Swimming: How many lengths to start off with?

Never got the hang of SWIMMING?

• My general fitness is above average, but my upper body strength is below average, I'm not fat, actually I'm quite skinny but I can't seem to get swimming. I always start burning all my energy a length after I've left the wall. Its really annoying. I'm not bothered about the proper technique, I just want to be able to do a good few lengths with my head above water all the time. My school's building an indoor swimming pool at the moment which I'll be able to use for about a year and a half when I'll be 16.5-18 so I can take any tips you have to a pool without paying so times not a problem. Is it my upper body strength or do I just need to relax? Anybody else had this problem and knows how to solve it?

• Answer:

  bud when you push off the wall dip down beneath the surface then put your feet on the wall then push off, then glide, you wont sink. always kick after the intial glide ok when your gliding you will come to the surface, when you do you will need to breathe. make you sure you are always kicking. your problem lies in the fact you not kicking quick enough, someone told me the way to kick is like there is sock on the end of you foot and your kicking just your ankles, this way you flip the ankles and the rest of your leg follows. as for keeping the head above the water, breast stroke and the kicking is different to that above, its more diffcult. stick to the front crawl, once you;ve mastered that then look for some tutorials on other swim styles. get the basics down, then everyhting will fall in to place. peace