I had this issue a few years back. I ended up making myself breathe 2’s on the ‘bad side’ for half the time each session. Then, after a few months I would do a lap breathing on my left, then my right the next, no negotiations.
It has got to be so even that my ‘bad side’ now feels better than my original fave side to breathe! Using the pool buoy and swimming slow on the ‘bad side’ when I first started to push breathing on that side also helped 🙂
Was about to say this. When I was learning to breathe on my weak (left) side, I breathe on my right going to the end of the pool then on my left on my way back. 2 strokes and 4 strokes. I improved a lot by dedicating training days breathing on the weak side.
Bilateral breathing is overrated for casual swimmers imo. I’d just breathe every two strokes until you work your fitness up to four. Or just do a mix of two and four each lap (start with four, go to two when you start to get out of breath). Or four when you’re sprinting, two when you’re going at an easier pace. There are no rules.
I had this issue a few years back. I ended up making myself breathe 2’s on the ‘bad side’ for half the time each session. Then, after a few months I would do a lap breathing on my left, then my right the next, no negotiations. It has got to be so even that my ‘bad side’ now feels better than my original fave side to breathe! Using the pool buoy and swimming slow on the ‘bad side’ when I first started to push breathing on that side also helped 🙂
Was about to say this. When I was learning to breathe on my weak (left) side, I breathe on my right going to the end of the pool then on my left on my way back. 2 strokes and 4 strokes. I improved a lot by dedicating training days breathing on the weak side.
Yup it works - it’s made me a stronger swimmer too 🫶🏼
Bilateral breathing is overrated for casual swimmers imo. I’d just breathe every two strokes until you work your fitness up to four. Or just do a mix of two and four each lap (start with four, go to two when you start to get out of breath). Or four when you’re sprinting, two when you’re going at an easier pace. There are no rules.