CO2 Tolerance Hold vs Bilateral Swimmer Breath
One trains breath-holding on dry land, the other is the breathing you actually do in the pool.
The short answer
CO2 Tolerance Hold is exhale-weighted — 8s out against 4s in, holding 8s of the 20s cycle. Bilateral Swimmer Breath is exhale-weighted — 4s out against 1s in, holding 3s of the 8s cycle. CO2 Tolerance Hold runs at about 3 breaths a minute, Bilateral Swimmer Breath at 8. A session runs 2 min against 64s. CO2 Tolerance Hold is rated advanced, Bilateral Swimmer Breath intermediate.
Side by side
| CO2 Tolerance Hold | Bilateral Swimmer Breath | |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern (seconds) | 4-8-8 | 1-3-4 |
| Rounds | 6 | 8 |
| Session length | 2 min | 64s |
| Best for | Performance | Performance |
| Level | Advanced | Intermediate |
| Not suitable for | Pregnancy, High blood pressure, Heart conditions | Pregnancy |
Choose CO2 Tolerance Hold if
Extend breath-hold for swimming, freediving and combat sport. Best for performance. Extends breath-hold.
Practise CO2 Tolerance Hold with a guided timer
Choose Bilateral Swimmer Breath if
3-stroke breathing pattern for balanced freestyle. Best for performance. Balanced stroke.
Practise Bilateral Swimmer Breath with a guided timer
Other comparisons
CO2 Tolerance Hold vs Hypoxic Swim Ladder
This is general information, not medical advice.