What are some good exercises for competitive swimming?

What are some exercises that will help me improve my breathing skills in swimming?

• I suck at swimming, but somehow, i made my schools swimming team, but my MAIN problem is that i cant hold my breath for that long at ALL and i come up every few seconds and I'm gasping for breath so i REALLY need help...i cant get in the water because i don't have a pool at home and i wont be in the pool for 2 days...so what are some exercises i can like do on my own at home?? help please!1 :) please and thank you!

• Answer:

  you need to train your body anaerobically, which means you need to make your muscels more efficient on less oxegyn. Exercises like running, walking, and cycling will keep your body in shape, but will not train your muscels to perform with a lower supply of oxegyn. Do not try to hold your breath while you do these activites! You could seriously injure yourself or pass out. If you really want to improve your breathing, the best way to do it is in a pool. My swim coach makes us do no breathers. Try pushing off the wall of the pool, holding your breath and swimming underwater for as long as you can go. Eventually you will be able to make it to the other end of the pool (25 yards) and farther. Try to remeber that when your lungs start to burn, slowly start letting some of that air out of your lungs, dont just immiediatly come up for air. Something else to try would be breathing every 5 or more strokes while performing medium distance freestyle swimming. Also do not breath right before you do a flip turn, or right after. Take at least 4 strokes after your flip turn and then take a breath. It will be hard at first, but after awhile your breathing improves drastically.