Freediving, or breath-hold diving, is an extremely fascinating and intense form of exploration of the underwater world that differs from traditional diving. Unlike diving with breathing equipment, freediving involves holding your breath while diving. This method allows you to dive in silence, in complete harmony with your surroundings, which gives you a unique feeling of freedom and closeness to nature. Freediving is not only a sport, but also the art of controlling one’s body and mind, requiring focus, precision and relaxation.
Is Freediving diving suitable for everyone?
Freediving is a discipline that can be practiced at various levels of skill, and is therefore accessible to almost anyone with basic swimming skills and no fear of water.
Freediving is available for:
- Children and teens – freediving is available to children from about 12 years old, provided they can swim and are responsible. Young freedivers can attend special courses tailored to their age and skill level, where they learn basic breathing techniques and safety rules.
- Adults – freediving is a popular sport among adults, offering both physical and mental challenges. Adults can do freediving recreationally to explore the underwater world, or more advanced, taking part in competitions and setting new goals.
- Older people – there is no upper age limit, so freediving can also be practiced by older people, as long as they are in good health. Freediving can be a great way for them to stay fit and benefit from the relaxation aspects of the sport.
- People with disabilities – freediving is also accessible to people with disabilities. With specially adapted courses and equipment, these people can safely enjoy diving on held breath, experiencing the feeling of freedom and lightness that the sport offers.
It is important for anyone interested in freediving to take appropriate safety measures and, if possible, attend training courses.
Is diving on a stopped breath healthy?
Diving on held breath, known as freediving, is a healthy form of physical activity, provided it is done correctly and safely.
Here are some health benefits of freediving:
- Improve lung capacity – regular breathing exercises and freediving practice increase lung capacity and improve gas exchange efficiency, which contributes to better oxygenation of the body.
- Better breath control – freediving teaches precise breath control, which is not only crucial underwater, but can also be beneficial in everyday life, helping in stressful or physically demanding situations.
- Reduce stress and improve concentration – the process of holding your breath requires concentration and calmness, which can have a relaxing effect and help reduce stress. Regular practice of freediving can also improve the ability to focus attention and quiet the mind.
- Increase muscle strength – although freediving is not a physically demanding sport, regular training can improve muscle strength, especially the breathing muscles and those involved in swimming.
- Improving flexibility and coordination – movements in the water require good coordination and flexibility, which in turn contributes to improving overall physical fitness.
- Increase body awareness – freediving promotes body awareness and attentiveness to body signals, which is important both for safety and for achieving better sports performance.
To enjoy the full health benefits of freediving, proper preparation and education is key. Diving courses offered by Deepspot allow you to learn breathing techniques, safety rules and how to properly respond to potential dangers underwater.
Proper training not only helps develop skills, but also minimizes the risks associated with the sport, making freediving safe and beneficial to health.
Apnea diving can be very relaxing
One of the greatest advantages of freediving is its relaxing nature. Diving underwater without unnecessary equipment, the peace and quiet of the underwater world, and focusing on your breath and your own body can have a relaxing and meditative effect. In order to fully experience the relaxing aspects of freediving, it is of course advisable to master the proper breathing and mental techniques, which are taught during courses at Deepspot.
Free diving (freediving) allows you to diversify your vacation trips
Freediving is an excellent way to spice up a vacation trip, especially if it involves being by the water. It allows you to explore underwater landscapes, coral reefs, shipwrecks and an abundance of marine flora and fauna, greatly enriching your vacation experience. Through freediving, one can gain a new perspective on travel and gain a deeper connection with nature.
What equipment is needed to practice breath-hold diving?
Basic freediving equipment, called an ABC kit, includes a mask, snorkel and fins. The mask provides clear vision underwater, which is crucial when diving, especially at greater depths. The snorkel allows you to breathe at the surface without having to surface, which is useful during breaks between dives. Flippers, on the other hand, greatly increase swimming efficiency, allowing the diver to travel more economically down and to the surface – in freediving, diving without fins is of course possible, but requires more effort and experience.
For advanced freediving, especially during training or competitions, ballast, a special weight, is additionally used to help dive to greater depths more efficiently. Ropes are used to determine depth and safety during a dive.
At Deepspot, ABC equipment, as well as ballast and ropes, are provided to course participants. This allows novices to focus on learning freediving techniques without having to invest in specialized equipment to start their adventure.
How to become a freediver? What course is worth taking at the beginning?
For beginners, the best step to take is a basic course such as “Try Freediving” at Deepspot. This course introduces participants to the basics of freediving, teaching breathing techniques, equal immersion and safety rules. For those who want to deepen their knowledge and skills, more advanced courses are available, such as “Deepspot Free 20m,” which offers more intensive training in diving at greater depths.
- Try Freediving course is an ideal introduction to the world of breath-hold diving. Participants will learn basic freediving techniques, including dive preparation, breath-holding and pressure equalization. The course also covers relaxation techniques to help increase comfort and safety underwater. The maximum dive depth during the course is 5 meters, allowing for a safe and controlled experience. The course is aimed at people who are at least 10 years old, and the maximum number of participants per instructor is three, ensuring individualized attention and attention.
- Deepspot Free 20m course is an excellent opportunity to earn your first freediving certification. The course program includes learning advanced freediving techniques, including stress management, pressure balancing and optimizing breath holding. Participants will gain the skills needed to safely practice freediving in open water to a depth of 20 meters. The course concludes with an SSI Freediver certificate, which is internationally recognized.
Why take a scuba diving course at Deepspot pool?
Deepspot is one of the most modern and deepest pools in the world, an ideal place to learn freediving. Professional instructors provide a high level of training, ensuring the safety and comfort of participants. The Deepspot pool offers unique training conditions that allow you to learn in a controlled environment with perfect visibility and stable, body-pleasing water temperature at any depth. This is the perfect place to gain a solid foundation and prepare for exploring natural bodies of water.
What is the record for holding breath underwater?
Breath-holding records underwater are impressive and testify to the remarkable capabilities of the human body. One of the most important records in freediving is static breath-holding, which involves remaining underwater without moving. The current world record in this category is more than 11 minutes! Such results are achievable only for the most experienced freedivers, who spend years training breathing techniques and body control.
