Freediving 101: How to Freedive and Explore the Underwater World on One Breath

By HowExpert

Have you ever wanted to connect with the ocean? Are you curious about holding your breath? Are you seeking a way to calm your mind? Freediving may be for you! This is when people explore the underwater world while holding their breath. Imagine you’re swimming over a colorful coral reef, with no SCUBA gear, just complete freedom. The fish are calm, the water is clear, and your lungs are full. Freediving may seem like an extreme sport, but in reality it is incredibly peaceful. It is relaxing, spiritual, and Zen. Freedivers find themselves in states of presence and bliss.
In this guide we discuss the ins and outs of this amazing sport. You could even say we go ‘in-depth’. Learn to increase your breath hold time and explore deeper in the ocean. Freediving is all about technique and relaxation, this guide will help you master these practices. Learn about different freediving disciplines for a better understanding of competitive freediving. This knowledge will also help you branch out and try new things as a freediver. There is also information about rescue techniques and safety procedures. It is important to be a safety conscious freediver. It isn’t an inherently dangerous sport, but a little information and practice can save a life.

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on unique topics by everyday experts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HowExpert
• Release date: Mar 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781949531947

HowExpert

HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

Book preview

Freediving 101

How to Freedive and Explore the Underwater World on One Breath

HowExpert with Julie Shoults

Copyright HowExpert™

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Table of Contents

Recommended Resources

Chapter 1: Safe Freediving Practices

Safety First & No Divers get hurt!

Never Freedive Alone

Know Your Limits

Respect Your Buddie’s Limits

Be Healthy

Never Hyperventilate

Cramps

Medical Conditions

Take a Course

Respect the Ocean

Chapter 2: The Breath Hold

The Stages of Apnea

Who are freedivers?

Lungs

Types of Breathing

Relaxation

Breath Hold

Recovery

Chapter 3: Your Body at Depth

The Physiology of Freediving

Pressure Changes

Airspaces

Squeeze

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Hyperventilation

Nervous System

Chapter 4: Everything about Equalization

Equalizing your Air Spaces

When to Equalize?

Ears

Frenzel

Valsalva

Hands Free

Mouth Fill

Mask

Stretching for Equalizing

Reverse Block

Chapter 5: Rescue

How to Save a Life

How to be a Safe Buddy

Emergency Action Plan

Treating Barotraumas

Decompression Sickness and Freediving

What is a Loss of Motor Control?

Respond to a Loss of Motor Control

What is a Blackout?

Respond to a Blackout

Chapter 6: The Blue Mind and Body

Your Mammalian Dive Reflex and how it helps you Underwater

What is the Mammalian Drive Reflex?

Lower Heart Rate

Peripheral Vasoconstriction

Blood Shift

Splenic Shift

Immersion Diuresis

Initiate

Chapter 7: Relaxation

Techniques to Stay Calm under the Waves

Why do Freedivers need to Relax?

Keep it Slow

Stay in the Moment

Visualization

Hangs

Chapter 8: Equipment

The Gear that allows us to Dive

Masks

Snorkel

Wetsuits

Fins

Socks

Weight Belt

Nose Clip

Buoy

Knife

Gloves

Watch

Sunscreen

Chapter 9: Proper Weighting

Finding your balance underwater

The Freediving Weight Check

Using your Buoyancy

The Dangers of Overweighting

Chapter 10: Duck Dive

Starting your Descent

What is a Duck Dive?

Technique

Recreational Freediving

Chapter 11: Swimming Techniques

Moving through the Underwater World

Technique

Mermaid

Bi-Finning

No Fins

Free Fall

Chapter 12: The Turn

Ending your Descent and Beginning your Ascent

When to Turn?

Turning with Proper Form

Safety

Chapter 13: Ascent

Returning to the Surface

Use your Buoyancy

Equalizing

Recovering

Chapter 14: Advancing your Dives

Building a Tolerance to Apnea

CO2 Tables

O2 Tables

Depth Increases

Preparing for Freediving

Uddiyana Banda

Chapter 15: Freediving Disciplines

Different Kinds of Freediving to Expand your Training and Understand Competitions

Static Apnea (STA)

Dynamic Apnea (DYN) (DNF)

Free Immersion (FIM)

Constant Weight (CWT) (CNF)

Variable Weight (VWT)

No Limits (NLT)

Recreational Freediving

About the Expert

Recommended Resources

Chapter 1: Safe Freediving Practices

Safety First & No Divers get hurt!

Freediving isn’t an inherently dangerous activity, but certain safety precautions should always be in place. Keep these in mind before we go further in depth. Please, enjoy this sport peacefully and safely!

Never Freedive Alone

The most important safety procedure to follow is to never freedive alone. In case of an emergency having someone with you will save your life. Dive with a buddy. Always be conscious of where your buddy is in the water and make sure your buddy does the same for you. Make sure your buddy is wearing fins when they overseeing your dives and make sure you do the same while watching your buddy. This will rapidly increase response time in case of an emergency.

Your buddy should be qualified. Make sure they are familiar with up-to-date freediving rescue techniques, which you will learn more about in later chapters. It is always good to practice rescuing techniques, so ask your buddy if they want to join in a rescue simulation. This helps just to make sure your skills are in check.