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I really breathed more often than every 4 when 500m was my best event, is breathing that often really the common consensus?
by graphitezepp 8y ago
I really breathed more often than every 4 when 500m was my best event, is breathing that often really the common consensus?
- epmatsw 8y agoI think so. If you watch someone like Katie Ledecky, she breathes every 2 strokes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQU_VWBF1uw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQU_VWBF1uw
- trashface 8y agoA kind of off topic question: in that video you can see that not only is Katie breathing every 2 strokes, but her stroke timing is "staggered" - 2 strokes, pause, 2 strokes, pause - like a heartbeat. I think Phelps does the same thing. Is this just a style thing or is it actually faster?
- xyhopguy 8y agoI dont think this is settled -- I've seen world class swimmers do it both ways. Personally I find taking a long stroke after each breath more effective.
- GreedCtrl 8y agoThis is called galloping (might have other names too). In general, freestyle has two extremes: shoulder driven and hip-driven. Shoulder driven freestyle is faster but less efficient, and hip-driven is slower but more efficient. Galloping alternates between hip- and shoulder-driven strokes, which is why it seems uneven. This also allows the swimmer to take advantage of the motion of breathing to build more momentum. I don't know if it is truly faster or not though.
- trashface 8y agoThanks! They definitely didn't teach us to do it that way when I was a kid, but that was back in the dark ages. I'll have to try it to see if it works for me.
- fc373745 8y agobreathing every 4 in a 500? damn you have massive lungs. Everybody i know that goes under 4:30 in the 500y breathes 2 though.