2 stroke vs. 3 stroke breathing

I think only you can answer that.  Time yourself doing a 100 (not all out - same effort level) for both the 2 and 3 stroke and see if there is a difference.  If the 3 strokes are really balancing you out better then you will be faster.

For me personally, I feel more comfortable breathing every 3-4 when I am at a cruising pace but once I am going harder it drops down to 2-3.  I think the fact that you are *capable* of breathing on both sides is a bigger asset in OWS than actually breathing bilaterally.  That allows you to breathe on whatever side the conditions dictate is better (waves, sun, etc.)

Seems like sound advice for any situation...

^^^^^^

This made me choke on my sandwich!!!

This is exactly the case for me.  I can take a breath every other stroke and go just as fast when I get winded, but breathing every third stroke, bilaterally, keeps me more consistent and uses less energy.  I can focus on a more streamlined position.  I am much faster when I don't have to breathe at all....but that only lasts about 25 yds.

I've been breathing on both sides, switching from left to right every few laps.  I've spent some time doing laps with bilateral breathing, but it feels like I'm having to hold my breath to do it.  I've been trying to slow down my exhale to offset this, but my main problem may be that my strokes are fairly slow, so the time lapse between 3 strokes is too long for me.  I'm not sure whether I should actually speed up my strokes when doing bilateral breathing to get my breathing closer to a comfortable cadence.  It may well be that I've been stroking more slowly because I'm breathing every 2 and not wanting to breathe too often.

No, do NOT speed up your strokes.  Longer more efficient strokes!

Do you mean that you are breathing every fourth stroke?  (one arm pull = one stroke).  I only ask because you say you are breathing every 2 so as to not breathe too often.  If this IS the case, because you are out of breath, you want to breathe after every 3rd arm pull, or every 3rd stroke.  Does this make sense?

Switch to the other.  I can breath to both sides I just feel more comfortable breathing every stroke.  Doesn't matter which direction though

When I first started swimming last summer I only did 2 stroke breathing to my left side.  After doing an OWS in the ocean and having my face pounded by waves and gulping a bunch of saltwater I was determine to master bilateral breathing.  I took about a couple months to do, but now I feel most comfortable breathing every 3 strokes and would also say I'm faster with that pattern.  If I have to stay on one side I prefer to go 4 stroke or may be a 4-2-4-2.

Whether you breath every 2, 3, or 4 strokes, the key to it all is focusing on the exhale, not worrying about the inhale.  A few have stated that they feel like their holding their breath when they try to go for 3 stroke.  They probably are and that's the problem.  I became most comfortable breathing every 3 strokes when I really started to exhale hard.  I mean exhale as if you are blowing up a balloon.  You won't run out of air.  The problem I have now with a 2 stroke breathing is I don't feel as if I have sufficient time to exhale and then my rhythm get thrown off.

What really helped me with exhaling is the sink drill at this link http://www.swimsmooth.com/exhalation.html.

I have been three stroke breathing for as long as I can remember.  Two stroke breathing has me panting and four is a little too long (but doable).  Some added benefits for me are more consistent power from each arm, straighter swimming and keeping an eye on surrounding swimmers.  During ocean swims depending on waves and wind you will appreciate being equally able to choose the best side based on conditions.

While lap swimming my son & I sometimes have gone to 5 & 7 breath 50's to break it up a little.  Suprisingly they aren't too hard.

Actually, I still think of it as one-side vs. two-side.

During training, I am now about 75% bilateral (3 stroke breathing)

During races, I am 90% one-side, with my prefered side to the right.  I mostly breath every time that my left arm extends, but if I feel relaxed and good enough, I will skip every other breath.  Thus, I am able to mix in some 4 stroke breathing with 2 stroke breathing.

I think the best answer is to learn to breathe on both sides.  If the water is calm and the sun is not an issue, breathe when you need air.  If you have to battle the sun or choppy water, breathe to the side that will not cause you any problems.

YouTube some Olympic swimmers.  Racers in the shorter distance races, 50-200m, will breathe less frequently.  The swimmers doing the 800 and 1500m swims swim much more frequently.  In fact, you will probably notice that these longer distance swimmers don't typically keep the same breathing pattern.  they are just breathing when they need air.