Breathing on both sides feels awkward at first. A simple progression to make it feel as easy as your favourite side.
Breathing only to one side is fine until it is not. It builds a lopsided stroke, hides what is happening on your blind side, and leaves you stuck if the chop or the sun is on your good side. Bilateral breathing, every three strokes, fixes all of that. Here is how to make it feel natural.
Breathing both sides evens out your stroke, improves your body rotation, and makes open water far less stressful. It feels hard at first only because one side is underused.
The weak side usually feels rushed because you have exhaled too late. Breathe out steadily through your nose and mouth the whole time your face is down, so your lungs are empty and ready when you turn to breathe.
Give it a few weeks of patient practice. The payoff is a balanced, adaptable stroke that holds up in any conditions.
Bella is the swimmer behind Elite Swimmer HQ. An Aussie who grew up obsessed with the pool and raced butterfly, she writes the guides, gear breakdowns and technique tips she wishes she had read sooner.
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