An intuitive guide for navigating freediving
What is freediving? The most common definition says that freediving consists of undergoing activities that require the person to be submerged under water without breathing. Besides emerging as a stand alone sport over the last decades it is also an exercise, an exercise that you do to prepare your body for being able to hold its breath longer, for being mindful, for coping with pressure and for efficient underwater swimming.
A few examples of activities that require this capabilities are: spearfishing, scuba diving, surfing, skydiving (yes, the one with a parachute), underwater rugby or hockey, vacation near the sea, picking-up sea trash, sea grass planting, underwater photography etc…
Physics at work in freediving
Archimedes’ Law –
Boyle’s Law –
Henry’s Law –
Freediving Education
Most courses that are available from different organizations are structured on levels with each level introducing new elements. The freediver, you, will have to cope with different effects given by the above described laws.
Level 1 – introduction focused, gear, swimming with a bit of added depth and trying a breath hold. No passing requirements
Level 2 – around 1min30s of a breath hold as well as being able to go down to 10-15m and being able to swim around 30m with bi-fins under water in the pool are passing requirements.
Level 3 – around 2min30s of a breath hold as well as being able to go down to 20-25m and being able to swim around 50m with bi-fins under water in the pool are passing requirements.
Level 4 – around 3min30s of a breath hold as well as being able to go down to 30-35m and being able to swim around 70m with bi-fins under water in the pool are passing requirements.
As you are already anticipating, in order to become an instructor you’ll have to break through the 4min wall and reach 40m plus a lot of safety, rescuing and presentation drills. If you have made it to level 3-4 you are no longer into it for doing something fun in your vacations and impressing your friends but more for the amazing life skills you have gained.
How to prepare for your next freediving experience
The biggest benefits of a freediving course, as well as the reasons for which other freedivers will feel comfortable training with you are: the safety and rescue drills you will perform, learning how and why to safety your freediving partner, increased awareness on the sea, knowing the gear and choosing a place to freedive.
Here are a few thoughts on how to prepare for an upcoming freediving course or trip that involves freediving.
How to get the most out of a Level 1 freediving course
Make sure you are comfortable in the water and are able to swim a few lanes without a break. Practice treading the water. Become comfortable with your face down in the water with swimming goggles or a diving mask if you have one. Bonus points if you are able to touch the bottom of the swimming pool.
How to get the most out of a Level 2 freediving course
Here you will work against Archimedes’ law (against the weight of the water volume your body dislocates). The effects of Boyle’s law will be limited (air cavities in your body – lungs, mouth, sinuses, middle ear, Eustachian tubes)
You can try at home, on the couch, 30s to 1m breath holds. Find a pool nearby and try to swim to its bottom. Go as deep as your ears allow you, repeat next time – time in the water is training and adaptation. Check out the world wide web about equalization (hands-free/BTV, Valsalva, Frenzel).
How to get the most out of a Level 3 freediving course
At level 3 depths Boyle’s laws effects are dominant and you will feel two things:
- the air you carry in your mouth from the surface …shrinks
- because your lungs have a smaller volume, your total volume is smaller and Archimedes’ force is no longer big enough. In other words, you start sinking.
As preparation for the course you can try in a 4m swimming pool the following:
- equalize with as little air in your mouth as possible (empty mouth)
- work on your fining technique – choose a reference point on the side of the pool, stay upright in the water and start fining. Stay in one point and eliminate fining asymmetry.
- Practice duck dives and duck dive coordination (surface kick, equalizing, entry, arm pull, fining, more equalizing)
You could also introduce visualizing your dives (meditation).
Find a buddy and practice together. If you don’t know anyone, look in the Global Communities. Always dive with a partner!
How to get the most out of a Level 4 freediving course
The target depth is below an average person’s residual volume (25%). This means being flexible, relaxed and calm will be the key for enjoyable dives. You can try the following exercises:
- train your diaphragm
- upper body/chest flexibility exercises
- in a 4m deep swimming pool you can try to dive with less air in your lungs (NOT residual volume!)
- Visualize your dives – this is a powerful tool and you have it available at any time
Find a buddy and practice together. If you don’t know anyone, look in the Global Communities. Always dive with a partner!
How to keep yourself fit for your next freediving adventure
Maintain as much as possible a visualization/meditation practice. Always start gradually after a break. You can always train technique, dynamic CO2 tolerance, hands-free or Frenzel equalization, depth adaptation, in the swimming pool.
Becoming better is not a specific goal. Try training for a competition (pool or depth) or a specific depth/distance in a discipline that you enjoy. Progress slowly and always dive with a partner!
Hope you found this useful and managed to build up confidence, technique and awareness for your upcoming dives. Reach out if you think you can contribute to the freedivingpedia.com project.
– Catalin