Freediving

Freediving is a form of diving where unlike scuba diving where one uses a regulator and air tank, does not incorporate breathing under water. Instead, when freediving you take your breath above the surface of the water, then descend and dive on that single breath. The reasons for taking up freediving can vary, from one attempting to be more in harmony with the natural environment to the desire for competition.

Freediving began originally as a way for the human species to catch seafood to eat and through the centuries has changed into much more. Freediving nowadays is often associated with record breaking, and has become a sport for many.

Unlike scuba diving which requires an air tank, regulator, BCD etc- freediving consists of the bare minimal, usually only consisting of a mask and fins. Sometimes free divers use what is known as a monofin, much like that of the fictitious mermaids tail, this gear item is one large fin which fits onto both feet simultaneously and allows for more propulsion under water. While competitive freediving is very common, this article will focus more on the recreational side.

Freedive Training

So you like the idea of freediving but you can't get a decent amount of bottom time on your dives? Don't worry, while one can simply hop into the water and freedive, you will only truly experience enjoyable freediving when you are able to maintain a decent amount of underwater time, this can be achieved with a little bit of training. The first thing to do if you're serious about freediving is if you're a smoker- to try quit. While smoking does not make a big differences to apnea times for some, it generally does have a negative impact on freediving, most commonly when you're stressing your body. Quitting smoking can increase your underwater speeds and your stamina, though this is a personal choice.

The next step, or first step in many cases is to find a swimming pool, if you're lucky you will have one at home, if not you can try finding a local public pool. Here you can start by just getting used to holding your breath under water, make sure you have a watch so that you can monitor your progress and see how you improve with your underwater times, you may also want to consider using a weight belt just for the training as this allows you the ability to remain fixed at the bottom of the pool and you want to be able to remain as still as possible, avoiding the need for flailing limbs which will use energy and in turn lower your time. In the beginning stages you can remain still in the water in what is known as static apnea, though as you progress you will want to incorporate the feeling of actual diving with your attempts.

Once you feel comfortable with static apnea you can progress onto dynamic apnea. Dynamic apnea will be much like your oceanic freediving, you will be swimming underwater while holding your breath. You can perform these exercises with the use of fins, as that is what you are most likely going to be using when performing your freediving in the ocean. You can perform timed laps of your pool and again, monitor your progression through a period of time.

If you are already a scuba diver you are mostly likely aware of the most effective ways of using your fins, though if not- this is another area you will gain knowledge in through your practicing of dynamic apnea.

Should you want to get the most out of freediving you can also practice common exercises to strengthen your legs and core, allowing for more effective and easier propulsion in the water.

TIPS

• In preparing for each dive, even your training dives it is often good measure to try and slow your heart rate down just prior to the dive. You can do this simply by relaxing your body and mind until you feel in a calm state, you should be able to feel when your heart rate has slowed.
• There is no right and wrong way for breath inhalation prior to descent, some people hyperventilate, some take several short breaths followed by one deep breath and others solely use several deep breaths prior to descent.

Rewards of Freediving

There are certain places in the world where scuba diving is forbidden and only snorkeling and freediving may be performed, and as luck would have it many of these sites have some great experiences to offer. Being able to freedive these areas comfortably and explore the reefs really allows one to appreciate the ability to freedive. In Tofu, Mozambique you have the opportunity to freedive with whale sharks and in the Bahamas, the ability to freedive with numerous dolphins. These are opportunities not to be missed out on.

You may ask, "Why freedive when I can just scuba dive?" and the answer is simple, "freedom". You will not experience the same feeling of freedom in scuba diving as you do in freediving, the ability to travel light, carrying only a pair of fins and a mask, the ability to just dive into the water and enjoy the reef or marine life. There is also something liberating in being under the water at depths not usually performed by the average swimmers and not having the weight of a tank on your back. Not to take anything away from scuba diving, freediving is definitely no replacement for the wrecks and deep walls that can be explored while scuba diving, but it certainly is a handy trade to hold along with your scuba diving abilities.

Competitive Freediving

Even in the competitive arena, for the most part freediving is very much a personal sport. While there are bi-annual World Championships which allow for team freediving, where a team's score is combined to determine a winner- usually a diver competes by him or herself to achieve the best result. Another competitive arena for freediving is the elusive world record. Many free divers attempt to become the best by trying to set a new world record in freediving, primarily the world record for the deepest free dive.