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Freediving Guide: Equipment, Techniques & Safety
- 2. OUTLINE. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN • WHAT IS FREEDIVING? • EQUIPMENTS FOR FREEDIVING • BREATHING CYCLE • EQUALIZATION TECHNIQUE (EQUALIZING OF THE EARS AND MASK) • MAMALIAN REFLEX • DUCKDIVING • FINNING TECHNIQUES • HAND SIGNALS • RELAXATION
- 3. WHAT IS FREEDIVING? FREEDIVING IS BREATH-HOLD DIVING, BEING IN AND UNDER THE WATER WHILE HOLDING ONE’S BREATH. DIVING WITHOUT AN AQUALUNG IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ‘SKIN DIVING’ OR ‘SNORKELING’. BOTH CAN USE A MASK, SNORKEL, AND FINS, BUT FREEDIVING WILL ALWAYS INVOLVE A BREATH HOLD, NO MATTER HOW DEEP YOU GO. HTTPS://WWW.DEEPERBLUE.COM/BEGINNERS-GUIDE-FREEDIVING/
- 5. OPEN WATER DEPTH DISCIPLINES • CONSTANT WEIGHT FREEDIVING (CWT OR CNF) • THIS CAN BE DONE WITH FINS (CWT) AND WITHOUT FINS (CNF) • FREE IMMERSION FREEDIVING (FIM) • VARIABLE WEIGHT FREEDIVING (VWT) • NO LIMITS FREEDIVING (NLT)
- 6. POOL DISCIPLINES • STATIC APNEA (STA) • DYNAMIC APNEA (DYN OR DNF) • THE CAN BE DONE WITH FINS (DYN) AND WITHOUT FINS (DNF)
- 7. EXERCISE • MEASURE PULSE AND BREATH HOLD TIME. • RELAXATION • MEASURE PULSE AND BREATH HOLD TIME.
- 8. EQUIPMENTS FOR FREEDIVING MASK / SNORKEL / FIN USE.
- 9. MASK •LOW VOLUME •CLEAR LENSES •NOSE POCKET •SOFT SILICONE SKIRT
- 10. SNORKEL FREEDIVING SNORKELS SHOULD BE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR EASE OF USE AND HYDRODYNAMICS UNDER THE WATER. THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: • SOFT SILICONE MOUTHPIECE THAT IS COMFORTABLE SO YOU DON’T NOTICE IT IN YOUR MOUTH • SIMPLE, STRAIGHT OR SLIGHTLY CURVED BORE (THIS IS THE PIPE THAT STICKS UP OUT OF THE WATER) • MEANS OF ATTACHING IT TO YOUR MASK OR A FLOTATION DEVICE SNORKELS SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR MOUTH BEFORE YOU DIVE FOR SAFETY REASONS.
- 11. FINS • THESE ARE YOUR MOTOR AND ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FREEDIVING EQUIPMENT. • YOU CAN EITHER USE BI-FINS OR A MONOFIN. • BI-FINS ARE BEST FOR RECREATIONAL DIVING, BUDDYING AND TEACHING. • A MONOFIN, IN WHICH BOTH YOUR FEET ARE INSERTED INTO A SINGLE, FISHTAIL-LIKE FIN, IS BEST FOR DEPTH AND DISTANCE.
- 12. BI-FINS HERE ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF FREEDIVING BI-FINS. • LONG • FULL FOOT FINS • FIN RETAINERS
- 13. MONOFIN MONOFINS TRANSFORM FREEDIVERS FROM AQUATIC APES TO DOLPHINS AND MERMAIDS. ONCE MASTERED, THE MONOFIN IS FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN BI-FINS FOR SPEED AND DEPTH. THEY REQUIRE MORE OF YOU PHYSICALLY BUT CAN DISPLACE MORE WATER, ENABLING YOU TO USE YOUR WHOLE BODY TO PROPEL YOURSELF THROUGH THE WATER. THE DISADVANTAGE IS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN. HERE ARE SOME FEATURES OF MONOFINS • FOOT POCKETS • DIFFERENT STIFFNESS AND MATERIALS • WINGS
- 14. BREATHING FOR FREEDIVING BREATHING TECHNIQUES FOR FREEDIVING ARE DESIGNED TO RELAX YOUR BREATHING, YOUR BODY, AND YOUR MIND. BREATHING BEFORE A FREEDIVE • LONGER EXHALATION THAN INHALATION • A PAUSE AT THE END OF THE INHALATION AND EXHALATION • RELAXED • USUALLY THROUGH THE MOUTH, IF WE ARE WEARING A MASK
- 16. EQUALIZATION TECHNIQUE (EQUALIZING OF THE EARS AND MASK)
- 17. WHAT DO WE NEED TO EQUALIZE WHEN WE FREEDIVE? Equalizing Our Ears When We Free-dive 1 Equalizing Our Mask When We Free-dive 2
- 19. WHAT IS THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX? • THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX, OR MDR, IS A REFLEX HARD WIRED INTO OUR GENETIC MAKEUP AND IS BROUGHT ON BY IMMERSION IN WATER (PARTICULARLY THE FACE) AND HOLDING YOUR BREATH. • IT IS SEEN IN ALL KINDS OF MAMMALS AND IS VERY STRONG IN CHILDREN.
- 20. DUCKDIVING
- 21. PERFECT YOUR WAY TO DUCK DIVING THE DUCK DIVE IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR ENTIRE DIVE. A GOOD DUCK DIVE WILL HAVE YOU AT FIVE METERS WITH ALMOST NO EFFORT, WHILE A POOR DUCK DIVE WILL LEAVE YOU THRASHING ABOUT, USING UP YOUR PRECIOUS OXYGEN SUPPLIES BEFORE YOU HAVE EVEN LEFT THE SURFACE.
- 22. BODY POSITIONING IN PREPARATION FOR A DUCK DIVE • THE BEST POSITION FOR STARTING A DUCK DIVE IS ON YOUR FRONT, BREATHING THROUGH A SNORKEL, AS YOU ARE READY TO START THE DUCK DIVE WITHOUT CHANGING ANYTHING • YOU WANT TO KEEP THE DIVE LINE NEXT TO YOU SO YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU DUCK DIVE AHEAD OF THE LINE BY ABOUT A METER
- 23. 5 EASY STEPS ON DOING PROPER DUCK- DIVE Step 1 • Remove Snorkel, Pre- Equalize and Momentum Step 2 • Arms forward and down Step 3 • Bend and legs up Step 4 • Pull and equalize Step 5 • Start finning
- 24. THE DUCK-DIVE
- 25. Caption
- 27. FINNING TECHNIQUES • COMPARING FINNING TO WALKING • WHEN WE WALK AROUND, OUR LEGS ARE ALMOST STRAIGHT THE WHOLE TIME AND MOVE AN EQUAL AMOUNT FORWARD AND BACK. WE DON’T MOVE OUR LEGS AS IF WE WERE PEDALING A BICYCLE • SELECTING THE RIGHT FIN FOR EASY FINNING • PUT SIMPLY, THE GREATER THE STIFFNESS OF THE FIN, THE HARDER IT WILL BE TO MOVE THROUGH THE WATER BECAUSE IT FLEXES LESS. IF YOU ARE BIG AND STRONG AND GOING FOR DEPTH THEN A STIFFER FIN MAY BE APPROPRIATE. BUT IF YOU ARE LIGHTER AND INTENDING TO DO A LOT OF SHALLOW RECREATIONAL DIVING WITH LOTS OF SURFACE SWIMMING, THEN YOU WILL NEED A SOFTER FIN. • USING A POOL TO LEARN FINNING TECHNIQUE • WHEN FINNING, KEEP YOUR HEAD TUCKED IN AND IN LINE WITH YOUR BODY AND CONCENTRATE ON A STEADY, EVEN FIN STROKE WITH ALMOST STRAIGHT LEGS, AND THE FIN MOVING AN EQUAL AMOUNT FORWARD AND BACK.
- 28. HAND SIGNALS
- 29. RELAXATION • ACTIVITY • DO THE EXERCISE DONE EARLIER • NOW APPLY THE BREATHING TECHNIQUE • MEASURE THE BREATHHOLD TIME AGAIN
- 30. REMINDERS - DO’s and DON’T 1. DO NOT: DIVE ALONE, always dive with a buddy 2. DO NOT: Ride, Touch or Stand On Marine Life (these include corals) 3. DO NOT: Chase Animals 4. DO NOT: Feed the Fish 5. DO: Take Only Photos (or Trash), Leave Only Bubbles 6. DO: Keep Safe Distance From Marine Life 7. DO: ENJOY YOUR DIVE
- 31. LET'S DIVE
Editor's Notes
- WHAT IS FREEDIVING? TYPES OF FREEDIVING EQUIPMENTS FOR FREEDIVING MASK / SNORKEL / FIN USE
- HUMANS FIRST STARTED FREEDIVING THROUGH NECESSITY, •FOR FOOD, •TRADE-ABLE ITEMS OR •ITEMS LOST OVERBOARD, HOWEVER IN MORE RECENT TIME, FREEDIVING HAS EVOLVED INTO: • A RECREATIONAL PASTIME, • A WAY TO TAKE PHOTOS, • CATCH FOOD, AND • AS A SPORT.
- CWT - Deep freediving using bifins or a monofin. CNF - Deep freediving using swimming strokes only, no fins allowed. FIM - DEEP FREEDIVING, ALLOWING PULLING ALONG THE VERTICAL DEPTH ROPE. VWT - DEEP FREEDIVING USING A WEIGHTED SLED FOR DESCENT, PULLING ALONG THE DEPTH ROPE FOR ASCENT. NLT - UNRESTRICTED DEEP FREEDIVING, ALL PROPULSION MEANS ALLOWED, TRADITIONALLY USING A WEIGHTED SLED FOR DESCENT AND INFLATABLE BALLOON FOR ASCENT.
- STA - IMMOVABLE BREATH HOLD FOR TIME. (As a general rule of thumb, your working time underwater is half of your static apnea time) DYN - HORIZONTAL FREEDIVING FOR DISTANCE, USING BIFINS OR A MONOFIN. DNF - HORIZONTAL FREEDIVING FOR DISTANCE, NO FINS ALLOWED.
- RELAXATION - 3 seconds inhale, 3 seconds exhale MEASURE PULSE AND BREATH HOLD TIME.
- LOW VOLUME – A LOWER VOLUME OF AIR INSIDE THE MASK MEANS LESS AIR FROM YOUR LUNGS IS REQUIRED TO EQUALIZE. CLEAR LENSES – SOME MASKS (OFTEN AIMED AT SPEARFISHERS) HAVE MIRRORED OR TINTED LENSES. • YOU NEED CLEAR LENSES WHEN FREEDIVING SO YOUR BUDDY CAN SEE YOUR EYES AND ASSESS YOUR CONDITION DURING THE LAST PART OF YOUR DIVE. • MOST LENSES ARE TEMPERED GLASS AND MOUNTED ON A SINGLE PLANE. THESE ARE THE MOST DURABLE AND WILL GIVE YOU PERFECT VISION. • MASKS WITH PLASTIC LENSES, WHICH HAVE BEEN USED BY VERY DEEP FREEDIVERS WHO LIKE THE WAY THE MASK BENDS AROUND THEIR FACE AT DEPTH, ALTHOUGH THESE ARE NOT AS SOLIDLY BUILT AND CAN DISTORT YOUR VISION. NOSE POCKET – •ENABLES YOU TO EQUALIZE THE AIR IN THE MASK, COUNTERING THE RISK OF MASK SQUEEZE IN WHICH THE CAPILLARIES IN THE EYES RUPTURE, MAKING THE WHITES OF YOUR EYES RED. DON’T WORRY IF YOU THINK YOUR NOSE MAY BE TOO BIG. NOSE POCKETS FIT ALMOST EVERY SIZED NOSE. SOFT SILICONE SKIRT – • COMFORTABLE AND FORM A GOOD SEAL AROUND YOUR FACE. • YOU CAN GET CLEAR, BLACK OR COLORED SILICONE SKIRTS; •A CLEAR SKIRT LETS IN MORE LIGHT BUT THIS CAN BE DISTRACTING AND CAUSE ‘GHOSTING’ IN YOUR VISION. IN THE END, IT COMES DOWN TO STYLE AND PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
- This is what we’ll use to breath on the surface. THERE ARE MANY SNORKELS ON THE MARKET WITH FANCY FEATURES LIKE PURGE VALVES, SPLASH GUARDS, AND OTHER MODIFICATIONS. THESE ARE EXPENSIVE AND NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED. FREEDIVING SNORKELS SHOULD BE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR EASE OF USE AND HYDRODYNAMICS UNDER THE WATER. THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: SOFT SILICONE MOUTHPIECE THAT IS COMFORTABLE SO YOU DON’T NOTICE IT IN YOUR MOUTH SIMPLE, STRAIGHT OR SLIGHTLY CURVED BORE (THIS IS THE PIPE THAT STICKS UP OUT OF THE WATER) MEANS OF ATTACHING IT TO YOUR MASK OR A FLOTATION DEVICE IT’S ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO HAVE A SPARE AND MANY SNORKELS ARE SO SOFT AND FLEXIBLE THAT THEY CAN BE STORED IN A POCKET OR EVEN TIED IN A KNOT. SNORKELS SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR MOUTH BEFORE YOU DIVE FOR SAFETY REASONS. WHEN FREEDIVING RECREATIONALLY, YOU CAN ATTACH THE SNORKEL TO YOUR MASK. WHEN TRAINING FOR DEPTH, YOU SHOULD LEAVE IT FLOATING AT THE SURFACE AS IT CAN CREATE DRAG
- We use fins to propel us and move on or in the water. THESE ARE YOUR MOTOR AND ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR FREEDIVING EQUIPMENT. YOU CAN EITHER USE BI-FINS OR A MONOFIN. BI-FINS ARE BEST FOR RECREATIONAL DIVING, BUDDYING AND TEACHING AND ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE CALLED FLIPPERS AS A CHILD. A MONOFIN, IN WHICH BOTH YOUR FEET ARE INSERTED INTO A SINGLE, FISHTAIL-LIKE FIN, IS BEST FOR DEPTH AND DISTANCE. DIFFERENT MATERIALS, WITH THE MOST EXPENSIVE BEING CARBON FIBER and CHEAPEST ARE PLASTICS. FINS ALSO COME IN DIFFERENT STIFFNESS’S, WHICH SUIT DIFFERENT PHYSIQUES AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF FREEDIVING. IF YOU’RE COMING TO FREEDIVING AFTER TRYING SCUBA DIVING, YOU CAN START WITH SCUBA FINS AND MOVE TO FREEDIVING FINS WHEN YOU’RE CONFIDENT WITH YOUR TECHNIQUE.
- HERE ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF FREEDIVING BI-FINS. LONG – THIS IS THE MOST OBVIOUS CHARACTERISTIC OF FREEDIVING FINS. LONGER FINS ENABLE YOU TO CREATE MORE POWER WITH EVERY KICK OF YOUR LEGS BUT WITH LESS EFFORT. IT’S A BALANCE BETWEEN SELECTING THE CORRECT STIFFNESS FOR THE DISCIPLINE YOU ARE DOING AND FOR YOUR SIZE AND MUSCLE STRENGTH. FULL FOOT FINS – FREEDIVING FINS ENCLOSE THE WHOLE OF YOUR FOOT, RATHER THAN SLIPPING OVER THE FRONT OF YOUR FOOT AND BEING HELD IN PLACE WITH A STRAP AT THE BACK. THIS GIVES MAXIMUM TRANSFERENCE OF POWER FROM YOUR LEG DOWN INTO THE FIN. YOU SHOULD BUY A PAIR LARGE ENOUGH TO WEAR A PAIR OF 2MM OR 3MM NEOPRENE SOCKS. THIS HELPS PROTECT YOUR FEET AGAINST CHAFING AND ALSO KEEPS THEM WARM WHEN YOU’RE DIVING IN COLDER CONDITIONS. FIN RETAINERS – THESE ARE INEXPENSIVE RUBBER STRAPS THAT ARE WORN AROUND THE ANKLE AND OVER THE HEEL OF THE FIN. THEY ENSURE THAT IF YOUR FIN WAS ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED OFF IN THE WATER, IT’S FAR LESS LIKELY TO FALL OFF YOUR FOOT. THIS IS INVALUABLE WHEN YOU ARE WEARING VERY EXPENSIVE CARBON FINS…
- FOOT POCKETS – THESE ARE EITHER DESIGNED FOR COMFORT (AND SO USE THE SAME FOOT POCKETS AS BI-FINS) OR PERFORMANCE (WITH VERY TIGHT-FITTING FOOT POCKETS). PERFORMANCE FOOT POCKETS ARE ALSO OFTEN BUILT AT AN ANGLE TO THE REST OF THE BLADE, TO ENSURE IT’S IN LINE WITH THE REST OF YOUR BODY WHEN GLIDING. DIFFERENT STIFFNESS AND MATERIALS – THE STIFFNESS OF THE BLADE AND THE ANGLE OF THE FOOT POCKET RELATIVE TO THE BLADE HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT THAN THE MATERIALS THE MONOFIN IS MADE FROM. WINGS – THESE ARE OFTEN ADDED TO THE SIDE EDGES OF THE MONOFIN TO KEEP WATER ON THE BLADE WHEN IT’S BEING MOVED. Other equipments are: Buoy Dive line Dive weights (for neutral buoyancy)
- LONGER EXHALATION THAN INHALATION – WHEN WE EXHALE, OUR HEART RATE DECREASES, SO EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE EXHALATION, EVEN FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, CAN HELP CALM THE BODY AND MIND AND REDUCE OXYGEN CONSUMPTION A PAUSE AT THE END OF THE INHALATION AND EXHALATION – THIS HELPS SLOW THE BREATHING RATE WHEN THE TENDENCY IS TO INCREASE IT. THE PAUSE AT THE END OF THE EXHALATION SHOULD BE LONGER THAN THE ONE AT THE END OF THE INHALATION RELAXED – A PASSIVE INHALATION AND A PASSIVE EXHALATION SO THERE IS NO STRAIN ON THE INTERCOSTAL OR STOMACH MUSCLES AND THE HEART RATE IS KEPT LOW USUALLY THROUGH THE MOUTH, IF WE ARE WEARING A MASK Place one hand on the chest and the other on the abdomen Do the 6 seconds inhale then hold
- THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX, OR MDR, IS A REFLEX HARD WIRED INTO OUR GENETIC MAKEUP AND IS BROUGHT ON BY IMMERSION IN WATER (PARTICULARLY THE FACE) AND HOLDING YOUR BREATH. IT IS SEEN IN ALL KINDS OF MAMMALS AND IS VERY STRONG IN CHILDREN. THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX ARE BRADYCARDIA ‘HEART SLOWING’, PERIPHERAL VASOCONSTRICTION, BLOOD SHIFT, THE SPLEEN EFFECT AND IMMERSION DIURESIS. PERIPHERAL VASOCONSTRICTION AND BLOOD SHIFT ARE LINKED. PERIPHERAL VASOCONSTRICTION IS WHERE THE BLOOD VESSELS IN THE EXTREMITIES (YOUR HANDS, FEET, ARMS AND LEGS) BEGIN TO CONSTRICT, SHIFTING MORE BLOOD TO THE CORE OF THE BODY. BY MOVING BLOOD FROM AREAS WHERE THE BODY NEEDS IT LEAST, THE VITAL ORGANS ARE PRIORITIZED. BLOOD SHIFT, MEANWHILE, EXPLAINS WHY FREEDIVERS CAN EXCEED THE RESIDUAL VOLUME OF THEIR LUNGS WHEN DIVING, ALL WITHOUT THEIR LUNGS COLLAPSING, AND WHAT HAPPENS TO SOME OF THE BLOOD FROM PERIPHERAL VASOCONSTRICTION. AS THE LUNGS COMPRESS, THE BLOOD VESSELS AROUND THE ALVEOLI EXPAND WITH BLOOD TO COMPENSATE FOR THE REDUCED VOLUME OF THE LUNGS. BLOOD SHIFT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH DIAPHRAGM AND RIB CAGE FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE TWO AMELIORATING FACTORS LUNG BAROTRAUMA CAN OCCUR, WHEN BLOOD CAN ACTUALLY ENTERS THE LUNG CAVITIES. THE SPLEEN EFFECT IS ANOTHER WAY YOUR BODY CAN MAXIMIZE OXYGEN EFFICIENCY. AFTER REPEATED FREEDIVING, THE SPLEEN CONTRACTS, RELEASING MORE RED BLOOD CELLS INTO THE BLOOD. THIS INCREASES THE OXYGEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE BLOOD, ENABLING LONGER DIVES OR BREATH HOLDS. ONE SIDE EFFECT OF THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX IS IMMERSION DIURESIS, WHEREBY THE FREEDIVER’S BODY INCREASES URINE PRODUCTION. THIS IS BROUGHT ON BY PRESSURE CAUSED BY FULL BODY IMMERSION IN WATER. INCREASED WATER PRESSURE ON THE BODY ALSO INCREASES BLOOD PRESSURE, NO MATTER THE WATER TEMPERATURE, AGAIN INCREASING URINATION. ALL OF WHICH MEANS IT’S INCREDIBLY EASY FOR FREEDIVERS TO RAPIDLY BECOME DEHYDRATED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR FLUID LEVELS UP DURING A LONG DIVE SESSION. A HEADACHE AND BAD BREATH ARE BOTH INDICATORS OF DEHYDRATION MUSCLE FATIGUE ANOTHER SIDE EFFECT OF THE MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEX IS THE BUILDUP OF LACTIC ACID IN THE MUSCLES THIS CAUSES A FEELING OF HEAVINESS, OR LACTIC ACID ‘BURN’ IN THE MUSCLES.
- Step 1 Remove Snorkel, Pre-Equalize and Momentum Always dive on full inhale. Remove your snorkel then pre-equalize. Start with a forward motion by using a flutter kick (or by pulling yourself forward when using a buoy), this creates the momentum for beginning the duck-dive. Step 2 Arms forward and down Point your arms forward then downward to determine the direction Step 3 Bend and legs up Bend at the hips , tuck your head (don’t look down), bring your legs on a vertical position Step 4 Pull and equalize The moment your legs are vertical, pull yourself downward using a breast-stroke/keyhole to propel you deeper. This only needs to be done once. Begin equalization after the pull Step 5 Start finning Kicks should start the movement from the hips, minimize the bending of the knee