Written by Karen Kovacs, PT, OCS, USAT Level 1 Coach
Are you gearing up to swim in an open water race? During your training, practice breathing to both sides.
Why? To promote muscular symmetry and balance in your neck, shoulders, trunk and back.
You are less likely to have a sore neck, especially after the practice swims building up to a lengthy open water swim.
Bilateral breathing may help you maintain a straighter line because you have more options for sighting (especially if you are swimming parallel to the shore and it is on your non-dominant side). It definitely helps you keep an eye on your surroundings like other swimmers and the safety boats.
Breathing to both sides promotes improved breath control because you take a breath every third stroke. Water around here is known to get choppy and this gives you an option for turning your head away from oncoming waves to take a breath and avoid a mouthful of salt water. If you are new to bilateral breathing, it will take practice to get used to breathing to your “weaker” side. It requires core stability and trunk rotation so that your hips and legs don’t sink and slow you down.
USA Swimming provides some excellent suggestions and drills to incorporate into your pool workouts here.
If breathing to both sides is new for you, try not to get frustrated. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Be patient. It will get less difficult.
Spiritus lenis. Smooth breathing.
Karen Kovacs, PT, OCS is a physical therapist and clinical director of Tidewater Physical Therapy‘s Gloucester Point location. She is an accomplished endurance athlete and is a USAT Level 1 Coach.
