Need advice to gain distance on Freestyle

Wannabeaswimmer;84105 My trouble is that I can't seem to get beyond swimming 50 yards without becoming a litttle winded. I need to take a few breaths before I can do more. This sounds so much like me 40+ years ago. The first thing you want to do (before drills, technique, style or whatever) is to learn how to breathe. When I started, I could do a 50 (LCM) Free in 30 but couldn't do 55 meters even if chased by a Great White. I discovered, quite by accident that I did not exhale while my face was underwater. Quite unconsciously, I held my breath while my face was under and then when I rolled, exhaled and then inhaled. That was never enough. One day, as I was told by the coach, to swim with, beside, at the speed of our slowest swimmer, I couldn't hold my breath any longer and exhaled with my face submerged. Then when I rolled, all I had to do was just open my mouth and the air rushed in. I didn't even have to inhale. My suggestion to you is: Get yourself to the deep end of the pool. Tread water or hold on to the edge. Inhale Let your self sink Exhale, exhale, exhale, slowly, let it all out. Surface Open your mouth Let the Air IN (you won't even have to INhale), and repeat. You will find a rhythm that will most closely approach a swimming rhythm, something like Out, Out, Out, Out, In, Out, Out, Out, Out, In....... (or 3 to 1) (or 2 to 1) or ........ Once you have that rhythm, apply it to a slow crawl and you'll find that you can go on forever. From there on, you'll be able to increase your swimming speed while still "breathing". Your mileage may vary but that's how I discovered that I didn't know how to breathe. Good luck.

Wannabeaswimmer;84105 My trouble is that I can't seem to get beyond swimming 50 yards without becoming a litttle winded. I need to take a few breaths before I can do more. This sounds so much like me 40+ years ago. The first thing you want to do (before drills, technique, style or whatever) is to learn how to breathe. When I started, I could do a 50 (LCM) Free in 30 but couldn't do 55 meters even if chased by a Great White. I discovered, quite by accident that I did not exhale while my face was underwater. Quite unconsciously, I held my breath while my face was under and then when I rolled, exhaled and then inhaled. That was never enough. One day, as I was told by the coach, to swim with, beside, at the speed of our slowest swimmer, I couldn't hold my breath any longer and exhaled with my face submerged. Then when I rolled, all I had to do was just open my mouth and the air rushed in. I didn't even have to inhale. My suggestion to you is: Get yourself to the deep end of the pool. Tread water or hold on to the edge. Inhale Let your self sink Exhale, exhale, exhale, slowly, let it all out. Surface Open your mouth Let the Air IN (you won't even have to INhale), and repeat. You will find a rhythm that will most closely approach a swimming rhythm, something like Out, Out, Out, Out, In, Out, Out, Out, Out, In....... (or 3 to 1) (or 2 to 1) or ........ Once you have that rhythm, apply it to a slow crawl and you'll find that you can go on forever. From there on, you'll be able to increase your swimming speed while still "breathing". Your mileage may vary but that's how I discovered that I didn't know how to breathe. Good luck.