for different athletes. It's only through experimentation and experience that will allow you to find the method that's best for you.
Responded Jun 15, 2011 12:34PM

PS. You're not required to breathe on every stroke in breaststroke. ;)
Responded Jun 15, 2011 06:26PM

Hi

I've also read that article by Wayne McCauly (who, by the way, was the first guy to post a respond to this week's drill) and tried to play with this breath-no-breath idea.

Does anyone know if this technique is actually common among elite swimmers nowadays?

As for Javier's question - Personally, I really like Efimova's technique. If I got it right, she swims relatively flat BUT uses something that looks a bit like a dolphin kick or at least like using the abdominal muscles to lift her butt up and remain longer in streamline position.
Responded Jun 15, 2011 06:29PM

There are some elite swimmers who swim like this, and others who swim the complete opposite. That's the crazy thing with breaststroke... nobody knows what's the fastest until you've tried it all. As I said above, this is a great way to get younger breaststrokers stable.
Responded Jun 26, 2011 10:55PM

Ok my coach makes me do this too! I'm still trying to learn Breaststroke but I'm getting better! Thanks!


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