Breathing patterns: what’s your preference?

When we asked Outdoor Swimmer readers about their preferred breathing patterns in front crawl, the responses revealed something intriguing. Stripping out the jokes (there were plenty), a clear pattern emerged…

Roughly half of respondents (around 45–50%) favour bilateral breathing, typically every three or five strokes. Another 25–30% use mixed patterns, switching between 2, 3, 4 or 5 depending on pace, fatigue or conditions. Around 15–20% primarily breathe every two strokes on one side, while a smaller minority adopt longer or less structured breathing cycles.

In other words, the dominant culture among our audience leans strongly towards bilateral and extended breathing patterns, often seen as more controlled or technically “correct”.

That’s what makes the contrast with elite swimmers so interesting.

Watch high-level open water racing or pool distance events and you’ll notice something different. The majority of elite swimmers rely predominantly on single-sided breathing every two strokes, particularly when racing or swimming at sustained pace. They aren’t avoiding bilateral breathing entirely – most can switch sides when needed – but their default pattern is usually unilateral.

Why the difference?

At elite level, the priority is simple: oxygen and rhythm. Breathing every two strokes maximises air intake and supports a consistent, repeatable stroke timing. Reducing breaths, as happens with every three or five strokes, places a subtle but real limit on oxygen delivery. That’s manageable at lower intensities, but at race pace it becomes a constraint.

For outdoor swimmers, however, the equation is different. Many of you are optimising not for speed alone, but for comfort, control and adaptability. Bilateral breathing helps with balance, awareness and coping with waves, glare or chop from one side. Longer breathing cycles can feel smoother, calmer and more meditative – particularly over long distances at moderate effort.

Culturally, too, bilateral breathing has come to represent “good technique”, especially among adult swimmers. It’s widely taught and often encouraged, so it’s no surprise so many swimmers adopt it as their default.

But here’s the key point: this doesn’t mean it’s better – just different.

No right or wrong way

If you prefer breathing every three, five or even more strokes, you’re not doing it wrong. You’ve simply optimised for a different outcome. You may be prioritising relaxation over speed, symmetry over oxygen throughput, or adaptability over pure efficiency. For many open water swimmers, especially outside race conditions, those are entirely sensible trade-offs.

Equally, if you find – as some respondents admitted – that you switch to every two strokes when the effort increases, you’re in good company. That’s exactly what experienced swimmers tend to do.

Perhaps the most useful takeaway is this: there’s no single “correct” breathing pattern. The best swimmers aren’t locked into one approach – they have a range of breathing strategies and use them as conditions and intensity demand.

So whether you’re a committed bilateral breather or happily single-sided, there’s no need for guilt. You’re not breaking a rule. You’re simply swimming in a way that works for you – and in the end, that’s what matters most.