Learning to Freedive: What if I Do Not Want to Dive Deep?
July 22, 2024
Want to start learning to freedive but the idea of being deep underwater is just too frightening? It is a common misconception among non-freedivers that to enjoy freediving you must dive as deep as possible, or for as long as possible. However, the majority of freedivers simply want to explore shallow reefs and enjoy the peace that comes with holding their breath. We are going to explore the many benefits of learning to freedive and talk about why staying shallow can be just as fun (if not more) as diving deep.
Why you should start learning to freedive (even if you want to stay shallow)
People enjoy freediving for many different reasons. Some want to compete, test their capabilities, and explore the sensations that come with very deep freediving. However, many people start learning to freedive simply to explore reefs more easily, to improve their physical fitness, or even to ease anxiety.
There are so many reasons to begin your freediving journey. No matter your age, size, or confidence level, freediving can be enjoyed by pretty much anybody. Here are some benefits of taking up freediving, even if you never plan to dive deep.
1. Physical benefits
Many freedivers become more physically healthy when they dive regularly. This is down to many factors; firstly, no one likes to dive on a full stomach so freedivers might choose to eat light, healthy meals so they can feel good in the water.
Next, freediving requires you to use muscles in your legs, arms, and core to move through the water efficiently - this can be quite a workout. Finally, many people choose to incorporate the gym and/or yoga to improve their freediving experience. Being strong and flexible makes freediving feel easier which in turn allows you to be more relaxed in the water.
2. Mental benefits
There are so many mental benefits that can come from learning to freedive. Firstly, it has been proven that spending time in nature, or in the water especially, has many grounding benefits and can make you more relaxed.
Next, freediving requires breathwork for relaxation before diving under the water; during a freediving course, you will learn in-depth techniques that help you to become as relaxed as possible just by using your breath and being very still.
In addition, freediving encourages a certain level of discipline, mental strength, and trust in yourself, and it can make you feel more confident as you see yourself improve at something.
Ways to enjoy shallow freediving
Now we have looked at why freediving is so beneficial, even at limited depths, we will take a look at ways to enjoy shallow freediving.
Some freedivers do want to use freediving to become physically fitter or to test their abilities and see improvements as they go, but they are scared of diving deep in the open ocean or a murky quarry. For these people, pool freediving could be the answer!
There are competitions in pool freediving disciplines that you can train for and take part in, or if competing is not for you, you can simply take part in regular pool training for fitness and to improve breath hold time.
Most people start learning to freedive so that they can explore new underwater worlds and spot exciting marine life in their natural habitats. Many reefs can be seen from the surface, but it can be more enjoyable to freedive down a little to get a closer look. A few feet is often enough, and learning to freedive will give you the tools you need to do this and to stay relaxed and hold your breath for a good amount of time to explore well.
Static breath holds are often done on the surface of a pool but can also be done dry from the comfort of your own home. Static breath holding is simply the practice of holding your breath for as long as you can while staying perfectly still.
Doing this means that you do not expel any energy for movement, and you can achieve much longer breath holds this way. Many freedivers enjoy training static to see just how long they are capable of holding their breath for, and you can even compete in this discipline at pool competitions.
Safety
It is important to mention that freediving should only ever be practiced after taking a freediving course with a certified freediving instructor. A freediving course will teach you everything you need to know to stay safe in the water while holding your breath.
Never, ever freedive alone, even if you think you are shallow enough to be fine, it is never worth the risk. Freediving is a very safe activity when enjoyed in the right way. You should never push past your capabilities or comfort level, and depth should be added gradually and in a safe environment.
Freediving blackouts are the most common risk in freediving and can occur when you starve your body of oxygen for too long. Blackouts are not dangerous when you have a trained dive buddy there to help get you to the surface and keep water away from your airway. However, this is the main reason that you should never dive alone, or with an untrained buddy. Blackouts should be avoided by staying well within your capabilities.
How to get started
To get started on your freediving journey, you can either dive straight into the SSI Freediver program, where you will learn in-depth information and skills that you will need to freedive on the reef, on the dive line, or in the pool. You will also learn vital skills for providing safety for a fellow freediver, including how to rescue them in an emergency.
Once certified, you have the option to train your freediving, or to take further freediving education in programs such as the Advanced Freediver… maybe one day you will even wish to become an SSI Freediving Instructor! The world is your oyster.
Another option would be to take the SSI Try Freediving experience. This program is designed to allow you to get a taste of freediving, without committing to a full certification. It is ideal for those who are a little nervous about learning to freedive or are not sure if they will enjoy it.
Reach out to an SSI Training Center near to you, or in a beautiful vacation destination you want to visit, to find out more about your options for learning to freedive.
Happy (shallow) freediving!