Static vs. Dynamic Apnea – What's the Difference?

November 23, 2021 Although static and dynamic apnea appears totally contrary to one another at first glance, they can work together to create an effective training tool for freedivers of all levels. By incorporating static and dynamic apnea into your freediving training regime, you can push yourself to new limits and achieve breath-hold times you thought only the pros were capable of. Read on to find out more. 

Freediving Training 101 - Static vs. Dynamic Apnea.

When delving into the exciting world of freediving, many new terms start to show up. Two of the most common heard throughout the freediving community are 'static' and 'dynamic.' These two terms encompass much of what breath-hold diving is all about but can be easily misunderstood by new freedivers. Let us take a closer look at what these two terms mean and how they can work together to improve your skills and help you set new personal records in no time.

Static Apnea.

The definition of 'static' is to lack movement, while 'apnea' is the temporary cessation of breathing. Therefore, 'static apnea' literally means to not move while holding your breath. Not only is static apnea a freediving training discipline used at all levels of freediving, from beginner to the most advanced, but it is also a category at the competitive level. The main goal during static apnea is to hold your breath as long as you can while remaining totally relaxed and completely still. Performing static apnea at home on dry land is a great way to continue your freediving training regularly when you cannot be in the pool. While pool training, you will float entirely still with your face submerged in the water, ALWAYS with a buddy, and never alone. Breath-holding through static apnea is an exciting challenge and an excellent training tool for freediving in general. DISCOVER THE 10 BEST FREEDIVING SPOTS IN THE WORLD.

Dynamic Apnea.

The opposite of static apnea, dynamic apnea involves breath-holding while moving continuously. This movement, however, is very focused and usually performed under constant supervision in a controlled environment like a pool. While distance is usually the primary goal of dynamic apnea, it can also be an invaluable freediving training tool for open water freedivers. Training using dynamic apnea allows beginning and experienced freedivers the opportunity to train their bodies in a controlled setting to overcome obstacles they may face while diving in open water. During dynamic apnea training, you can improve your mental control, relaxation, and focus on your form. These are all aspects that will increase your breath-hold time and/or depth while freediving for personal records in open water. TAKE YOUR BREATH-HOLD TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH SSI’S TRAINING TECHNIQUES SPECIALTY.