How To Start Freediving?
Are you overwelmed by all the different agencies and types of courses? We clearly explain how to start freediving.
What is freediving and why do it?
According to the freediving association AIDA “anyone who has held their breath underwater has freedived”, and according to Cambridge dictionary freediving is “an act of swimming deep under water without using breathing equipment”. A common term used for holding your breath within freediving is “apnea”, it is Greek and translates to “without air”. This clearly sets it apart from scuba diving where breathing continues to take place thanks to the equipment you are bringing with you under the water. Scuba actually stands for “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”. In other words, when it comes to freediving and air – you are on your own.
So why do it? Let’s look at what the professionals has to say.
Freediving is about feelings, whether it is the euphoria that comes from weightlessness, or our amazement at the beauty of the underwater world. We dive for the moments of joy which come from a deeper understanding of our thoughts and experiences. We freedive for the pleasure of solitude, where inner peace and awareness calm our racing mind. Freediving offers us happiness from nothing more than a single breath o‘f air.
Natalia Molchanova
Freediving is the most natural and serene way to explore the depths of the oceans with minimal impact. It is also the ultimate way to free yourself and spend more time enjoying the beauty and silence of the sea. […] However, freediving is not simply about seeing how long you can hold your breath or how deep you can go on a single breath. You have to create the right attitude and pay attention to the limits of your body and mind. The true appeal of freediving is in the silence and calm it brings to people’s hectic lives.
AIDA
Now if that’s not inspiration enough I don’t know what is. Simply put, freediving is about exploring mind and body, being free and calm, and connecting with nature. Great, sign me up and tell me how to start freediving?
How to start freediving?
So what’s the deal, why can’t I just start exploring on my own? Well, here are some arguments.
A common question when it comes to freediving is if you should hyperventilate or not before a freedive? Looking it up on Google or YouTube you will find people saying yes and people saying no. So what is actually right? The answer is simply NO, you should not. Why? The short explanation is that it delays your urge to breath, making it more likely for you to blackout under water. The urge to breath is a good thing and also one of the tools Freedivers learn to work with when it comes to our bodies. This is one of many things you will learn while getting certified.
Freediving is considered an extreme sport. So you need to know how to start freediving safely. The risks include ear and lung damage and in the worst case – drowning. However, accidents are rare (especially fatal ones) and can be avoided as long as you approach the sport and your own abilities with respect and the right knowledge. With this in mind and safety as a top priority for freedivers getting a certification is a good idea.
While taking the courses you will also make some new good friends, especially since being each other’s buddy’s and making sure you are safe in the water creates a strong bond. While learning how to start freediving and going through the process together you will relay on each other as support as well.
Moreover, taking a course and learning how to start freediving from professionals while getting individual feedback on your actual performance will enhance and speed up your learning and make you a better freediver. This will give you more time and confidence to enjoy freediving together with your friends.
How to start freediving? – Get Certified with a reputible instructor!
What you will learn?
By taking a freediving course you will learn how to start freediving on dry land first with stretching, breathing, and relaxing properly. You will learn diving and swimming techniques, safety measures and how to be a dive buddy. What techniques you will learn and how deep you will go into each subject will vary depending on which course level you are at. Some parts of learning how to freedive will give you fast results and others will take more time. Remember – long term adaptation and improvements within the body takes time so patience and consistency are your best friends.
In general most freediving courses consist of the following:
Theory – classroom or e-leaning, plus exams.
Dry land – warm up, stretching, breathing, relaxation exercises and equalization.
Confined water sessions (pool) – Swimming, static apnea, dynamic apnea.
Open water sessions (ocean) – diving to depth using the different freediving disciplines – improving things like posture, bottom turns, equalization and once again relaxation.
Different Agencies and Certifications
All agencies included in this comparison are well renowned and international. All of them will provide you with the knowledge and skill you need to become a freediver. Choosing one of them for your certification will come down to availability at your location, recommendations, pricing and local instructors. My personal advice is to not lock yourself to one of these agencies, but instead look at the rating of specific dive shop in your area and their instructors. After all, the person teaching the course will be the person with the most influence on your experience, not the certifying agency.
All these agencies offer multiple levels of courses for freediving and instructor courses for those interested how to start freediving instructor training. Some of the agencies also offer specialty courses like PFI:s “Safety freediver” or AIDA:s “monofin freediver”.
The required age to join and get certified usually ranges from 12 to 16 years of age (some agencies will require parental approval).
AIDA – International freediving federation, founded 1992.
FII – International freediving organisation founded by world record holder Martin Stepanek.
Molchanovs – International freediving organisation founded in 2010 by world record holders Natalia Molchanova and her son Alexander Molchanov.
PADI – Worlds largest scuba diving organisation, founded 1966.
PFI – International freediving organisation, founded 2000.
SSI – International scuba diving organisation, founded 1970.
Below is a table that summarises what you will need to perform to pass each certification.
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
AIDA Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) |
N/A Only intro. |
16 2 40 |
24 2:45 55 |
32 3:30 70 |
FII Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) | Not specified – – |
– – – |
– – – |
– – – |
Molchanovs Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) BO rescue from depth |
12 1:30 30 6m |
24 2:30 50 15m |
34 3:30 75 20m |
50 5:00 100 30m |
PADI Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) BO rescue from depth |
10 1:30 25 5m |
24 2:30 40 10m |
32 3:30 70 15m |
Instructor |
PFI Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) |
10 1:30 Optional |
25 3:00 Optional |
40 4:00 |
Instructor |
SSI Depth (m) Static apnea (min) Dynamic apnea (m) BO rescue from depth |
10 N/A 30 10m |
15 2:30 50 15m |
30 3:30 75 20m |
– – – |
Summing Up - How To Start Freediving?
Freediving is about being present and to relax, the more present and allowing you can be towards yourself and what is going on around you in each specific moment the better a freediver you will become. This is not always easy but it is something we can improve over time, with the right training. The insights that come from learning how to freedive will also prove very useful in your everyday life.
As mentioned, freediving does not come without risks. Ear and lung trauma, and even drowning are potential risk. However, there are many ways to enjoy freediving in a safe and pleasant manner and the first step in achieving this is in my opinion to get the appropriate education. If you respect yourself, the ocean and your diving friends – make sure to get certified as you step into the amazing underwater world of apnea. Now get out there and train, make friends, and enjoy the present moment!
