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Three-Stroke Breathing Ladder

A step-by-step route to comfortable breathing to both sides: breathe every two, then mix in every three, then every three for a whole length.

Stages
Swimming – Stage 8, Swimming – Stage 9, Swimming – Stage 10
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Rotation, Front Crawl Breathing, Stroke Timing
Equipment
None, Float
Age
8–99 years
Group size
1–20 swimmers
Time
About 6 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • This is about rhythm, not holding the breath – swimmers breathe whenever they need to.
  • Never set breath-holding or 'fewest breaths' competitions.

What it develops

  • Front crawl: long body line with breathing timed to the pull
  • Front crawl: rotation, early catch and bilateral breathing
  • Front crawl technique held over longer distances

How to run it

  1. Length 1: front crawl breathing every two strokes to the favourite side.
  2. Length 2: every two strokes to the less favourite side.
  3. Length 3: two breaths to one side, then one breath after three strokes, repeating the pattern.
  4. Length 4: breathe every three strokes for as far as is comfortable, switching back to every two if needed.
  5. Rest between lengths and talk about which side felt easier and why.

Teaching cues

  • Breathe out steadily under the water.
  • Turn with your body, not just your neck.
  • Same breath on both sides.
  • Easy, not breathless.

Make it easier

  • Practise the weaker side with a float in the lead hand.
  • Use 'three strokes, breathe' over a width only.

Make it harder

  • Breathe every three strokes for a full 50 metres.
  • Swim 2–3–4 patterns (two, three, then four strokes between breaths) only if relaxed – never as a breath-holding challenge.

Common faults

  • Holding the breath, then rushing it.
  • Lifting the head on the weaker side.
  • Stroke becomes shorter on the breathing side.

Corrections

  • 'Hum out bubbles all the time your face is in.'
  • 'Keep the same goggle in the water on both sides.'
  • 'Finish the push past your hip before you turn.'

Assistant / L1 role

  • Stand at the end of the lane and note which side each swimmer breathes to on length 4; tell the teacher who switched back to breathing every two.

Helps with