Was watching OWS competitions on youtube (5k-10k distance) and noticed that nearly everyone I see in there does sight first then rotate head into the breath, rather than breath to the side and then rotate head forward to sight.
I’ve tried both, and for me, it seems to work a lot better not doing it the way they do, meaning I turn to get a breath first, THEN rotate head to sight in the same stroke motion.
And in at least this video, Lucy Charles prefers the way I do it, which is breath then sight.
Is there a reason for OWS elites to prefer sight-first? When I try it, my head seems sticking full out of the water just to see over the waves and then it’s clunkier to get that breath afterwards.
Most of the time I do it from a three stroke bilateral.
Right stroke, breathe to left / stroke left, sight / stroke right, stroke left, breathe right / stroke right. (really breathe left and stroke left are in the same motion as well as breathe right, stroke right)
If I don’t do three stroke then I do 4 stroke where I skip a breath to sight, that way I don’t drop my feet.
Is there a reason for OWS elites to prefer sight-first? When I try it, my head seems sticking full out of the water just to see over the waves and then it’s clunkier to get that breath afterwards.
probably bc that’s what is more comfortable for them and/or they’ve trained to do over and over and over and over and over and over X another 1000+ overs until it becomes second nature to them
Just do you and what is most comfortable & fastest to you. Don’t over think it.
I’ve been told very different things by experienced open water swimmers/coaches. I had always just sighted without a breath. Just a head up/head down type thing. Never felt great but it worked well enough. Then during an open water session with a very good pro open water swimmer I was taught the sight into side breath stroke. After some practice that feels more natural than just sighting ever has. Never even considered doing it in the other order though. That doesn’t really make sense to me as it seems like it would come with a higher risk of swallowing water since your mouth was just open for the breath.
I was then told by Dr. G (Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas) that it was better to sight and breath separately just because the combo meant too much time with your head in a suboptimal position. I tried to go back to that for a bit but it just has never felt as natural as the combo.
Probably not super helpful but I don’t think there’s a true consensus on what is best. I would imagine that most people are significantly better at a sight/breath combo on one side though. I definitely am which is fine with me since I only breathe one side anyways.
Is there a reason for OWS elites to prefer sight-first? When I try it, my head seems sticking full out of the water just to see over the waves and then it’s clunkier to get that breath afterwards.
probably bc that’s what is more comfortable for them and/or they’ve trained to do over and over and over and over and over and over X another 1000+ overs until it becomes second nature to them
Just do you and what is most comfortable & fastest to you. Don’t over think it.
It was just notable to me that it seems like nearly all the elite OWS competitions on youtube have nearly everyone doing look-breathe, rather than breathe-look.
I actually do practice both, but I def favor breathe-look
I’ve always brought my head straight up to sight into a breathe to the left. To me, it flows more naturally with a stroke (I.e. my head working in a counter-clockwise motion). If I were to breathe and then sight, my head would be traveling in a clockwise motion, which seems like it would disrupt my rhythm. But then again, I’m pretty weak in the water, so…… maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all along!
If you can find some ferry weertman footage he is an exception and does the breath sight (not sight breath) approach. One thing is putting your head back in a good position (facing down) so you’re not looking too far forward and sinking legs on your non sight strokes.
In the age group world for almost none of us is it necessary to sight. Just follow the feet and let them sight.
The reason you want to sight then breath is due to hip position. You can’t look up when your hip on the same side is up. You have to look up when hip is down or look down when hip is up.
After you finish breathing your hip on the side you are breathing is “up”. Opposite hip is down. So you can’t lift your head up on that side while hip is still up.
Not sure I am explaining this well but try dolphin kicking with both arms beside your hips like a dolphin body and you will see what hip position is when you lift head up to breath
I’ve tried both ways but I just feel more comfortable doing breathe then sight. I went sub 20 at Age Group Nationals last year so I don’t think it’s holding me back much personally. I’d say do whatever works for you.