Out of Breath While Swimming

yeah, I had a really hard time with my breathing. I found that I was out of breath because I was really kicking and "fighting" underwater. I found that for me it was more of a "form" issue. I started working on my form more and in so doing I found that I wasn't "fighting" so much and I found I wasn't out of breah so much.  

x2

If you don't fully exhale you are not fully breathing in new fresh air so you can feel out of breath. Try humming to blow out air as soon as your face gets in the water so when you are ready to take next breath you are empty and ready for fresh breath.

This happened to me to when I first started swimming too. 

In swimming, you'll get a lot more out of improved form/efficiency than you will out of improved endurance.   I became a believer in this when I did just a bit of form work at the end of last season, and although I only got a little bit faster, I found I expended tons less effort. 

Work on your style now, not later (and if your coach isn't telling you that, you may want to look at a different coach). 

Check out Total Immersion books & videos.

My questions for you are:

1. How often are you breathing?  Every other stroke?  Every third stroke (bilaterally)? 

2. Why are you still paying the same coach after 6 weeks if he/she can't help you swim more than 25 meters without needing a break?

Related to my first question(s), make sure that you are breathing as often as you need to, and make sure that you are ONLY exhaling underwater and ONLY inhaling when you rotate to take a breath.  If you are trying to exhale and inhale all with your head to the side, it's likely that you aren't able to get the amount of oxygen needed to carry on for more than a single length.  Assuming that you have a somewhat reputable coach, I would hope this isn't the case. 

If you are looking into using TI stuff, I would discuss it with your coach first to make sure you are both on the same page.

This may have already been covered by another reply, but I'll add it anyway.

Most often what's happening when some one gets out of breath while swimming freestyle is because they're holding their breath while their face is in the water. Then they try to exhale AND inhale when their face is above water, and don't get a complete air exchange.

Exhale when you're looking down, so that when you roll to breathe, you're only inhaling. You'll get much better air exchange that way, and I bet you'll relax a whole lot more as well.

You really ought to save something for marriage....

I'm still relatively new to triathlon and can honestly say that the swim was my biggest hurdle. When I started training for my first race, I couldn't swim 50 meters without gasping for air. About 5 weeks into my training I realized that I wasn't making any progress on my own so I found a training plan/program (which opened my eyes to why I wasn't making much progress) and followed it closely. Over the next several weeks I could tell I was becoming more efficient in the water and my endurance increased. Six weeks later I raced in my first triathlon and surprised myself by coming out of the water in the middle of my group. You can do it!

When I started, I was just like you. Here's what I found:

1. TI was a great resource. Learned a ton.

2. (from TI) press your chest into the water. this forces your but up and makes you more hydrodynamic - this is a big part of swimming with a lot less effort.

3. Forcefully exhale. I still have to remind myself of this.

4. Breath on every stroke. Learn to breath on both sides - it will be helpful in open water swims. But, by breathing on every stroke (i.e. every left side or every right side) you get more oxygen assuming you are making room in your lungs for more oxygen. this keeps you more aerobic therefore no breaks.

5. don't fight the water. slow and easy. much easier to do if you are doing #2 above.

For some encouragement, my first workout was a 300yd swim (25 thrashing yards at a time) and I thought I was going to drown. A year and a half later, I swim 1500 - 2000 yds non-stop with no problem. Not fast but steady and easy.

Finally, fire your swim coach. doesn't sound like s/he's helping much.