r/freediving

First of all, thank you for the advice you gave me before. Over the summer, I trained with a freediving instructor for about two months and learned the fundamentals. I’m genuinely grateful to everyone here who encouraged me to get proper training.

I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask, but sometimes while diving I get a strange involuntary urge to inhale. It seems to happen especially right after equalizing. My nostrils almost feel like they’re automatically trying to breathe in, and lately it has started to make me a little nervous.

The strange part is that I’m not actually running out of air when this happens. I’ve usually only just started the dive and I’m still early in my breath-hold. It doesn’t feel like a genuine need for air, more like an involuntary breathing reflex through my nose.

This might sound like a weird question, but does anyone else experience this? Especially after equalizing?

Hello, I suppose this post is regarding mental training for freediving. Has anyone ever had to challenge their fear of the water/depths in order to go further in this sport/hoby, or are all free divers naturally unafraid of the water. I love the water, and have been swimming my whole life, I want to explore the water (especially the ocean) more, and becoming a proficient freediver seems like the perfect way to explore this passion. Yet I am paradoxically scared of the water (I think it's thalasophobia more than anything). Is this normal, does the fear subside when your confidence and education grows, or am I just not cut out for this?

I am considering squeezing in some training sessions in an indoor dive centre on my next overseas trip, and a session is available which fits my schedule and ends 21h 45min before my flight back home.

I want to work on my comfort and equalisation between -27 m and -32 m.

Is this interval safe for flying? What is the minimum surface interval for this kind of training session? Is it 12 hours or 18 hours? Is it not deep enough to require a full 24 hours?

I'm at a point in freediving where I want to start diving beyond my residual volume. Up until now I've had no issue equalising, it came quite naturally to me. Now I get stranded at a depth of +- 38 meters, which I assume is where I reach residual volume. The next logical step looks like learning mouthfill, which I have been attempting and getting coaching in.

The only issue is that I have an "unusual" equalisation technique, so it's not the standard frenzel to mouthfill transition and even my coach is kind of struggling because he doesn't have the same soft palate controle I use when equalising.

The technique I use is doing a reverse pack and then compressing the air with my soft palate. I can handsfree equalise to +-10 meters, after that it feels like a combination between handsfree and frenzel where I have to pinch my nose. But I don't use my tongue at all and my throat doesn't make the tell tale movement of frenzel. The main "push" of air really comes from my soft palate. I can also easily inflate a balloon when equalising with the otovent.

So now with learning mouthfill, I can fill my mouth with air. But then when I equalise, I equalise 'behind' my tongue with the reverse pack + soft palate push I'm used to, these moves really feel tied together. The rest of the air just stays in my mouth and it feels like I can't use it. When I try to use my soft palate to push the air in my mouth up without reverse packing, I automatically open my glottis, losing the mouthfill.

Some people have advised me to learn frenzel and then mouthfill, so I can use the tongue push. But even if I try this I have to actively open my soft palate to be able to push this air up. And this seems like such a step back because I can equalise just fine right now.

Any other people who equalise like this or recognize it? Can anyone point me in the right direction? Should I focus on learning a clean frenzel, or try to use mouthfill with my current handsfree/soft palate equalization? Any tips, videos, exercises,... are much appreciated. Thank you!

Hi,

I am new to this sub, since I only read about free diving for the first time in my life, even though I practiced it somehow regularly since I was a kid because I just love diving in the sea.

I mostly dive in the Mediterranean sea and depth wise I go comfortably to like 10-12m. 15m is my max. The duration of my dives is maximum 2 to 3mins I would say.

For now I only own a good diving mask and a simple snorkel from a tourist shop. I don't use the snorkel so often. I never go with a suit or with fins. And tbh I like it this way because it just feels good to carry as less as possible and just dive and swim for fun.

I am interested in taking photos or videos of my dives and wonder if there is some other light to carry equipment that you would recommend for my purposes. Also is there a way to carry a gopro on a belt for example? Maybe would also be good to store the the snorkel when not in use?

Since I love climbing out of the water from on some rocks to sunbathe there or just enjoy the view I am basically looking for a way to carry my equipment in a way so I don't need to get out the water so often.

I am happy for any tips you guys can give me! :) Thank you!

I am looking to buy an EQ tool / Otovent for the purpose of training equalization. How should I choose the correct specification to buy? Can any equalization tool be used to train for any depths? Also, how should I get replacement balloons as well?

For me, I currently want to train for equalization which can help me exceed my RV depth, about -27 m with full lungs.

So I smoke casually, have asthma, haven't been swimming in 10 years, when I did it was only casually twice a week. I randomly tried a breath hold for the 1st time in 10 years today and got 2:8.25. Is that a really good time or expected for someone who smokes but exercises?

Hello! Meron po ba kayong ma recommed na freediving sa samal? Kanang sulit gyud ang bayad And im new po pa po so i dont have any idea paano po hehe thankss : )

Lately, I’ve been running dry CO2 tables at home to build tolerance, but I notice my first diaphragm contractions start earlier than usual (around 1:45-2:00 mark). As soon as the first contraction hits, my heart rate spikes a bit and I lose that deep relaxation state, which ends up ruining the rest of the breath-hold. For those who have built high CO2 tolerance: what mental cue or breathing strategy do you use to welcome/accept the contractions instead of fighting them and tensing up? Do you focus on scanning your body for tension or just redirect your thoughts completely?