The origins of freediving can be traced to over 2,000 years ago when it was used for gathering food and resources underwater in ancient times.
Today, freediving has evolved into a popular recreational activity and competitive sport. Essentially, freediving is the art of holding your breath underwater and exploring the depths of the ocean without a breathing apparatus (i.e. scuba gear or snorkel).
Surfers, swimmers and even anglers might be familiar with the concept of freediving, but if you've never tried it before, you may be wondering what exactly it entails and why people do it.
Talk to any freediver, whether they be a veteran or a newbie, and they'll tell you the biggest appeal of freediving is the unparalleled feeling of being weightless, free and at one with the ocean.
Freediving (also known as skin diving) allows you to fully immerse yourself in the underwater world and experience it in a way that scuba diving or snorkeling cannot replicate.
But besides the serene sensation, it also comes with a number of other benefits. Enhanced mental toughness, better breath control and improved open ocean IQ are just a few positive side effects of the freediving experience.
That said, breath hold diving at any depth or in any environment can be dangerous if not done with proper training, equipment and caution.
Skin diving and freediving courses are a dime a dozen in most coastal regions (some even offer online training), and beginners are urged to take freediving courses before attempting any serious freediving.
→ Check out Aquatic Apes’ freediving course
A certified instructor will not only teach you proper freediving skills in a swimming pool before moving on to open water, but they’ll also educate you about the physiological effects of breath hold diving and how to recognize and avoid potential risks.
Your breath hold skills will progress much quicker during freediving courses as opposed to trying to figure things out on your own. Besides, if you want to get into competitive freediving, proper training is a must.
The first point to clear up is the difference between snorkeling, freediving and scuba diving. While all three activities involve being underwater, they have distinct differences.
Snorkelling involves floating on the surface of the water with a mask and snorkel tube, allowing you to see underwater without having to hold your breath. You can't breathe underwater, but you can surface for air as needed.
Scuba diving involves using a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) to breathe while exploring the depths of the ocean. This equipment allows for longer dives and more freedom of movement compared to freediving.
Freediving involves diving underwater while holding your breath, either with or without fins and a mask. It requires proper training in order to safely explore the underwater world and stay submerged for longer periods of time.
One of the appeals of freediving is the simplicity of equipment needed.
Unlike scuba diving, there is no bulky gear or tanks to carry around. The essentials for freediving include:
There are also specialized freediving fins, designed to increase efficiency and power while swimming underwater. These fins are typically longer than regular snorkeling fins, allowing you to dive deeper and swim faster.
Like all disciplines there exist various forms of freediving. Here are the most common types.
The simplest and safest form of freediving, in which the diver holds their breath while floating face down in a pool or confined water. Static Apnea is primarily used to train for longer breath holds and improve relaxation techniques.
Dynamic Apnea refers to horizontal swimming underwater while holding your breath. This can be done in a pool or open water. Dynamic Apnea is best for divers who want to improve their underwater swimming skills and increase their breath hold without experiencing issues of depth.
This is the most common type of freediving in which the diver descends and ascends using only their own swimming motion, without pulling on a rope. Many recreational and competitive freediving aficionados consider this the purest form of freediving.
This involves the use of no weights. Instead, a sled is used to bring the diver down and back up. Variable Weight Freediving is easier than Constant Weight Freediving. It's not part of freediving competitions.
Similar to Constant Weight Freediving, but the diver pulls themselves down and back up using a rope connected to a float at the surface. This technique allows the body to conserve oxygen, as divers can move forward without relying on their legs for propulsion.
No Limits freediving is perhaps the most dangerous of all the disciplines. This is because of its high risk associated with deep diving and decompression sickness. Anyone looking to try No Limits freediving should be well trained and have a lot of experience in other freediving disciplines.
No, you'll need swimming skills to explore the underwater world. However, with the right freediving course and supervision from a certified instructor, you can learn to swim and freedive safely.
The current world record for Static Apnea (holding your breath while floating face down in a pool) is over 11 minutes! However, with some training, most individuals can hold their breath underwater for around 2-3 minutes.
That's what a freediving course is for! Breath holding is simply a matter of training. You'd be surprised how fast your freediving skills will progress with a decent coach.
Anyone wondering what is freediving should know that it's relatively inexpensive compared to scuba diving. You can purchase basic gear for a few hundred dollars, and many coastal regions offer at least one freediving course.
In a nutshell, to dive deeper while holding your breath, the diaphragm must relax and flatten out as you descend. This allows more air to be displaced by your lungs so that they can compress under greater pressure.
Another factor is the mammalian dive reflex triggered by cold water contacting sensitive areas of the face. This reflex restricts blood flow to the arms and legs, which allows oxygen to be conserved for the most important organs.
Lastly, as you ascend back to the surface, residual air in your lungs expands at a faster rate as pressure is released. This can cause barotrauma, which is why it's essential to practice proper equalization.
Yes! There's underwater hockey, underwater rugby and even synchronized swimming.
These athletes are adept at breath holding with exceptional freediving skills and experience in the many different types of freediving.
Freediving skills lead to mindfulness, relaxation techniques and deepening your appreciation for the underwater world. This can be very therapeutic for individuals dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety or stress.
If you've ever wondered what is freediving, we hope this guide has given you a glimpse into this unique and exciting sport.
With proper training, equipment and safety precautions, freediving can be an incredibly rewarding activity for those looking to explore the depths of the ocean. Remember to always dive within your limits, respect the ocean's power and have fun!
