Are you Bi ?? (Page 2)

I also like the 2/3/2/3 pattern for races.  Breathing on both sides has helped me swim straighter in OWS as well.

Started bilateral breathing in high school when trying to fix a nagging shoulder injury.

I still breathe bilaterally - unless it's a sprint of like 100 yards or less, then I tend to revert to just right side...

In the pool, 100% bi-lateral. 

In OWS, usually a mix.  I try to start breathing every two strokes to prevent anxiety and make sure I am exhaling enough.  After 300-400 yards and I know I am past the "panic attack" distance, I go bilateral if the course is opened up a bit.  If I find myself in heavy traffic, I go back to every 2 strokes.

I have gone bilateral from the start on OW swims and those always seem to be the swims where I get the good old panic 200-300 yards in.  Probably from CO2 build up (or just sucking at OWS). 

^^^THIS^^^

I went from unilaterally to bilaterally by basically starting all over again in the pool, and just forced myself to do it.  I like the balance it provided me in the water, and I don't get that post-swimming vertigo.  I will breathe a little more often, like BikerGrrrl said above, when I feel really winded.

<--- someone shoot the snob ... who has gills

Honestly, even in whopper ~10k swim sessions or recovery swims, I am rarely going slowly enough that bilateral (3-stroke) breathing is going to get me enough O2. Maybe during the warm-up.

I breathe probably 75% to my left and 25% to my right, but I've had to swim extended time/distance just breathing to the right and that's fine.

How about competent breathing to either side? 

When I became a lifeguard/swim instructor, I figured it would be good if I could show kids how breathing (properly) looked to each side.  It wasn't pretty when I started, but I stuck with it. 

"Easy" sets I'll breath every 4th pull, to the left on the way down the pool and to the right on the way back. 

"Moderate/hard" I'll breath every 3rd pull (bilaterally).

Last winter during some coached sessions, the coach would have us stretch out breathing from 2 or 3 to 4-5-6-7-8-10.  (Breathing every 10th pull is about once half-way down the pool and again at the end)

I clicked fish, but that may skew the results.  Technically I breath bilaterally and always have (at least as long as I can remember).  For me it's all about the rythm and where it needs to fall.  generally every 3rd stroke.

When training, I'm totally bi...

Racing, I'll breath to the right unless I've got someone right next to me...

Bilateral on 3 in the pool.

2/3 in OWS, sighting on the 3. I find that breathing more often and sighting frequently helps with my motion-sickness.

If I get panicked for any reason, I will breath on every stroke until I catch my breath rather than resort to breast stroke.

Hi, I'm new here, my name is Katharine. Anyway, not to hijack the thread but I've been trying to do this and I end up sinking and inhaling water and its just a total mess, I must look like I'm drowning. How could I do this without sinking?

WELCOME!

Totally understand...I can't really kick worth a damn, so I always end up sputtering.  You just have to kick harder!  I know it sucks...it will pass.  I used to be totally gassed after 100m of these body position drills.  OR! Buy some fins.

It took me a great deal of time to learn to breath bilaterally, but was worth it. I swim bilaterally now 95% of the time. It was kind of like learning flip turns...a total pain in the a$$, but in the end I'm glad I did it.  

Forget I mentioned flip turns...that's a whole other discussion :P

I try to breathe every 3rd, but at hard efforts go every 2. 

On OWS every 3rd has kept me from having to sight as often in some straight lake swims.  I was going straight between the shores and as long as I was parallel on both sides no need to look ahead till the exit.

thanks, maybe i'll buy some fins