Ah! And there you have it - the beginnings of proper breathing technique (for training, at least). Don't take huge breaths! If you're forcing your upper chest to expand in order to get that very last bit of air in your lungs, you're doing your whole body a great disservice. Take a full, but comfortable breath - like the kind you'd take for an exasperated sigh (ask your significant other to demonstrate).

As far as exhaling goes,

this is very close! Underwater, there should be a partial expiration (like you're already doing) and a little *puff* as your mouth exits the water. The most obvious reason is to get rid of that spent air - but clearing your mouth of water is great, too (like whales do!). Think of it like blowing out candles, but halfway through your breath, relax your lips - you'll get a little *puff* (but don't close your lips to actually make the "P"uff sound).

This sharp exhalation should also occur during the most quickest and most powerful portion of the stroke - immediately after the scull during the push (work those triceps!). Know how the karate/boxing guys make those sharp expirations as they strike? It helps you finish the stroke in a swift, powerful motion. The momentum of this push should drive your recovering arm and shoulder forward into the water and cause you to rotate naturally.

Now that the exhaling portion is out of the way, you wouldn't expect the inhalation to be any less complicated, would you? Well, it's not so bad! Make a shark-fin with your hand and use it to vertically bisect your face, as if you were blocking an eye-poke from the Three Stooges.

Like this guy!


Now move that hand (still vertical!) to the left edge of your mouth and twist your hand so that the plane your hand makes cuts through the center of your noggin and out the right rear of your head. If you're breathing to the right, everything to the left of your hand should still be in the water as you inhale. Now move that hand to the right edge of your mouth and twist etc. If you're breathing to the left, everything to the right of your hand should still be in the water as you inhale.

There's no need to pull your head back or twist your head so far as to see a lot of sky - it's not going anywhere, trust me.

Your breath should be completed by the time your recovering hand passes your nose. If you're rotating smoothly and consistently, your mouth would be partially under water by that time anyways. At that point, you're back to the beginning!

With regard to breathing every 2/3/4/etc, I was taught (and teach) that one should be comfortable with maintaining good stroke mechanics (stroke/kick/breath) for a good distance first, with modification to breathing coming only after the point where less focus is required to maintain proper stroke and kicking form. I think long distance runners use breath management as an advanced technique, too, so this may apply to other disciplines as well.

Good luck!