Swimming Advice Needed

[pisces1]

I have recently started swimming and go religiously every sunday morning with my regime at the moment to swim 40 lengths 1000m. i swim only breast stroke as i find this gives me the workout i need

 

 

for some strange reason, I always struggle with my breathing during the first part of the swim and get panicked . Think the capacity of my lungs might be the issue. I try swim a deliberate relaxed style but it always is difficullt until i get into the swim.. The more lengths i do , the better the breathing gets. However the problem really is hindering my progress .

 

 

i have not swam for exercise really at all, only swimming on holiday recreationally. Now i am doing it purely to train for good cardio.

 

My goal here is to improve and get quicker..

 

 

can anyone in the sport offer any advice on this problem?? please inbox me as oppose to continuing thread