New freedivers, Welcome!
All new freedivers and freedivers-to-be ask themselves the same questions: what is free diving, can everybody free dive, what freediving course to take, etc. Take a deep breath and let us guide you.
Freediving made simple
Freediving is breath-hold diving, meaning being in the water while holding your breath. New freedivers might be interested to learn that this diving method is possible thanks to the Mammalian Dive Reflex (MDR). This dive reflex is triggered once the face gets submerged in water, especially in cold water. It is this series of physiological responses that enables our body to adapt naturally to an aquatic environment.
Freediving has always existed and the earliest evidence of it dates back at least 7000 years to the Ertebølle culture. Freediving is now mainly practiced as a recreational activity, in spearfishing, or as a sport that can be practiced in a swimming pool or open water. Competitive freediving has several disciplines, among them Static Apnea (breath holding at the surface), Free Immersion (pulling the line), Constant Weight (kicking down the line), etc.
Free diving is often compared to snorkeling and scuba diving, though these 3 activities are very different. Snorkelers float at the surface with their face in the water while scuba divers use a breathing apparatus to stay underwater. No equipment is required, per se, to freedive. However, free divers can use a low volume mask, a snorkel, long fins or a monofin, a noseclip, a wetsuit, weights and a weight belt. To freedive along the line, a freediver also needs a freediving buoy. New freedivers don't have to buy gear. Freediving courses usually include the equipment. Otherwise, you can rent it at the dive center.
We do not consider recreational freediving as an extreme sport. However, there are inherent risks linked to it, which is one of the reasons why taking a certifying freediving course is highly recommended.
Start your Freediving Education
Since freediving is the most natural way to dive, you might be wondering why you should take a freediving course. The answer is simple: only a qualified freediving instructor can teach you to free dive efficiently (breathing techniques, equalization methods, stretching and relaxation exercises, etc.) and safely (buddy system, rescue skills, risk awareness, safety procedures, etc.).
You will then need to determine which freediving course is the most appropriate for you. As a beginner freediver, you will usually have a choice between a one-day introductory course and a certification course, the length of which depends on the freediving educational system. Each freediving agency has its own education system or freediving program. Although it sounds complicated, rest assured that most of the freediving agencies cover the same skills in their respective courses, which is why you can easily cross over from one freediving federation to another.
We offer the following 3 courses to new freedivers eager to start their underwater adventure, one non-certificate course and two certification courses from the freediving education systems we chose to represent:
Apnea Total
Discover Course
This 1 day course is an introduction to free diving during which you will learn how to freedive, meaning how to duck dive, kick, equalize and hold your breath. First you will learn the theory behind freediving during a knowledge development session and then, you will practice your skills during the water session.
This course is not a certification course. To get certified, please join our Freediver Course
Apnea Total
Freediver Course
First certifying level, the Freediver Course covers the fundamentals needed to freedive safely down to 20m: breathing techniques for longer breath holds, equalization methods to adapt to the pressure, efficient finning to move easily below the surface but also safety procedures and buddy team work.
The Freediver Course offers a certification recognized worldwide.
Molchanovs
Wave 1
The first step in the freediving world by Molchanovs, Wave 1 is a comprehensive introductory course: effects of freediving on the body, breathing & equalization techniques, mental exercises for optimized dives, buoyancy, introduction to several freediving disciplines, and of course, safety and rescue procedures.
Wave 1 opens the door to Base Training, online training, and a supportive community
Freediving Certifications
When you are new to freediving and eager to learn, the first question you might have in mind is how to chose between the different certifying agencies or federations. Free diving is becoming more and more popular, meaning there are more and more agencies, schools and instructors. So, we do understand why the question seems relevant to people new to freediving.
For us though, we would say the freediving instructor is the key. In fact, you can freedive all over the world with almost all certifications and you can crossover from one agency to the other. Learning from a qualified, experienced and dedicated instructor who genuinely cares about their students is what matters.
To become an Apnea Total Instructor, our head instructor - Arturo - has been intensively trained for two months (4 weeks to become a Master Freediver and 4 additional weeks to become a Freediving Instructor). His passion for freediving and teaching naturally led him to become a Freediving Instructor Trainer (to apply, he had to certify at least 500 students beforehand), meaning he is also qualified to teach instructor courses.
In 2020, Arturo decided to become a Molchanovs Instructor. We chose Molchanovs since, like Apnea Total, Molchanovs is a pure freediving educational system. Moreover, we believe that these freediving agencies cater to the needs of different kinds of freedivers. Both are excellent systems, but have different personalities: Apnea Total is more accessible and focused on practice, while Molchanovs is the most comprehensive freediving program existing today. You can find more information on their respective websites: Apnea Total & Molchanovs
Despite years of experience and over a thousand of certified students, Arturo still teaches with the same passion and patience and according to his students' strengths and weaknesses. We encourage you to have a look at the testimonies of freedivers left in our TripAdvisor, Google Maps and facebook page that you can find just below.
What our students say about their experience!
