How To Start Freediving

Freediving can be one of the most enjoyable and liberating experiences of your life. Imagine what it must feel like for a bird to soar through the air on a warm afternoon. This is a sensation that humans struggle to immolate. However, freediving can simulate the sensation. While freediving, nothing in the ocean is out of your reach and you are only really limited by the duration of time you can hold your breath. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know to begin your new freediving hobby.

What Is Required To Freedive?

Freediving, in its true essence, is diving unaided by a breathing apparatus. If you have ever held your breath and dove below the surface of the water you were swimming in, congratulations, you’re a freediver. Specifically, you have engaged in the criteria that define freediving. However, when we speak of freediving from the standpoint of recreational activity, we are suggesting a series of MULTIPLE dives down into the water for the purposes of exploration or catching food or for competitive purposes. With this in mind, you had better believe that some equipment is recommended in order to make you more successful for freediving.

Equipment – The great thing about freediving is that the required equipment is minimal. We have already discussed that you will be relying on your own held breath to sustain yourself while under water. So, right away we know that an oxygen tank is out of the question. Next, we have to deal with the issue of our vision. Your dives are going to be short-lived if you cannot see where you are going in the water. Without proper vision, you cannot enjoy the aquatic scenery and if you are planning on catching food during your dives, you can forget about it. That is why a good diving mask is a necessity for proper freediving. Preferably, you will want a mask that blocks off your nasal passages. This is crucial when angling your head for underwater observation. A rush of water into your nose can result in an abrupt end to your dive.

Once you have your diving mask taken care of, the next thing you will need is a set of long blade diving fins. It is important that we make the distinction here regarding the length of the fins. The longer the better. What you are looking for are diving fins that are designed for maximum propulsion of the diver through the water. Shorter flippers don’t produce the power that their longer counterparts generate. The key here is to be able to maximize the distance you can travel underwater within the time you are able to hold your breath. This way, you can observe more of your surroundings while submerged.

For more information on the type of equipment you will need to begin freediving, check out our article on the subject HERE.

What To Know Before You Begin Freediving

Once you have your freediving equipment taken care of, you are only part of the way done. You need to do some preliminary research on your intended dive location. It is NEVER recommended that you spontaneously freedive in unfamiliar waters. You need to do your due diligence and research the area before you dive. Things you want to think about are:

Have there been any problems with the current/undertow or heavy waves recently?

Are there any issues will local pollution in the area you are planning one diving in?

What sort of terrain can you expect in your diving area? Are there large rocks or coral?

Are there any active warnings regarding sharks or other hazards in the area?

These are all questions you will have to answer before you embark on your freedive. The idea is to be prepared and avoid surprises during your dive. Any of these issues can pose a real threat to a diver and can result in serious injury or even death.

Your First Freedive

Once you have taken proper preparatory measures and obtained the preferred equipment, you are ready to embark on your first freedive. It is important to remember that your ability to hold your breath is a skill that you will have to develop. At first, your dives will be short and you will have to come up for air frequently. Additionally, the act of swimming underwater causes great physical exertion which can make you seek fresh oxygen even for frequently than normal. Like anything else, you will become more proficient with time and practice.

Things to remember when freediving

1) Always tell someone where you will be diving – Whether you have a dive partner or if you are going solo, it is always a good idea to tell someone where you will be diving and when you plan on returning home. This way, if you find yourself stranded or injured, someone is on standby to come looking for you.
2) Always be aware of your surroundings – We touched on this before but you need to always be cognizant of the conditions of the environment you are diving in and you need to be aware of any underwater obstacles that might be located in the area. It is very easy to get tossed by a rogue wave onto a sandbar or a submerged rock. Also, an undertow can whisk you away if you are not careful. Always be familiar with your diving location.
3) Always take long breaks in between dives – The more frequent you hold your breath, the more fatigued you become. If you are performing rabid dives with little rest in between, you will find that your ability to stay submerged becomes compromised over time. The danger in this is that you run the risk of dizziness or disorientation and you could possibly pass out from lack of oxygen. This is why you must remain disciplined while freediving and be sure to re-oxygenate your body in between dives. Remember, you aren’t just holding your breath for long periods of time. You are performing a sort of workout in the form of swimming. Your body will need time to recuperate in between dives. This is why you will have to force yourself to take five-minute breaks in between dives in order to re-oxygenate yourself for a more effective subsequent dive.

The great thing about freediving is that you can literally start immediately. Just follow the tips we outlined in this article and you will be on your way to the adventurous world of freediving.