Need advice to gain distance on Freestyle

I've been trying to learn swimming for about a year. I started to do TI with a TI coach and ended up doing drills, drills and more drills with no swimming for a year. I decided I needed to get to some real swimming so I hired a different coach to help me with stroke technique and it has helped a lot. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. 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. When I started with the second coach, I couldn't even make 25 yards so I have improved. Can anyone offer advice on how to progress further? Is this something that just comes with time and practice? Although drills are important in learning to swim, I believe they should come second, not first, in the learning process. The reason I say this is because any good, quality instructor needs to first evaluate a person's comfort in the water. And if that instructor sees that a swimmer is always out of breath, it is a red flag that the swimmer may not be exhaling (like was mentioned in the reply above), or that the swimmer may be intimidated and have fear issues. But regardless, a person should most certainly be swimming way before a year goes by with a good program and coach. I am glad you are now seeing progress with your new coach because progress is achievement and likely to keep you swimming!!! Because I cannot coach from far away, talk to your coach about your breathing issues and make certain you are exhaling and inhaling when you are supposed to. Also make sure you are not over-kicking because the exertion from over kicking will fatigue you. Please come back and let us know about your progress. One question: are you bilateral breathing (breathing on both sides), or do you breath more on one side than the other? And how often are you trying to breathe? Good Luck!! donna

I've been trying to learn swimming for about a year. I started to do TI with a TI coach and ended up doing drills, drills and more drills with no swimming for a year. I decided I needed to get to some real swimming so I hired a different coach to help me with stroke technique and it has helped a lot. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. 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. When I started with the second coach, I couldn't even make 25 yards so I have improved. Can anyone offer advice on how to progress further? Is this something that just comes with time and practice? Although drills are important in learning to swim, I believe they should come second, not first, in the learning process. The reason I say this is because any good, quality instructor needs to first evaluate a person's comfort in the water. And if that instructor sees that a swimmer is always out of breath, it is a red flag that the swimmer may not be exhaling (like was mentioned in the reply above), or that the swimmer may be intimidated and have fear issues. But regardless, a person should most certainly be swimming way before a year goes by with a good program and coach. I am glad you are now seeing progress with your new coach because progress is achievement and likely to keep you swimming!!! Because I cannot coach from far away, talk to your coach about your breathing issues and make certain you are exhaling and inhaling when you are supposed to. Also make sure you are not over-kicking because the exertion from over kicking will fatigue you. Please come back and let us know about your progress. One question: are you bilateral breathing (breathing on both sides), or do you breath more on one side than the other? And how often are you trying to breathe? Good Luck!! donna