I don't know what to tell you about the difficulties you experience turning your head, but if lung capacity is a concern, then you can try using a snorkel to increase your lung capacity. i had a coach who was very fond of us using snorkels in practice. Not only does it force a swimmer to take a deeper breathe in order to get a regular breathe of air in, but it takes longer to get a full breathe out so you extend the time between breathe intakes and outakes. it basically makes it very difficult to take several shallow breathes in a row before wearing you out.

First of all, congratulations on completing your first triathlon and winning your age group.  You're off to a great start!

The previous replies both offer excellent advice, and alternate breathing can be very beneficial in open ocean swims especially when you're swimming parallel to the shore.

My only suggestion would be to not let your current breathing method discourage you from continuing to train and compete.  I'm a right side breather (every two strokes like you) by choice, and although it may not "ideal", I'm still improving also and, more importantly, I feel comfortable in the water and am confident that I can complete my swims (8 triathlons and counting, including a 1K swim and a 1.5K Olympic distance).  And for what it's worth, keep in mind that many Olympic freestyle swimmers breath every two strokes to the same side during their races.

If you're able to get to the point where you're doing alternate breathing, please come back and tell us how you did it.  Best of luck.

There are a number of significant benefits to breathing on both sides.  These benefits are related to muscle balance, swim balance, sighting, speed, dealing with adverse water conditions, especially in the ocean, and a bunch of others.

Breathing on both sides is an acquired skill-the more you do it the easier it becomes.  I was a right-side breather and it took me almost a year to become comfortable with breathing on both sides (I did this when I was just a few years younger than you are now); however, once I acquired the skill, I found it was actually easier and less fatiguing to breathe on both sides.  Also, you will find that you will lose the out-of-breath feeling after you get into better shape and get used to breathing every third stroke.

Do not use the snorkles.  They create more bad habits then they are worth and serve as a crutch that you will not be able to use in a race.  If you don't plan to race, then anything goes I suppose.

To assist with learning alternate breathing, try the following drills:

     1.  At first breathe, on the alternate side one stroke out of five, then after a 5-8 swim sessions or so, reduce alternates to one every four strokes for 5-8 sessions, then one every three strokes for 5-8, then start doing it consistently.

     2.  Also at first, swim alternate laps while breathing on your atypical side for an entire lap.  Do a lap while breathing on your atypical side then one lap on your typical breathing side and keep alternating.  Do this for 8 sets of 100 yards or for your warm up and cool down.

Be very careful that you avoid a common habit that far too many people unfortunately acquire when learning alternate side breathing:  don't push down with your hand to raise your head to take a breath.  You should learn to ROLL equally to your left and right to take a breath.  From what you say about your neck, it appears that you are moving your neck too much to take a breath instead of rolling into and out of the breath.  Think of breathing with your navel.  To test whether you are pushing down with your hand to raise your head, swim a lap with your hands in a fist (The Fist Drill).  If you feel like you are sinking on a breath, you haven't learned to roll properly.

The above is what I did and what I teach others, and it works.

Bill

Funny thing is I have the opposite problem - I can only swim by alternating on every third stroke - and I am a terrible swimmer who is out of breath more than not - I wish I could breathe every two strokes as I think it would help me catch my breath - have done 8 triathlons now and I am still usually about the last guy out of the water - I am a great runner and biker but just can't get the hang of swimming - so don't feel bad, as it is just plain hard for some of us to learn how to swim

Glad to hear that you had a victorious finish!

One of the biggest things in swimming is breathing.  It will make it or break it when it comes

to successful swimming.  Always remember that in swimming the whole body works together

as one unit.

Breathing consists of rolling your body (rotating) to the side having your Belly Button and Eyes

looking at the side of the pool/wall.  When you rotate/roll to the side you do it using your whole

body.  Your Neck/ Head should not come apart.

A great drill to work on while breathing is kicking on your side while having one arm in a stream

line position and the other arm just resting on the side of your body.  The arm which is up in

a stream line should be straight as an arrow and your head should be resting on it like a pillow.

*Just like a regular Stream Line with two arms, but you put one arm to the side.

Then you kick across the pool.  Whenever you find yourself sinking remember to focus on the buoyancy

principles.

1. Your chest is where you are the most buoyant

2. If you press down with your chest (Buoyant Part) then you will conteract your bottom half.

So we return to the drill, if you find yourself sinking press down with your arm pit still keeping your

head and arms in the same position.

After you have tried several times now apply it to swimming regular freestyle.

1. Push off take three stroke without breathing and then engage in the rolling/rotating of the body keeping

your head and arm together.  PLEASE do not rush the breathing.

2. Always take your time when practicing a new drill which will enhance your stroke.

3. SO when you engage in the breathing stay there till you find yourself finding a comfort area and

maintaining it so that when you take your next three stroke you can now repeat it again.

PRACTICE PRACTICE makes perfect.

Hope this helps,

Thanks,
Matthew Olaya

Swim Venture

Pool Manager/ Head Coach

swimventure.com

Huntington Beach

Learn to swim  ALL AGES!