30 Meters Deep Freediving Manual

30 METERS DEEP FREEDIVING MANUAL 1
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30 METERS DEEP
FREEDIVING MANUAL
A Comprehen!"e G#!$e %o %he Ar%
o& Bre'%h (o)$ Free$!"!n*
By: Brian Pucella
C!yri"#$ % &0'& (y Brian Pucella
All ri"#$) re)er*e+,
inclu+in" $#e ri"#$ - re!r+uc$in
in .#le r in !ar$ in any -r/.
This book is dedicated to all those who have perished while freediving.
Please remember
Never Dive Alone
Never Hyperventilate
Never Over Weight
now yo!r limits.
"espect #o!rself$
the Ocean
and All %ife&
Dive 'afe ( Have )!n&
A#%hor+ No%e
This man!al is a collaboration of information that * have gathered over the past +, years.
*t was at that time that * bo!ght a sailboat and moved aboard with my girlfriend at the
time$ now my bea!tif!l wife -eannette. .ach winter when we set sail for the tropical
waters of the /ahamas and 0aribbean it was my d!ty and passion to provide fish for !s.
Not being a great fisherman with a rod and reel$ and wanting to be more proactive in my
h!nting * t!rned my foc!s to spearfishing while freediving. *t was a passion that still
b!rns strong within me.
*n ,112 while sailing thro!gh the 0aribbean we anchored off %ong *sland$ /ahamas and
serendipito!sly met William Tr!bridge. We witnessed William perform a world record
no3fins freedive at Dean4s /l!e Hole and my life has forever been changed.
Thinking abo!t how that level of freediving co!ld benefit my spearfishing as well as the
draw to p!sh my own limits of depth had me motivated to learn as m!ch as * co!ld abo!t
freediving. And so for the past si5 winters -eannette and * have ret!rned to %ong *sland$
/ahamas to freedive Dean4s /l!e Hole and spearfish the ama6ing reefs.
*n ,117 * became a member of Team 8ertical /l!e$ an elite freediving school fo!nded by
William Tr!bridge. 9y position was as a safety diver for the ann!al 8ertical /l!e
freediving competition. Over the ne5t fo!r years * have spent months at a time training
with William and absorbing as m!ch as * co!ld abo!t freediving. *t was so m!ch more
than :!st an ed!cation in depth freediving$ it was a :o!rney within myself of discovery
and p!shing my limits. A discovery of efficiency in freediving as well as of my mental
strengths and weaknesses. William has been my mentor in freediving and in his
complete en:oyment of the sea$ in all of its bea!ty and power.
The following season * became an assistant instr!ctor for with 8ertical /l!e and was
asked to be the 0hief of 'afety for the 8ertical /l!e 0ompetition as well as for William4s
historic no3fins Hectometer dive to 3+1+ meters.
Altho!gh most of my training has been with William and is based from both his
ed!cation thro!gh the Apnea Academy and thro!gh his own e5periences$ * have also
st!died freediving thro!gh many other so!rces. * have attended co!rses with P)*
;Performance )reediving *nternational< instr!ctors$ been to seminars by 9artin
'tepanek$ and had the privilege to dive with some of the most elite freedivers from
aro!nd the world that visit Dean4s /l!e Hole.
And so it has been thro!gh all of these e5periences that * have collected the information
that is within the pages of this man!al. =1 9eters Deep )reediving 9an!al is aimed to
ed!cate beginner to intermediate freedivers looking to reach =1 meters ;or in the >'
+114< deep. *t is a f!ndamental look into the world of freediving that yo! can adapt to
yo!r !se according to yo!r technical level and ability in the water. This man!al is an
ed!cational tool and is to be !sed with common sense and awareness of yo!r own
limitations. =1 9eters Deep )reediving 9an!al does not take the place of an instr!ctor$
nor is it eno!gh to read these pages before confronting the sea.
*t is my wish to share the information within this book to bring abo!t awareness of the
proper techni?!es to !se when freediving. 'o please share this book with yo!r friends
and dive b!ddies$ it is information that co!ld save their life or even yo!r own by sharing.
8isit www./rianP!cella.com
for
)reediving ( 'pearfishing
*nstr!ctional 8ideos
(
)reediving 0o!rse
*nformation for
)lorida and the /ahamas&
C,NTENTS
Page

1. Welcome To Freediving 9
+., *ntrod!ction 10
2. .?!ipment 12
,., 9ask 12
,.= 'norkel 14
,.@ )ins 15
,.A Wets!it 17
,.2 Weight 'ystem 18

3. Physics of )reediving 19
=.+ Archimedes Principle of /!oyancy 19
=., /oyle4s %aw 21
=.= "esistance of Water and 8elocity 23
=.@ Thermal 0ond!ctivity of Water 24
4. Physiology of )reediving 25
@.+ .?!ali6ation 25
@., 8alsalve 9ane!ver 26
@.= )ren6el 9 ane!ver 27
@.@ 9ammalian Dive "efle5 28
@.A /lood O5ygen 'at!ration 29
@.2 /lood 'hift 30

5. Relaxation and reat!ing Tec!ni"#e$% 31
A.+ Approach to "ela5ation 31
A., Diaphragmatic /reathing 34
A.= /reathing 0ycles 37
A.@ "ecovery /reaths 38
6. &n Water Tec!ni"#e 40
2.+ Weighting 40
2., B!ick "elease Weightbelt 42
2.= D!ckdives 42
2.@ '?!are D!ckdive 43
2.A 'pearfisher4s D!ckdive 44

7. 'et &n T!e Water 45
8. (2 ) *(2 Training Ta+le% 46
9. Freedive Training ,--% 48
10.(t!er Training Tec!ni"#e% 50
+1.+ Open Water 51
+1., *n The Pool 51
+1.= Dry %and Training 52
11. .a/et0 54
++.+ The /!ddy 'ystem 54
++., One >p ( One Down 55
++.= '!rface 0omm!nicationC DAre #o! OEF 57
++.@ Observe The )reediver )or =1 'econds 58
++.A Open Water ( Depth '!pervision 59
++.2 'tatic Apnea '!pervision 62

12.lac1o#t% 64
+,.+ 'igns of a Near /lacko!t 65
+,., 'ymptoms of a Near /lacko!t 66
+,.= Assisting a Near /lacko!t 67
+,.@ 'ign ( 'ymptoms of a /lacko!t 69
+,.A Assisting a /lacko!t 69
13.T!an1% ) *ontin#ed 2d#cation 71
30 METERS DEEP
FREEDIVING MANUAL
A C0MP1RENSIVE GUIDE T0 T1E ART 0F
BREAT1 10LD FREEDIVING
Welcome To Freediving
The Oceans of the earth are the last tr!e frontier for e5ploration and discovery. >nder
the s!rface of the sea there are bea!tif!l coral gardens$ massive kelp beds$ and !ni?!e
fish that are in a world of their own. A world that provokes o!r creativity and
imagination and of which many cartoons characters are based on. Diving and e5ploring
these hidden treas!res are the l!re for many of !s interested in freediving. Whether it is
to photograph these ama6ing images$ spearfish to provide food for o!r family$ or simply
as a wonderf!l form of e5ercise$ freediving is the most simple and p!re way to
e5perience the !nderwater world. >nlike sc!ba diving where yo! are limited by
e?!ipment and time$ the freediver can spend ho!rs !pon ho!rs e5ploring the sea. The
only limit in freediving is within yo!r own belief$ or as the ama6ing freediver >mberto
Peli66ari so bea!tif!lly p!t it$ DThe sc!ba diver dives to look aro!nd. The freediver dives
to look inside.F Taking one breath and finding o!t how deep yo! can safely go is a tr!e
test of knowing one4s self.
*n this book we will look at e?!ipment to help yo! comfortably and safely en:oy the
!nderwater world. We will also e5amine what is happening with the body on an
e5tended breath hold as we dive into the deep. This !nderstanding of o!rselves will
allow !s to be aware of what is happening and to read o!r body4s signals in order to
reach o!r ma5im!m performance$ while always making safety and en:oyment of the
dive priority. /y combining the !se of o!r e?!ipment with the knowledge of the
physiology of the body$ we will learn to apply the best techni?!es in order to obtain the
best res!lts.
'o prepare yo!rself to e5perience the !nderwater world like never before$ with an
!nderstanding of yo!r mind and body combined with efficiency and safety to make this
the most en:oyable time yo! have ever spent in the water.
&ntrod#ction
We are born into this world
having been created and living in
a li?!id world for o!r first nine
months. Altho!gh we leave this
li?!id environment as soon as we
are born$ a part of that
environment stay4s with each and
everyone of !s. *t is thro!gh
freediving that we awaken these
lost memories$ allowing o!r
body4s nat!ral response when being immersed in water to speak to !s. This contact with
o!r s!bconscio!s is likened to finding o!r 6en when one meditates. Altho!gh it is a
nat!rally occ!rring process of o!r s!bconscio!s that takes place each time we dive$ :!st
like meditation it takes practice to perfect. The more we freedive and make contact with
this part of o!r s!bconscio!s the better we !nderstand the strength of o!r mind and
en:oy the ?!ite and bea!ty that is fo!nd beneath the waves.
9any of !s are reading this book beca!se we already en:oy being in the water while
sc!ba diving$ spearfishing$ or maybe for !nderwater photography. Others of yo! might
:!st be interested in freediving for a way to e5perience the sea for the first time.
Whatever yo!r reason freediving will e5pand yo!r view of yo!rself both mentally and
physically. )reediving provides an ama6ing way to interact with yo!rself$ yo!r
s!bconscio!s and the nat!ral world within the ocean. The basis of this book is to provide
yo! with the knowledge and techni?!e to help yo! become a safe$ confident and happy
freediver.
2"#i-ment
/efore :!mping in the water a freediver m!st overcome basic obstacles s!ch as the
inability to see clearly !nderwater$ to breathe while s!bmerged$ to move efficiently and
to maintain warmth. With modern e?!ipment the freediver can be comfortable while
overcoming these obstacles with a mask$ snorkel$ fins$ and a wets!it ;which will also
re?!ire lead weights in order to offset its b!oyancy<. %ets take a closer look at each piece
of e?!ipment and what is is best s!ited for freediving.
T!e 3a%1
/eca!se the h!man eye works best
when looking thro!gh air a mask is
re?!ired to allow the freediver to see
the !nderwater world clearly. With
advances in technology developing
more sophisticated freediver specific
e?!ipment$ the safety and comfort
levels contin!e to increase allowing for
a better performance of all apneist. With
the mask this is tr!e as there are two
different mask styles availableC low3
vol!me and high vol!me masks. A high
vol!me mask design is pop!lar with sc!ba divers who are not concerned with efficiency
and have plenty of air to e?!ali6e a large internal vol!me as the depth increases. )or the
freediver looking for every advantage of e5tending their dive time and going as deep as
possible on a single breath a low vol!me mask design is more efficient and beneficial. A
low vol!me mask design re?!ires less air to e?!ali6e leaving more air in the l!ngs for
e?!ali6ation of the ears and providing more available o5ygen. This category of low3
vol!me mask can even be e5tended one more level to a few select$ e5treme low3vol!me
mask that are best s!ited for competitive or serio!s deep freediving only. These e5treme
low3vol!me mask tend to have small lenses which limit visibility ;s!ch as the 0ressi
9inima< or c!rved plastic lenses which distort vision ;the A?!a 'phere 'phera<. The
'phera freedive mask by A?!a 'phere is the most pop!lar dive mask !sed by freediving
professionals. *tGs e5treme low vol!me and wide field of view is perfect for the most
hardcore deep freediver. The plastic lenses act!ally fle5 with the press!re of depth and
therefore re?!ires less air to e?!ali6e$ allowing more air to be !sed to e?!ali6e yo!r ears.
On the downside the 'pheraGs plastic lens scratch easily and distort vision compared to
glass lens masks$ making this mask less than ideal for spearfishing. When searching for
a freediving mask the description will incl!de if it is a low3vol!me mask specific for
freediving.
Another beneficial feat!re to be aware of when considering a mask is the color of the
skirt$ the soft$ fle5ible silicon flange that provides the water tight seal to yo!r face. A
black or opa?!e colored skirt is best. The reason is that it eliminates light from entering
behind the lens and ca!sing a distracting reflection off the back of the lenses. A black
skirts enables yo! to foc!s on what is in front of yo! better and not eliminates light
reflections from behind yo!r field of view. )or this reason a black skirt has been a
trademark amongst spearfishermen and !nderwater photographers who need to be able
to foc!s on the slightest movement of camo!flage fish. Novice freedivers will find
comfort and peace of mind from a black skirt by being able to foc!s on the images in
front of them and not be distracted by light reflections. This same effect of a clear skirt
can also be ca!sed by side lenses commonly fo!nd in sc!ba style masks. *t is also safe to
say that any mask with side lenses will not be a low3vol!me mask and therefore sho!ld
be avoided for both reasons.
.nor1el
The snorkel enables the freediver to breath on the s!rface while keeping the face
s!bmerged and viewing the !nderwater world. This allows one to rela5 and become
comfortable while e5ploring from the s!rface. The freediver4s snorkel sho!ld be
comfortable and streamlined. The mo!thpiece sho!ld fit yo!r mo!th ;they do make
different si6e mo!thpieces for different si6e mo!ths< and be made of a soft material that
will be comfortable for ho!rs of contin!o!s !se. *t sho!ld also be streamlined to red!ce
resistance while diving. Avoid snorkels with large protective vents on the top and self
draining valves near the mo!thpiece$ both feat!res are pop!lar with common sc!ba style
snorkels. These e5traneo!s feat!res prod!ce a considerable amo!nts of drag red!cing
hydrodynamic efficiency. 'ince the snorkel will be removed !pon the dive$ having a
streamline snorkel will be more comfortable since there will be less p!ll on the mask
strap where it is attached. The snorkel is an important piece of e?!ipment for the
freediver and with proper techni?!e and practice clearing all the water o!t is simple. *n
the photos below yo! can see how the freediving snorkel on the right is m!ch more
streamline than the typical sc!ba snorkel on the left.
4( 52.
Fin%
When considering fins for freediving there are a few different
characteristics to eval!ate. )ootpocket feat!res$ blade length$
blade material and blade stiffness sho!ld all be considered.
With footpocket feat!res there are two standard designs$ open
heel footpockets and f!ll footpockets. Open heel footpockets
are more appropriate for !se with sc!ba where ease of
donning and removing fins is important while performance
takes a back seat. The opposite is tr!e for the freediver where
performance is priority. This is provided with a good fitting$
f!ll footpocket. 'ince f!ll footpocket fins are not ad:!stable
selecting the correct si6e is very important. *f yo! will be
diving in warm water they sho!ld fit sn!g on bare feet or with
eno!gh room for a thin neoprene sock. *f yo! dive in colder
water where booties m!st be worn this needs to be taken into
consideration.
/lade length is another factor when selecting freediving fins. 9ost freediving specific
fins have a long and narrow blade which will provide more thr!st with less effort. Proper
techni?!e with these fins is important to let the blade do the work for yo!.
/lade material and blade stiffness are the final criteria of a ?!ality freediving fin. With
blade material there is a correlation between cost$ d!rability and performance. The three
basic blade materials are plastic$ fiberglass$ and carbon.
Plastic blades are the least e5pensive$ provide moderate performance while being
e5tremely d!rable. 0arbon blades are at the other end of this spectr!m$ being very
e5pensive yet providing the best performance while also being the least d!rable.
)iberglass blades are in between plastic and carbon by providing good performance at a
moderate price while being rob!st and d!rable.
)inally blade stiffness is !s!ally rated with soft$ medi!m$ and stiff or with a n!merical
rating of + to A. Typically+ being the softest and A being the stiffest. Preference to blade
stiffness is a bit of a personal opinion and can also be infl!enced by the type of diving
they will be !sed for. 0ompetitive deep freedivers along with divers with a short and
stocky b!ild seem to prefer a stiffer blade$ while spearfishermen along with divers who
tend to be tall and skinny prefer a softer blade. A stiff blade will provide more power at
the e5pense of !sing more energy$ while a soft blade will have a limited amo!nt of
power it can prod!ce b!t will be comfortable to kick all day. *t is advisable to go with a
softer blade if yo! are !ns!re. A soft blade will be m!ch more forgiving on yo!r m!scles
and in ret!rn will be m!ch more en:oyable. *f yo! do not have m!ch e5perience with
blade stiffness try different fins o!t before making the p!rchase on an e5pensive pair of
fins.
T!e Wet%#it
The wets!it slows down the loss of heat from the
body and allows the freediver to stay in the
water longer. *t also provides a protective barrier
against reef$ rocks$ and floating marine life.
Wets!its come in many different styles and
thicknesses appropriate for varying water
temperat!res and !ses. 8est4s and shorty4s ;short
arm4s and leg4s< provide the least amo!nt of
protection and are !sed in warm waters where
little thermal ins!lation is needed. )!lls!its
come in one piece and two piece styles with
thickness varying from + millimeter to H
millimeter with +.A mil$ = mil and A mil s!its
being the most pop!lar.
9ost wets!its are typically made of open cell
neoprene with a protective layer of nylon
material on the o!tside. 0ompetitive freediving
wets!its are open cell neoprene both inside and
o!t providing a slick$ hydrodynamic s!rface.
The raw open cell neoprene on the inside of the
s!it re?!ires a l!bricant ;soapy water mi5t!re< to
p!t on. 0are sho!ld be !sed aro!nd sharp ob:ects
beca!se even fingernails can c!t e5posed open cell neoprene when p!tting the s!it on. *n
waters below H1 degrees a hood is needed to conserve body heat. Hoods also protect the
face and neck from stinging creat!res in the water.
Open cell s!its are ,1I warmer than closed cell s!its. )or e5ample$ a A mm open cell
s!it will be as warm or warmer than a Hmm closed cell ;nylon lined< s!it. This is
beca!se a closed cell wets!it with its fabric liner holds more water against the skin
which m!st be heated with body temperat!re. The benefits incl!de greater warmth and
comfort in a thinner wets!it. With a thinner s!it yo! have less flotation which re?!ires
less lead to control b!oyancy. All of these benefits e?!al a more en:oyable e5perience in
the water and is why all serio!s freedivers and spearfishermen prefer open cell wets!its.
Weig!t .0%tem
When wearing a wets!it it is necessary
to add lead weight to offset the
b!oyancy of the s!it. Proper weighting
is e5tremely important and will change
d!e to varying wets!it thickness as well
as if yo!r diving in fresh or saltwater.
The ob:ective in !sing a weight
system is to be positively b!oyant on
the s!rface and ne!trally b!oyant at a determined depth$ a condition in which yo!
neither float or sink. The depth to be ne!tral varies with yo!r diving e5perience b!t for
safety yo! m!st always be positive on the s!rface. )or novice divers not going deeper
than +1 meters ;=1 feet< a good starting depth to be ne!trally b!oyant is aro!nd =3
Ameters ;+13+A feet<. /elow that and yo! begin to sink$ above that and yo! float
effortlessly to the s!rface. As yo! begin to dive deeper than +1 meters ;=1 feet< less
weight will be re?!ired.
Proper weighting is important to help yo! float to the s!rface in the last stage of the dive
where a blacko!t is most likely to happen. *t is diffic!lt to determine this witho!t
act!ally getting in the water and testing yo!r b!oyancy with the e5act gear yo! will be
diving with that day. *t cannot be based on other people4s weight re?!irements d!e to
differences in individ!al b!oyancy characteristics.
The freedivers weightbelt is a r!bber belt with a ?!ick release b!ckle. >nlike nylon
weightbelts$ a r!bber weightbelt will e5pand and contract with yo!r body as yo!r l!ngs
and wets!it compresses at depth and re3e5pand !pon accent. This will keep it in place
and keeps the weights from slipping !p aro!nd yo!r chest as yo! descend in an inverted
position. A ?!ick release b!ckle is also a m!st for safety as well as knowing how to
operate yo!r partners ?!ick release b!ckle. *n any emergency releasing the weightbelt
will make work getting to the s!rface and on the s!rface m!ch easier.
P!0%ic% and P!0%iolog0 o/ Freediving
*n order to best apply yo!rself as a freediver yo! m!st !nderstand both the physics of the
a?!atic world and how it affects yo!r body. This knowledge b!ilds confidence by taking
aspects of fear of the !nknown and t!rning them into science that we can e5plain. The
first step is to !nderstand how this li?!id world works$ then we can apply it to how it
affects o!r body. nowledge is power and in this section yo! will be given a basic
!nderstanding of the physics and physiology of freediving.
P!0%ic% o/ Freediving
,rc!imede% Princi-le o/ #o0anc0
Archimedes principle of buoyancy states that a body immersed in liquid receives a force
upwards that is equal to the weight of the volume of liquid displaced.

A good e5ample is that of an empty bottle and the same bottle filled with sand. *f the
bottle has a vol!me of A liters when it is s!bmerged !nderwater it will displace A liters
of water and will create an !pwards force of +1 po!nds ;+ liter J , po!nds<. The weight
of the empty bottle is + po!nd which has a downwards force d!e to gravity of + po!nd.
'o$ if the !pwards force against the bottle placed in the water is +1 po!nds$ and the
downwards force is only + po!nd$ then
there is 7 po!nds of !pwards force on
the empty bottle. Therefore the bottle
has a positive b!oyancy and will float
on the water.
*f yo! begin to fill the bottle with sand
so that the combined weight of the sand
and bottle is 7 po!nds$ there is 7
po!nds of gravitational force p!lling
the bottle down. This will ca!se the
bottle to sink farther into the water b!t
remain afloat d!e to the +1 po!nds of
!pwards force ;greater than the 7
po!nds of downward force< from the A
liters of water being displaced by the vol!me of the bottle. *f yo! contin!e to fill the
bottle !ntil the total weight is greater than +1 po!nds ;+, po!nds for this e5ample< the
bottle will have more downward force than the !pward force of the water being displace
and will no longer float. This is known as negative b!oyancy and in the case of a
freediver or any other ob:ect in the water will sink to the bottom.
)or the freediver it is important to find the balance$ where there is positive b!oyancy on
the s!rface ;and =3 @ meters from the s!rface<$ ne!tral b!oyancy at a given depth$ and
negative b!oyancy below that. This allows for the most efficient diving where yo! can
float and rela5 while conserving energy on the s!rface in preparation for the dive$ !se
minimal effort to reach a target depth$ then ret!rn with a margin of safety helping yo!
float effortlessly the last few meters to the s!rface.
o0le$% 6a7
Boyle's law states that the volume of a gas at constant temperature is inversely
proportional to the pressure exerted on it.
What this is saying is that as the press!re increases with a freediver diving to depth$ all
cavities of air ;gas< decrease in the same proportion. To better !nderstand this we m!st
first establish that at the s!rface ;sea level< there is a given force said to be +
atmosphere. This + atmosphere is the total weight or press!re of the .arth4s air ;from sea
level to the edge of the atmosphere< that we e5perience everyday. This same press!re is
applied for every +1 meters ;== feet< of water we immerse o!rselves into. When we take
o!r final breath of air at the s!rface and begin o!r descent the press!re of the water has
an immediate effect on all the air we take with !s. When we reach +1 meters the
press!re we e5perience will be twice ;,5< as m!ch as that at the s!rface. Therefore o!r
vol!me of air will be inversely proportional to this by being half ;+K,< the vol!me as that
which we started with at the s!rface. As we increase o!r depth to ,1 meters ;another +1
metersK + atmosphere< we now e5perience three times ;=5< the press!re which will
decrease o!r vol!me of air in proportion to one3third ;+K=<. This relation of press!re to
vol!me of gas ;air< will remain constant at any depth.
P ;press!re< 5 8 ;vol!me< J ;constant<
'!rface P ;+< 5 8 ;+< J ;+<
+1 meters P ;,< 5 8 ;L< J ;+<
,1 meters P ;=< 5 8 ;+K=< J ;+<
=1 meters P ;@< 5 8 ;M< J ;+<
The importance of /oyle4s law is not only applied to the air in o!r l!ngs$ b!t to the air
spaces in o!r ears$ sin!ses$ and mask. These air spaces are made !p of rigid and semi3
rigid material making it necessary to e?!ali6e the press!re within to match the
increasing water press!re while descending to depth. To e?!ali6e the air space within the
ears and avoid r!pt!ring the eardr!m there are several methods that can be !sed. The
simplest method involves manip!lating the m!scles in the throat and :aw in order to
open the .!stachian t!bes. The other method for opening the .!stachian t!bes and
e?!ali6ing the inner ear air space is with the 8alsalva 9ane!ver and the )ren6el
9ane!ver ;both of which will be covered in a later section<. NNoteC *t is important to
stop any dive if yo! begin to feel press!re or pain in yo!r ears and try another
e?!ali6ation method. .?!ali6ation of the sin!s cavity is mostly a!tomatic d!e to being
better connected with the respiratory passages. .?!ali6ation of both the ear and sin!s air
spaces can be compromised by being blocked with m!c!s ;from a cold or improper diet<
and it is important to not dive if discomfort is felt in the descent.
The mask is another air space that4s vol!me will be red!ced with increased depth. The
air space in the mask needs to be e?!ali6ed to avoid damaging blood vessels in the eyes
and s!rro!nding tiss!es. To e?!ali6e the mask it is as simple as breathing air into the
mask thro!gh yo!r nose as soon as yo! feel a slight s!ction. %ike e?!ali6ation of the
ears$ the mask sho!ld be e?!ali6ed often and before pain or discomfort is felt.
Re%i%tance o/ Water and 8elocit0
R (resistance) of water is proportional to (velocity) cubed
The resistance of water and
its effect on ob:ects moving thro!gh
it is important to be aware of since
small improvements in streamlining
can have large res!lts on efficiency.
With water resistance proportional
to velocity c!bed$ then each time a
small amo!nt of resistance is either
added or s!btracted$ the velocity of
that ob:ect either slows down three
times or increases three times it4s
original speed. *n freediving this
has h!ge implications where instead
of applying more power and th!s !sing more o5ygen to increase velocity$ by simply
streamlining yo!r form andKor techni?!e yo! are able to more efficiently increase
velocity. 'treamlining can come from modifying the e?!ipment yo! !se or how it is
!sed. *t can also come from eval!ating yo!r form and techni?!e when moving thro!gh
the water. Obvio!sly the easiest way to improve yo!r resistance in the water is to
streamline yo!r e?!ipment. This takes no training or practice. *t is simply achieved by
!sing freedive specific e?!ipment which is designed to be the most streamlined
e?!ipment available. On the other hand what yo! can do to see the largest improvements
!s!ally comes from improving hydrodynamic form and techni?!e in the water. This can
be achieved thro!gh the !se of video to review yo!r techni?!e b!t a professional
instr!ctor will be able to help point o!t areas to improve and get yo! to the most
efficient form possible.
T!ermal *ond#ctivit0 o/ Water
Water cond!cts heat o!t of the body
twenty times faster than air. )or this
reason thermal protection$ fo!nd in a
?!ality wets!it$ is necessary. Wets!its
work by capt!ring a layer of water
between the material and the skin that is
then heated by the body. )or this reason
proper fit is important$ too loose and cold
water circ!lates over the body$ too tight
and circ!lation of warming blood is red!ced making the warming process not possible.
Proper body temperat!re m!st be maintained in order to be an efficient diver. /eing cold
leads to shivering which !ses energy to activate m!scles to shiver as well as being
mentally stressf!l which makes it diffic!lt to rela5. At the same time being too hot in a
wets!it ca!ses dehydration as yo!r body perspires$ trying to cool the body which in t!rn
thickens the blood and re?!ires more energy to circ!lates. /eing too hot is also mentally
stressf!l and distracts ones ability to rela5 and foc!s on the task at hand. Wearing a s!it
that is too thick also re?!ires more weight and is less fle5ible$ both of which re?!ire
more energy than is necessary for the conditions.
P!0%iolog0 o/ Freediving
Now that yo! have a basic !nderstanding of the physics involved with freediving and the
a?!atic world we will look at the physiology of freediving to gain an !nderstanding of
how the h!man body works in this environment. 9any of the things involved with the
physics of freediving will help yo! !nderstand the physiology of freediving$ or why o!r
body reacts the way it does and therefore the best approach for becoming an efficient
freediver.
2"#ali9ation
.?!ali6ation of the ears is also a res!lt of
shrinking air vol!me within the middle ear
space d!e to the increasing press!re as yo!
descend. *n order to avoid damage to the
fle5ible membrane ;ear dr!m< separating the
middle ear and o!ter ear$ this air space m!st be
e?!ali6ed to match the increasing o!tside
press!re. One of the most important factors for
s!ccessf!l e?!ali6ation is to e?!ali6e often$
before yo! feel pain& This can start on the
s!rface before the dive begins and be preformed
every meter or so. The most important thing to
remember is to e?!ali6e before yo! begin to feel any press!re on yo!r inner ear. /y
e?!ali6ing often and at reg!lar intervals yo! will avoid the press!re b!ilding to a point
where yo! are no longer able to e?!ali6e and the dive m!st be aborted.
9ethods for e?!ali6ing this inner ear air space incl!deC ;a< manip!lating m!scles in the
:aw and throat$ ;b< the 8alsalva 9ane!ver$ and ;c< the )ren6el 9ane!ver. 9anip!lating
the :aw and throat m!scles to e?!ali6e is the most simple method b!t it only tends to
work for individ!als with large and fle5ible .!stachian t!bes. Altho!gh these m!scles
can be e5ercised to improve the odds of this method working it is !s!ally only a case
where it either works for yo! or not. *t is also typical that people who are able to
e?!ali6e !sing this method are !naware of what they are doing and it :!st seems to come
nat!rally. 0ommon techni?!es for this method incl!de thr!sting the :aw down and
forward to to hear a DpopF of the .!stachian t!bes opening$ wiggling yo!r ears in a
manner similar to how yo!r ears move when yo! smile$ or a movement in yo!r throat
like yawning witho!t opening yo!r mo!th. #o! can test all these methods in :!st a few
meters of water and if yo! are s!ccessf!l and do not feel any press!re or pain can
probably contin!e !sing this method to depth as long as yo! do it very often and never
allow press!re to b!ild. 9any people who master this techni?!e are able to act!ally hold
the .!stachian t!bes open and never have to DpopF their ears since the press!re is being
e?!ali6ed nonstop. 0onsider yo!rself l!cky if yo! are able to e?!ali6e !sing this hands
free method.

8al%alve 3ane#ver
The 8alsalve 9ane!ver is the ne5t most common
and a!tomatic method to learn. With the nose
pinched closed press!re is applied in the chest in
an attempt to blow o!t the nose. This press!re is
a res!lt of !sing m!scles in yo!r chest and the
diaphragm to create an positive press!re to
e?!ali6e the ears. The problem with this is that
the air in the l!ngs all the way to the ears has to
be press!ri6ed e?!ally which limits its
effectiveness d!e to shrinking l!ng vol!me
d!ring a dive. A good test to see if yo! are !sing
the 8alsalve method is to place yo!r free hand on
yo!r chest and feel for movement. 'ince this
techni?!e re?!ires the yo! to engage the m!scles in yo!r chest s!rro!nding the l!ngs to
create the positive press!re yo! will be able to feel this movement in yo!r chest. >nlike
other e?!ali6ation techni?!es$ the !se of these large m!scles in the chest each time yo!
e?!ali6e also b!rns precio!s o5ygen. Not only is this detrimental for the !se of o5ygen$
b!t by tensing the m!scles in the chest it also tightens the s!rro!nding m!scles all the
way !p the neck and to the .!stachian t!bes. Holding tension in this area makes
e?!ali6ation diffic!lt beca!se the .!stachian t!bes need to be rela5ed and fle5ible in
order for them to open and allow air to pass thro!gh them. Altho!gh this method is the
easiest to perform$ d!e to it4s limited effectiveness and the large amo!nt of energy
re?!ired it sho!ld not be a foc!sed techni?!e for aspiring freedivers.
Fren9el 3ane#ver
The preferred method for e?!ali6ing the ears is with the )ren6el 9ane!ver. This method
involves !sing the tong!e as a piston and press!ri6ing a small area of trapped air to
e?!ali6e the .!stachian t!bes. This techni?!e involves pinching off the nose$ closing the
throat with the epiglottis ;as if abo!t to strain lifting a heavy weight<$ then actively
moving the soft palate to prod!ce the distinct DpoppingF noise that is prod!ced when
e?!ali6ing the inner air space. A good indication to tell if this method is being preformed
properly is by watching to see if the nose inflates aro!nd the fingers pinching the
nostrils and by feeling the DAdams appleF on the throat move !p and down. #o sho!ld
also be able to place yo!r free hand on yo!r chest and NOT feel any movement. >nlike
the 8alsalve method which re?!ires the !se of m!ltiple m!scle gro!ps in the chest$ the
)ren6el only !ses the back of the tong!e to press against the soft palate to compress the
air in the nasopharyn5. This air is directly connected to the .!stachian t!bes so each
time yo! p!t press!re on the soft palate and create a positive air press!re in the
nasopharyn5$ it also press!ri6es the .!stachian t!bes and e?!ali6es yo!r ears. 'ince this
f!nction of e?!ali6ation only deals with a small$ isolated air space and is created by the
piston action of the tong!e which is a strong m!scle$ the )ren6el mane!ver is effective
to m!ch greater depths.
Fren9el 3an#ever
3ammalian :ive Re/lex
To !nderstand the mammalian dive refle5 let4s go back to the womb and the first nine
months of life. D!ring this time we are s!spended in a li?!id world and this memory
remains engrained in o!r genetics$ awaiting the immersion in water to reawaken these
refle5es that stay with !s. These invol!ntary refle5es
are apparent in newborns who nat!rally know how to
swim$ hold their breath$ and have a!tomatic
physiological adaptions to conserve o5ygen when
placed in water shortly after birth.
As a freediver the more yo! are aware of this refle5$
!nderstand how it works and how yo! can benefit from
it$ the better yo!r !nderwater e5perience can be.
Altho!gh the dive refle5 happens a!tomatically it still
takes time to have effect$ especially for the novice
diver who has left this part of their genetics !ntapped
since birth. The good news is that with practice this
refle5 can be strengthened and the time necessary for it to take effect can be shortened.
The dive refle5 begins as soon as the face is s!bmerged in water and grows stronger
with the amo!nt of time yo! are s!bmerged and with the increasing press!re associated
with depth. .ffects of the dive refle5 incl!de a red!ced heart rate$ an increase in blood
press!re and a general rela5ation of all m!scles. These are all s!rvival mechanism of the
mammalian dive refle5 which are a res!lt of steadily b!ilding 0o, levels and decreasing
o5ygen levels. These efforts are all aimed at conservation of o5ygen. They are the body4s
nat!ral defense to protect the vital organs ;mostly the brain< in the event of a life
threatening sit!ation. These self defense mechanisms can be !sed to the advantage of the
freediver by !nderstanding what is happening and by going with the flow$ allowing the
body to do what comes nat!rally. 'ignals that alert the diver that the body has registered
the mammalian dive refle5 and has began it4s a!tomatic self defense system is thro!gh
signals to the brain to breath. As the desire to breath increases so does the !rge of the
l!ngs to contin!e to breath against o!r forced breath hold. Holding these m!scles
motionless for an e5tended period along with a b!ilding !rge to breath creates DspasmsF
or contractions of the diaphragm. These contractions are the m!scle of the diaphragm
trying to p!ll down in order to take a breath against the mind telling the body to hold the
breath. /eing aware of these signals and !nderstanding how o!r body is reacting to them
is val!able knowledge. *t is with these feelings and signals that we know the dive refle5
is working and has been activated by o!r s!bconscio!s. Witho!t these signals the body
contin!es to operate at its normal levels$ cons!ming o5ygen and prod!cing 0o, at a rate
similar to that if breathing was still taking place. Altho!gh the mammalian dive refle5 is
not comfortable with its signals to breath and contractions of the diaphragm$ it is a
welcomed and needed response in order to have a safe dive.
lood (x0gen .at#ration
As blood is p!mped thro!gho!t yo!r body it
carries and !ses o5ygen that is bro!ght into
the system via the l!ngs. The percentage of
o5ygen in yo!r blood varies depending on
the work load yo!r body is !nder. The
higher the work load the more energy is
re?!ired$ therefore the more o5ygen is !sed.
As a freediver this is an important concept
not only after the final breath is taken$ b!t
also in the few min!tes /.)O". the final
breath. The goal here is to ma5imi6e the
highest blood o5ygen sat!ration level
possible before the dive$ which will lead to
higher levels d!ring the dive. The easiest
way to achieve this is to rela5 and keep yo!r
movements to a minim!m for three to five
min!tes before yo!r dive. This is the
amo!nt of time it takes for yo!r blood to
make one complete circ!it thro!gh yo!r
body and become replenished with o5ygen.
The more time yo! spend on the s!rface
working to red!ce yo!r heart rate and
minimi6e yo!r movements$ the higher the
blood o5ygen sat!ration rate. This state of awareness and rela5ation is then carried over
to the dive itself to once again conserve the limited amo!nt of o5ygen yo! have after the
final breath.
lood .!i/t
One of the most common ?!estions and mysteries of deep freediving is how the body
can s!rvive the press!res of the deep. How do the l!ngs not implode by the cr!shing
press!reE *t is a very logical ?!estion that can only be answered by !nderstanding how
the body adapts to protect its vital organs in a process called the blood shift. This blood
shift has also been observed in many air breathing$ deep diving mammals s!ch as
whales$ dolphins$ and seals. To !nderstand what is happening to the body and the l!ngs
in partic!lar we m!st remember /oyles %aw and recall that the vol!me of gas ;air< is
inversely proportional to the press!re e5erted on it. As we dive the vol!me of air in o!r
l!ngs decreases and in theory sho!ld at some point no longer be able to withstand the
press!re and collapse. What the body does to keep this from happening is called the
blood shift. The body moves blood from the e5tremities s!ch as the arms and legs and
moves it to protect vital organs incl!ding the l!ngs. This blood shift moves blood to
occ!py the vacant space left from the shrinking l!ng vol!me and since solids s!ch as
blood and bone are not compressible this keeps the l!ngs from being cr!shed.
The positive effects of the blood
shift ;besides allowing o!r l!ngs to
contin!e to be compressed witho!t
damage< is an increase in blood
press!re thro!gh vasc!lar
constriction. 8asc!lar constriction is
the shrinking of the arteries and
veins that carry blood thro!gho!t the
body. This is ca!sed by the
increasing water press!re being
applied to o!r bodies as we dive to
depth and is what ca!ses the blood shift. This increasing blood press!re also allows o!r
heart beat to decrease. A good way to vis!ali6e this is to think abo!t two different si6e
pipes carrying water and the p!mp is o!r heart. The large pipe will move a large vol!me
of water and re?!ire a lot of force ;or p!mps from the heart< in order to move a certain
amo!nt of water. The smaller pipe ;represented by vasc!lar constriction< will move the
same amo!nt of water with less force$ or less p!mps of o!r heart.
Relaxation and reat!ing Tec!ni"#e$%
,--roac! to Relaxation
%earning to be aware of yo!r breath and being in a state of rela5ation is the best way for
a freediver to prepare oneself for a deep dive or :!st a long and en:oyable breath hold. *n
the past freedivers !sed a more forcef!l approach to apnea ;the art of holding yo!r
breath<. This techni?!e was based on a form of hyperventilation in which the diver
forced the body beyond its limit with rapid inhalation and e5halation. The tho!ght was
that this type of breathing was p!rging the body of harmf!l 0O, and therefore
increasing the level of O, ;o5ygen<. >nfort!nately it is impossible to increase the level
of o5ygen in yo!r body by increasing yo!r breathing. The only effect from
hyperventilation is a decrease in the level of 0O, going into the dive. The downfall of
this techni?!e is within this lowered level of 0O, which postpones the mammalian dive
refle5. This has many negative res!lts incl!ding a delay in red!cing the heart rate$
contin!ed steady cons!mption of o5ygen$ and a lag time in alerting the body and mind
of the need to breath. This dangero!s combination leads to a false sense of well being at
depth !ntil !pon ascent where the water press!re
declines$ 0O, levels spike and o5ygen is s!cked o!t
of the blood stream to refill the re3e5panding l!ngs.
)or this reason hyperventilation is the most
common ca!se of freediver deaths with
D'hallow Water /lacko!tsF.
Today techni?!e4s !sed by top freedivers are
centered aro!nd an idea of Drela5ed apneaF. This
approach encompasses many components dealing
with rela5ation$ s!ch as stress and an5iety$ both
physical and psychological. To get the most o!t of
this techni?!e we m!st eliminate all so!rces of stress
and an5iety and in the process !se certain breathing
techni?!es to help reach a state of rela5ation
necessary for a positive and en:oyable e5perience.

*n order to completely rela5 and get the most o!t of
each dive we m!st !nderstand and confront all forms
of stress and an5iety. An5iety is a sensation that arises from sit!ations that we are
!ncomfortable with or that pose a danger. *f not confronted$ these sit!ations then lead to
an ongoing state of being otherwise known as stress. As a freediver many negative
effects happen to the body from an5iety and stress. These incl!de an increased rate of
breathing$ diffic!lties breathing ;associated with a shortness of breath<$ vasoconstriction
;a red!ced amo!nt of o5ygen s!pplied to all tiss!es<$ which in t!rn increases yo!r heart
rate and o5ygen cons!mption$ and a general red!ction in m!sc!lar activity prod!cing
feelings of !neasiness and discomfort. An5iety and stress also have negative effects on
the digestive system$ bringing abo!t na!sea and indigestion which f!rther distracts the
mind and yo!r ability to rela5.
0a!ses of stress in freediving incl!de the physical demands of the sport$ mental
challenges associated with yo!r ability and of the marine environment$ as well as
e?!ipment problems and environmental conditions. 0onditioning yo!rself for the
physical demands of freediving involve keeping physically fit$ eating a proper diet$
getting ade?!ate sleep and not smoking or drinking alcohol in e5cess. The best e5ercise
for freediving is freediving. The more we do an activity the better we become at it and
the more comfortable we are$ therefore red!cing stress. .ating well$ getting plenty of
rest and not smoking or drinking keeps o!r
bodies feeling and operating their best. This
benefits o!r body both physically ;by allowing it
to operate at its best< and mentally ;by feeling
good we are more confident of o!r ability<.
Preparing yo!rself for the mental challenges
means being in a clear and stable state of mind.
This is viewed as being able to think clearly and
positively so that yo! are able to react to
sit!ations as they arise in the best way possible.
Thro!gh learning proper freedive techni?!es and
practicing safety proced!res yo! condition yo!r
mind to know how to deal with stressf!l
sit!ations so that when they do arise yo! are
confident in yo!r skills and know what to do.
Practice makes perfect. 9ental conditioning to
red!ce stress is also facing yo!r fears and
ed!cating yo!rself abo!t the facts. 'harks are a
h!ge so!rce of fear and stress for many people.
/y ed!cating yo!rself abo!t sharks$ their behaviors$ the different kinds and learning how
to behave when confronted with a shark yo! will be m!ch better prepared once yo! do
enco!nter a shark. Also the more yo! enco!nter sharks the less stressf!l each enco!nter
will be. 'tress involving e?!ipment problems re?!ires getting to know yo!r gear thro!gh
!se$ general maintenance and inspection. /y doing this yo! will be able to foresee
problems or at least know how to deal with them as they come abo!t and red!ce
stressing over fa!lty e?!ipment. )or this reason it is best to !se only ?!ality gear and
freedive specific e?!ipment that yo! can tr!st. .val!ating environmental conditions to
minimi6e stress involves doing everything yo! can to determine the sit!ation yo! are
abo!t to p!t yo!rself into before yo! dive in. This incl!des monitoring wind strength
and direction$ water temperat!re$ air temperat!re$ c!rrents$ visibility$ sea state and any
other environmental condition that will affect yo!r dive. Attention sho!ld be paid
thro!gho!t the day beca!se all of these conditions can change ?!ickly and corrective
actions sho!ld be taken to avoid a dangero!s sit!ation. /y !nderstanding all of these
ca!ses of stress yo! can begin to deal with each one in an effort to find inner peace and
rela5ation which will lead to an improved freedive performance.
:ia-!ragmatic reat!ing
'ince we breath from the day we are born till the day we e5it this .arth$ most of !s give
little tho!ght to this ongoing movement of life. O!r everyday breaths tend to be shallow
and short compared to o!r total l!ng capacity and for this reason the m!scles involved
are tight and restricted from not being !sed to their potential. /!t before working on
stretching the m!scles involved$ we need to develop an awareness of o!r breath. This
simply means taking the time to listen$ feel and be conscio!s of how o!r breathing
flows. /y doing this we are then able to control o!r breathing and !se this control as a
techni?!e to rela5. This control and awareness d!ring the preparation of a dive not only
g!arantees minim!m !se of o5ygen by red!cing the body4s metabolism$ b!t also brings
abo!t an inner peace and greater awareness of oneself and s!rro!ndings which in t!rn
makes for a more en:oyable and safer dive.
/oth yoga and meditation refer to respiration
techni?!es that foc!s on diaphragmatic breathing
to help bring a better awareness to the breath and
the body. The diaphragm is the flat plate of
m!scle between the stomach and l!ngs and plays
a f!ndamental role in breathing. O!r l!ngs can be
vis!ali6ed as two pyramids with the widest
segment and therefore the most vol!me at the
bottom connected to the diaphragm. nowing this
it becomes apparent of how important the
diaphragm is for the freediver looking to
ma5imi6e l!ng vol!me. /reathing with o!r
diaphragm is something we are born doing$ b!t thro!gh social and c!lt!ral press!res we
repress this nat!ral form of breathing with a more restricted style of breathing that keeps
o!r belly4s s!cked in for a more slimming appearance. To reconnect with diaphragmatic
breathing we need to start by DfeelingF o!r breaths and vis!ali6e each breath flowing in
thro!gh o!r nose$ filling o!r l!ngs$ then flowing back o!t all in a fl!id e5change. *t helps
to close yo!r eyes$ bringing all yo!r attention to yo!r breath. As yo! work on this
concentrate on remaining completely calm and rela5ed$ which will allow yo! to address
any discomforts$ becoming more aware of yo!r entire body and discovering new levels
of inner peace. 'trive for a slow and fl!id e5change of yo!r breath to find a pace in yo!r
breathing that promotes a rela5ed feeling. Once yo! discover this rhythmic pattern
practice it as often as yo! think abo!t it thro!gho!t the day. As yo! e5plore yo!r rhythm
of breathing yo! can then begin to incorporate deeper diaphragmatic respiration
techni?!es.
The most basic techni?!e for learning to improve diaphragmatic respiration is best done
by laying on yo!r back with yo!r knees !p. P!t one hand on yo!r chest and yo!r other
hand on yo!r belly. As yo! inhale$ foc!s on the air flowing into the bottom of yo!r l!ngs
ca!sing yo!r belly to rise. To concentrate on only breathing with the diaphragm$ take
normal breaths and make yo!r
hand on yo!r belly rise with the
inhale. The hand on yo!r chest
sho!ld remain still. As yo! e5hale
p!sh the air o!t with the m!scles
in yo!r stomach area ;the
diaphragm<$ ca!sing yo!r belly to
collapse and the hand on it to
drop. Again the hand on the chest
sho!ld not move. The p!rpose of
placing yo!r hands on yo!r chest
and belly are to feel yo!r
movements d!ring yo!r breathing$ with the hand on the chest remaining still and the
hand on the belly moving !p on the inhale and down on the e5hale. This also makes a
physical connection with the signals of yo!r brain that are controlling the m!scles of the
diaphragm. The more yo! practice breathing with the diaphragm the stronger the brain
signals are connected to the diaphragm and the more a!tomatic this style of breathing
becomes. This way when yo! go to dive and have all kinds of other distractions yo! can
simply place yo! hand on yo!r belly$ feel that yo! are breathing with yo!r diaphragm$
know that yo! are breathing correctly which will allow yo! to t!rn yo!r foc!s on the
dive. As yo! practice this techni?!e yo! can begin to p!sh yo!r physical limit on both
the inhale and e5hale$ actively e5ercising and stretching the diaphragm. This is a good
e5ercise to do when yo! lay down to bed at night ;do not !se a pillow<. 'ince yo! are
already laying down for bed means yo! will be doing this at least once a day. Another
benefit of doing it before yo! go to sleep is the connection of going into a rela5ed state
that comes from breathing with the diaphragm while performing the e5ercise.
/!ilding on this basic techni?!e we then move on to !nderstand that each complete
diaphragmatic respiration consists of three phasesC
abdominal ;diaphragmatic<
thoracic ;chest<
clavic!lar ;top of the l!ngsKchest e5tending into the throat<
Again$ vis!ali6ing each breath flowing in thro!gh yo!r nose$ first filling the lower
cavity of yo!r l!ngs and raising yo!r belly in the process ;abdominal phase<. The breath
then moves it4s way !p$ filling the chest area ;thoracic phase< and this time e5panding
the ribcage. )inally reaching the clavic!lar phase the breath then fills the top of the l!ngs
and trachea$ ca!sing the sho!lders to rise to gain ma5im!m vol!me. *n the e5hale phase
the same process sho!ld be e5perienced in the reverse order ending with the belly
s!cking in to p!sh the diaphragm !p$ e5pelling the last bit of air. To help !nderstand the
correct inhalation process it is !sef!l to pict!re yo!r l!ngs as three different sections$
each section having to reach ma5im!m capacity before the ne5t section is opened. )or
the e5halation process a !sef!l image is to see yo!r l!ngs as a bag with the air being
rolled o!t from the top down$ with the last bit of air s?!ee6ed o!t with the diaphragm
flattening the bag. Another e5tremely important detail is that the breathing m!st remain
fl!id with the d!ration of the e5halation at least twice as long as the inhalation. This
inhale to e5hale ratio is f!ndamental to diaphragmatic breathing and promotes the body4s
a!tomatic response for
rela5ation. eep in mind that if
at any point yo! become
lightheaded or di66y this signals
hyperventilation and the
techni?!e sho!ld be slowed
down. This techni?!e will
re?!ire a bit of practice and
concentration to be preformed
correctly$ b!t will provide yo!
with a solid fo!ndation for the
correct freedive breathing
techni?!e.
reat!ing *0cle%
There is no DoneF correct breathing cycle for all applications of apnea. The same
techni?!e is not !sed for a static apnea where yo! remain motionless on the s!rface as is
!sed for a ma5im!m depth dive or for the A1
th
dive of a day spent spearfishing. *n each
of these applications the body is in a different internal balance ;different O, and 0O,
levels$ blood press!re$ heart rate$ etc.< d!e to previo!s actions leading !p to that point.
Therefore the breathing cycle will be different for each. *t will also be different beca!se
each of the dives re?!ires something different from the body for the re?!ired task. >sing
diaphragmatic respiration to listen to yo!r body4s needs in combination with !sing it to
reach a complete state of rela5ation is a key f!ndamental in all applications. The overall
foc!s here sho!ld be on diaphragmatic breathing.
)or the p!rpose of this man!al we will foc!s on learning the correct breathing cycle for
a standard dive to depth. *n preparation for a single dive to depth ;where there has been a
s!bstantial s!rface interval between dives O for e5ample$ at least five min!tes< the
correct breathing cycle begins with normal everyday breathing. This type of breathing
balances the O, and 0O, levels in the bloodstream where the body operates most
efficiently. #o!r body has an ama6ing ability to take care of itself and bring itself into
balance with o!r normal respiration. As yo! become aware of yo!r breath in this stage$ a
conscio!s shift to diaphragmatic breathing sho!ld follow. This shift sho!ld foc!s on
!sing only the diaphragm with normal breathing inhalations$ followed by slow$ rela5ed
e5halations. *f at any point yo! feel di66y or lightheaded this is a form of
hyperventilation and the breathing cycle sho!ld be slowed down.
Once yo! have been breathing for a few min!tes !sing normal diaphragmatic respiration
and feel rela5ed and comfortable$ it4s time to take the last co!ple breaths before the final
inhale. These last co!ple breaths$ also know as p!rging breaths$ are , to = f!ll breaths to
help bring fresh air into the deep part of yo!r l!ngs. !his should not be confused with
hyperventilation which is an extended period of deep breathing that causes feeling
lightheaded or di""y. #yperventilation should be avoided$ and you feel these symptoms
at any point during the breathing cycle further dive preparations should be aborted and
normal breathing should be resumed. The final e5hale before the last breath sho!ld be a
f!ll e5hale !sing the diaphragm to e5pel as m!ch air as possible. Doing this removes as
m!ch stale air as possible and prepares the l!ngs for the final breath. The final breath
sho!ld be a fl!id inhale that begins with dropping the diaphragm to p!ll air into the
lower region of the l!ngs. As this becomes f!ll this feeling of f!llness sho!ld move !p
into the chest cavity e5panding against the ribs in an effort to get the largest breath
possible. The last area to pack air in is in the clavic!lar ;top of the l!ngs e5tending into
the throat<. As yo! gasp and raise the sho!lders to fill this last region yo! now have a
f!ll breath of air to take with yo! on yo!r dive. "emember the final breath for a freedive
sho!ld be a f!ll diaphragmatic inhalation$ completely filling all three levels of the l!ngs.

Recover0 reat!%
Altho!gh the breathing we do before o!r dive prepares !s for a safe and en:oyable dive
the breaths we take !pon ret!rning to the s!rface are the most important. These first
breaths we take !pon s!rfacing are known as recovery breaths. "ecovery breaths consist
of = DhookF breaths followed by deep breathing while !nder the s!pervision of yo!r dive
partner.
A DhookF breath is preformed with a controlled e5hale of only half yo!r l!ngs vol!me
followed by a f!ll inhale that is held and p!t !nder press!re for ,3= seconds. Two very
important aspects of the recovery hook breaths are that the e5hale is a controlled partial
e5hale ;only abo!t half the l!ngs vol!me< and that the breath in is p!t !nder press!re. A
controlled partial e5hale is f!ndamental for safety$ whereas a f!ll and forcef!l e5hale at
the s!rface can lower the partial press!re of o5ygen to a level low eno!gh to bring abo!t
a blacko!t. A partial e5hale also saves precio!s seconds in being able to inhale sooner
and make the difference between a clean recovery or what co!ld be a s!rface blacko!t.
The act p!tting yo!r breath hold !nder press!re for , 3 = seconds on the recovery breaths
b!ilds !p blood press!re which ?!ickly delivers freshly o5ygenated blood to key organs
s!ch as the brain.
This part of the hook breath incorporates the same techni?!e that Navy fighter pilots
!se when going into high speed mane!vers that p!t their body !nder high P forces.
Navy pilots m!st keep blood from being p!lled from their brain while !ndergoing high
gravitational forces which co!ld !ltimately lead to a black o!t. *n order to force blood
back to their brain they !se press!ri6ed s!its and something called the Anti3P 'training
9ane!ver. 'ince as freedivers we will not be wearing press!ri6ed flight s!its we can
look at the Anti3P 'training 9ane!ver as a way to force freshly o5ygenated blood to o!r
brain as ?!ick as possible !pon s!rfacing. To help !s !nderstand how to perform the
Anti3P 'training 9ane!ver we can look at the >nited 'tates Navy )light 9an!alC
!here are two components of the recommended Anti%& 'training (aneuver (A&'()
1. A continuous and maximum contraction of all s)eletal muscles including the . . .
chest and abdominal muscles. !ensing of the s)eletal muscles . . . assists in
retaining or returning the blood to the thoracic (chest) area$ the heart and brain.
2. !he respiratory component of the A&'( is repeated at *.+ , -.. second intervals.
!he purpose of the respiratory component is to counter the downward & force by
increasing chest pressure by expanding the lungs. !his increased pressure forces
blood to flow from the heart to the brain.
/y incorporating these mane!vers into the DhookF breath we are able to take advantage
of the same increased press!re to force blood to flow from the heart to the brain and a
safe recovery. These are the most important breaths of a freedive and sho!ld be practiced
on every dive$ not :!st on diffic!lt dives. /y ingraining this techni?!e of recovery
breaths into o!r s!bconscio!s thro!gh repetitive practice it is more likely that we will
a!tomatically breath like this if we are close to a black o!t and not thinking clearly.
)ollowing the hook recovery breaths is a ret!rn to more normal heavy breathing like that
of being winded from a foot race. These breaths work at e5pelling the b!ilt !p 0O, that
have been acc!m!lating d!ring the dive. As the level of 0O, drops the level of O5ygen
increases to a point where a black o!t is no longer a threat. This does not happen
immediately b!t takes abo!t =1 seconds after s!rfacing. )or this reason it is important
for the safety diver to watch the diver for these =1 seconds before they do anything else.
*f the diver was str!ggling on the s!rface and appeared to be close to a black o!t then the
safety diver needs to contin!e watching the diver !ntil a complete recovery is certain
and then comm!nicate what they observed.
A common g!ideline for a safe s!rface interval time is for it to be at least twice as long
as the dive. 'o if yo! had a +411F dive$ then yo! need to have a s!rface interval of a
minim#m of ,411F before yo!r ne5t dive. *f yo!r dive was +4=1F$ then yo!r minim#m
s!rface interval sho!ld be =411F$ and so on. This is only a g!ideline for minim!m s!rface
interval times to allow for a complete recovery. As always yo! sho!ld !se common
sense and listen to yo!r body if yo! need more time than given by this g!ide.
&n Water Tec!ni"#e
*n the following section we will look at basic techni?!es s!ch as proper weighting$
operation of a ?!ick release weightbelt and the d!ckdive that can be applied while in the
water to become an efficient and safe freediver.
Weig!ting
The proper techni?!e for correct weighting is being able to be ne!trally b!oyant at a
certain depth. Weighting is controlled with lead weights that are most commonly worn
on a belt. The amo!nt of weight re?!ired to be ne!trally b!oyant will change with
factors s!ch as wets!it thickness$ whether diving in fresh or salt water or e5tra gear. *f
yo! do not dive very often yo! might notice that changing body fat percentages will
effect yo!r b!oyancy.
To find yo!r correct weighting yo! will need to
have on everything yo! are planning to dive with.
*f yo! are going to !sing a camera or any other
e?!ipment that is not ne!trally b!oyant yo! will
need to have this with yo! as well. )inding yo!r
correct weight re?!irements sho!ld be done at the
beginning of yo!r dive session. This will help
yo! to be the most efficient and safe from the
beginning and is also a great time to test all yo!r
e?!ipment while yo! are still close to the boat or
shore. 'ince yo! will be doing this right after yo!
p!t yo!r wets!it on and is the first time yo! will
have been in the water it will be necessary to get
o!t all air trapped in yo!r s!it. )looding the hood$
e5tending the arms !p and diving down a few
meters will all help get pockets of air o!t of yo!r
s!it that will affect b!oyancy. Once yo! have all
yo!r gear sit!ated yo! need to determine the
average depths yo! will be diving to. Ne!tral
b!oyancy is fo!nd by diving to the determined depth$ ass!ming a hori6ontal position$
and witho!t moving yo! neither float nor sink. )or beginners who might be diving to an
average depth of +1m ;==4< weight yo!rself to be ne!trally b!oyant at =3@m ;+13+,4<. As
yo! increa%e in depth yo! will decrea%e the amo!nt of weight re?!ired. 'o if yo!r
average depth increases to ,1m ;224< yo! will remove weight in order to be ne!trally
b!oyant at 23Hm ;,13,,4<. The same theory contin!es as yo! dive deeper. 'o for a =1m
;+114< dive yo! will contin!e to red!ce weight in order to be ne!trally b!oyant at +1m
;==4<.
*t is e5tremely important to remember that the last few meters of the accent are where a
blacko!t is most likely to occ!r and therefore we sho!ld be positively b!oyant for safety.
>sing this weighting techni?!e to o!r advantage we can then p!t into practice slowing
down o!r accent in the last few meters and allowing the positive b!oyancy to assist !s to
float to the s!rface$ conserving precio!s o5ygen in the last stages of a dive. eing
-o%itivel0 +#o0ant at t!e %#r/ace 7it! a nat#ral ex!ale i% a m#%t at all time%. *n the
event of a black o!t this safety margin will keep yo! afloat where yo!r recovery from
yo!r dive partner will be m!ch easier. *f yo! are the slightest bit negatively b!oyant on
the s!rface and have a black o!t yo! will sink with increasing velocity the deeper yo!
go. This makes recovery e5tremely diffic!lt or impossible if in water too deep to reach
the bottom. *n all diving sit!ations being able to float on the s!rface will allow the diver
to rela5 in preparation for a dive as well as help in the recovery after the dive is
completed.
;#ic1 Relea%e Weig!t+elt
B!ick release of a divers weightbelt is an important skill to learn in the event of an
emergency for yo!rself or in the recovery of a fellow diver. Once the weightbelt is
released the diver becomes positively b!oyant and will float on the s!rface. All diving
specific weightbelts are designed with a ?!ick release b!ckle$ and all work on the same
principal. *n order to release a ?!ick release weightbelt it is necessary to locate the tail of
the belt and give it a p!ll to disengage the b!ckle. At this point the b!ckle will remain
open and the belt can be discarded in order to assist with the diver in tro!ble. *t is
therefore important when si6ing a weightbelt that the tail is not c!t shorter than 23Q
inches when wearing yo!r thickest wets!it and all the weight yo! will be wearing. 9ost
dive weights re?!ire yo! to weave the belt in and o!t of each weight which takes an inch
or so of the length off the belt. "emember this fact when si6ing and c!tting yo!r belt as
the more weight yo! p!t on a belt the shorter it becomes. As the old carpenter saying
goes Dmeas!re twice$ c!t onceF. Once yo! have c!t yo!r belt to the correct length and
have a solid 23Q inch tail this will provide a positive handhold for activating the ?!ick
release b!ckle. *t is also important to note that the tail of the belt sho!ld not be t!cked
!nder the belt. The tail needs to be easily accessible to yo!r dive partner in the event of
an emergency.
:#c1dive%
An efficient transition from floating on the s!rface in a rela5ed and static position to
propelling yo!rself into the depths re?!ires correct form and techni?!e. A proper
d!ckdive demonstrates the abilities of a good freediver and will be fl!id with an
aesthetically pleasing style. A fl!id d!ckdive is not simply a reflection of good style b!t
demonstrates finally t!ned efficiency. A forcef!l approach that incorporates all the steps
of a d!ckdive may get the diver to the bottom ?!ickly$ b!t with movements that waste
precio!s energy ;and o5ygen<. Preforming a d!ckdive that has a rhythm where each
movement flows into the ne5t demonstrates ma5im!m efficiency and a?!atic skill. This
skillf!lness in the transfer of energy in motion is most critical at the s!rface where the
freediver is most b!oyant and has to break s!rface tension. )or this reason a properly
e5ec!ted d!ckdive is one of the most important mane!vers to learn. The transfer from
swimming on the s!rface to immersing oneself re?!ires precise techni?!e and can be
done with either a s?!are d!ckdive or a spearfisher4s d!ckdive.
."#are :#c1dive
)loating on the s!rface with the face s!bmerged and breathing thro!gh the snorkel is a
comfortable position to maintain while we prepare for the dive ahead. With proper
weighting we sho!ld be able to float with no effort. O!r only movements sho!ld be
slight sc!lling of the hands or fins in order for !s to maintain position. At this point the
body is rela5ed and the foc!s is down into the depths. This will allow for o!r
concentration to be directed to correct breathing with the diaphragm and rela5ing.
'ince most people4s legs tend to be negatively b!oyant and sink with the addition of long
blade fins we need to generate a little forward moment!m to get the legs !p to the
s!rface and in line with the body. This forward movement can be made with the arms by
doing one breaststroke bringing the arms along side !pon completion$ or by a few small
kicks that will bring the legs !p to the s!rface and the arms along side. At this point the
arms e5tend down in a reverse stroke to a perpendic!lar position which stops the
forward motion. *n rhythm with the arms completing this reverse stroke a bend at the
torso begins. The bend at the torso initiates the directional change from along the s!rface
to towards the bottom in a straight line. The legs sho!ld remain straight and as the bend
in the torso nears a 71 degree angle both legs are lifted o!t of the water. The aim at this
point sho!ld be to have a fl!id yet aggressive transition into a straight form with both
legs o!t of the water and aligned with the body.
Attention sho!ld be made not to over throw the legs ca!sing them to either bend at the
knees or p!ll the body into a back arch. /oth of these will be detrimental in the goal of
!sing the weight of the legs e5tended straight o!t of the water to drive the body down
with no other movement necessary. The final position is with arms e5tended towards the
bottom$ head between the arms with the chin t!cked in ;not looking at the bottom O
looking down hyper3e5tends the neck$ arches the back and thr!st the chest o!t O all of
which create an inefficient position< back straight$ legs together and straight with the
toes pointed to keep the fins in line with the body. This DpencilF shape of the body aimed
in a straight line towards the bottom is the most hydrodynamic and efficient shape to
begin a freedive with. This shape sho!ld be held !ntil the tips of the fins are completely
s!bmerged. Once the fins are !nder the s!rface begin finning in a strong and steady
manner. )inning before the fins are !nderwater is a waste of energy since there is no
resistance.
The s?!are d!ckdive is the most efficient d!ckdive for deep dives since it generates the
most downward force by e5ploiting the weight of both legs above the s!rface. The key
with e5ec!ting this properly is finding the rhythm of the moves to have them flow from
one into the ne5t and with the correct amo!nt of effort necessary witho!t over forcing it.

S!ear-i)#er2) Duc3+i*e
.-ear/i%!er$% :#c1dive
The spearfisher4s d!ckdive is similar to the s?!are d!ckdive b!t e5tends only one leg
above the s!rface. /y only !sing the weight of one leg to p!sh yo! !nder this is not as
effective as the s?!are d!ckdive$ b!t it can be done in a very smooth and ?!ick motion
which re?!ires very little effort. )or this reason it is chosen by spearfishermen for it4s
ease and stealthy approach.
With both style d!ckdives it is important to e5ec!te them properly and with ma5im!m
efficiency. )inning sho!ld never begin !ntil the fin tips are completely s!bmerged. 'ince
the body is most b!oyant at the s!rface and this b!oyancy decreases the deeper yo! go$
the more efficient yo! make this transfer$ the less effort is re?!ired$ meaning less o5ygen
is cons!med$ translating to a deeper and longer dive.
'et &n T!e Water
*n order to become an efficient and
confident freediver time m!st be spent in
the water practicing techni?!e4s and
getting to know yo!r body and yo!r limits.
The most ideal time wo!ld be spent
foc!sed on a set goal for the each session.
/y foc!sing on one goal or techni?!e it is
more likely that yo! will make
improvements in that area than witho!t
having a goal to foc!s !pon. With this
approach to foc!s on only one goal each
practice session will res!lt in a greater
improvement in that one area. /y
making s!bstantial improvements each
time yo! practice$ the c!m!lative
improvement in yo!r performance will be
greater than if yo! practice a lot of
different things each session b!t never really spend the time to improve !pon any of
them. While this foc!sed approach will provide yo! with the best res!lts to becoming an
efficient freediver$ any time spent in the water will shape yo! into becoming a more
confident freediver. All forms of water activities will help provide yo! with a !ni?!e
relationship with the ocean. Whether yo! spend time swimming off the beach$ playing in
the s!rf$ or on a boat$ the knowledge that we gain from these e5periences b!ilds o!r
confidence in !s and in o!r relationship with the ocean. As long as we always remember
to respect the power of the ocean$ this confidence will allow !s to rela5 and en:oy going
into the ocean on a single breath like we never knew was possible. 'pending time in the
water also bring o!t o!r s!bconscio!s geni!s which !nknowingly shapes o!r a?!atic
efficiencies. The more time we spend doing anything the more efficient we become$ it4s
a simple h!man trait of evol!tion and the same principle is applicable to forming fl!id
and efficient style in the water. 'o get o!t there and get in the water$ it4s the best teacher.
(2 ) *(2 Training Ta+le%
O, and 0O, training tables are a great way to work on increasing o!r breath hold
capability witho!t having to to get wet. These tables can be done almost anywhere$ :!st
make s!re yo! will not be p!tting yo!rself of others in danger if yo! p!sh yo!rself to a
black o!t. They are best done while sitting in a comfortable chair where yo! are able to
completely rela5. *t4s also a good idea to let people aro!nd know what yo! are doing in
case yo! need assistance or so yo! :!st don4t frighten them. *t will also keep them from
asking yo! ?!estions in which case yo!4ll feel awkward by not answering or r!in yo!r
table and have to start over.
O, tables work on b!ilding yo!r tolerance to low O, levels which come from e5tended
breath holds. These tables are great for b!ilding an awareness of the steps yo!r body
goes thro!gh d!ring an e5tended breath hold. /y having a set recovery time that allows
for a complete recovery of O, and 0O, levels$ these breath holds are designed to lower
yo!r heart rate and e5tend yo!r breath hold time with each set.
0O, tables work on b!ilding yo!r tolerance to high 0O, levels. *n a normal breath hold
the 0O, level increases as the O, level decreases and it is the increased 0O, level that
sends the signal to the brain that we need to breath. These tables do not allow the body
to e5pel significant levels of 0O, and therefore each preceding breath hold starts with
an increased level of 0O,. This brings an awareness of the feelings associated with high
levels of 0O, s!ch as contractions of the diaphragm and a strong desire to breath.
Working with this awareness and p!shing o!r tolerance level in spite of the effects of
high 0O, levels in t!rn will increase o!r overall breath hold time.
Tables can be modified for personal goals by increasingKdecreasing Apnea times by
m!ltiples of +A seconds. )or O, tables the initial time of apnea sho!ld be A1I of
personal best. )or 0O, tables the apnea sho!ld be A1321I of personal best.
(2 Ta+le *(2 Ta+le
"ecovery Apnea "ecovery Apnea
+. ,C11 min +C@A min +C@A min +C=1 min
,. ,C11 ,C11 +C=1 +C=1
=. ,C11 ,C+A +C+A +C=1
@. ,C11 ,C=1 +C11 +C=1
A. ,C11 ,C@A C@A +C=1
2. ,C11 =C11 C=1 +C=1
H. ,C11 =C+A C+A +C=1
Q. ,C11 =C+A C+A +C=1
Freedive Training ,--%
There are also Apps for freedivers on iphone4s and android smartphones. These are
cheap and f!n Apps that yo! can take with yo! and that keep track of yo!r progress so
yo! can see yo!r improvements. The following Apps are for iphone4s.
<oldreat! = Freediving Trainer +0 >amil #?nie7ic9 @A2.99B
This is a training App that helps )reedivers improve their breathold !sing a n!mber of
tables s!ch as 0O, and O, training.
The App feat!res the followingC
0O, tables
O, tables
9*R.D tables
0!stom tables
'O>ND )..D/A0
0ONT.'T 9OD. ;voice< with A*DA r!les co!nting
8*/"AT*ON' feedback
'TOPWAT0H to meas!re yo!r apnea times with easy$ big
stop b!tton and optional warm!p time
%OP/OO to track yo!r performance with optional note
P"APH 8*.W for logbook to see yo!r performance in
more interesting way
P%A#%*'T selection !sed for both training and stopwatch
O !se yo!r own m!sic d!ring trainings
The App has a clean appearance$ loads ?!ickly and covers all the bases when it comes to
breathold training. The ability to have a logbook$ store personal bests and add playlists
of m!sic is a nice to!ch
,-nea /or Free :iver% +0 4etanel .o/t7are @A3.99B
Apnea for freedivers is designed to work with both
iPhone and iPad.
Here are the feat!res availableC
The application contains e5act instr!ction how to !se
and improve yo!r diving time
ApneaGs breath test will a!tomatically generate 0O,$
and O, intervals to start yo!r worko!t
s!pport c!stomi6e worko!ts
!nlimited worko!ts %og
option to copy log res!lts to .mail
All possible worko!t alerts ;9anKWoman speech $
rela5ing so!nd $ vibration<
log 9anagement ;delete allKsingle worko!t<
Application s!pports both iPad and iPhone
i,-ena +0 -o7er6,. @FR22B
Another training 0O, and O, App that has logging
capabilities. )!nctionality is the same as the other
Apps$ however the main difference for this App is
that it is free.
(t!er Training Tec!ni"#e%
Obvio!sly the best training for freediving is freediving itself. >nfort!nately most people
are not able to go diving on a reg!lar basis and alternate forms of training are re?!ired to
contin!e improving. A term that describes the best approach to training is DspecificityF$
meaning the closer yo!r training is to yo!r specific goal the more effective the res!lt.
This is why if yo! are looking to improve in depth freediving the best training is by
going o!t and diving to depth as m!ch as possible. *f yo! are looking to improve yo!r
breath hold time then practicing static apnea in a pool or working on 0O, and O, tables
will give yo! the greatest res!lt of improvement. The problem is that if yo! only practice
one specific thing over and over it becomes e5tremely boring and diffic!lt to keep
motivation levels high. 9ost people discover the sport of freediving thro!gh a m!ch
more recreational sense where there is a lot of en:oyment fo!nd in being in the water.
Whether the pleas!re is fo!nd
thro!gh being weightless in the
water$ learning abo!t fish and all
the a?!atic creat!res or thro!gh
spearingfishing and the sense of
accomplishment that comes
from it$ o!r best training can be
done if we incorporate some of
this enth!siasm. There4s no
better way to kill yo!r passion of
the sea and diving than with
training that is not en:oyable.
Normal training cycles take an
athlete thro!gh progress and
setbacks and it is d!ring these
setbacks that it is f!ndamental to keep a sense of f!n with yo!r training. Nobody is able
to train with only contin!al improvement$ setbacks are a part of the learning process and
sho!ld be e5pected to keep yo! form being disco!raged. *ncorporating play with
training will take yo!r mind off critici6ing yo!r abilities and help yo! to improve
thro!gh a more nat!ral progression than with a forced effort.
(-en Water
Pames and ways to incorporate f!n in open water incl!deC
'pearfishing
8ideoing friends freediving$ marine life or yo!rself ;be s!re to have a dive watch
and keep track of yo!r dive time. *t is very easy to become preocc!pied and lose
track of time. Always dive with a b!ddy and treat this activity with ca!tion<
)reestyle swimming O it4s as simple as bringing o!t the kid in yo! and doing
!nderwater flips$ twisting and t!rning and :!st acting silly in general all while
holding yo!r breath.
>nderwater dance party ;Only in calm sea conditions< While wearing a wets!it
for b!oyancy take off yo!r fins and all yo!r weight to increase yo!r b!oyancy$
then flip !pside down and dance on the bottom of a boat or platform. >se
common sense to avoid sharp ob:ects and the danger of a pitching boat.
Timed !nderwater races. Take t!rns timing each other diving to a predetermined
depth to see who4s the fastest. 0hange this !p by diving with fins$ with one fin$
witho!t fins$ carrying weights or any other creative way yo! can think of to have
f!n.
Practice blowing b!bbles rings. 'tick yo!r tong!e o!t and try different techni?!es
to get a ring of b!bbles to form. An instr!ctional video of this is available at
www.brianp!cella.com.
)ill a bottle at depth with air and watching the vol!me e5pand as yo! ascend. #o!
can act!ally make cool bottle rockets by filling a plastic bottle with air at depth$
screw the lid on and when yo! reach the s!rface the e5panded air has press!ri6ed
the bottle. 'ee if yo!r good yo! can get the bottle to blast off when yo! !nscrew
the top.
&n T!e Pool
Pames and ways to incorporate f!n in the poolC
)ilming and reviewing techni?!eKstreamlining. With the introd!ction of video
cameras s!ch as the PoPro$ !nderwater filming is f!n and a great way to learn
abo!t streamlining and criti?!e form as well as getting to know the operations of
the camera.
Timed !nderwater distance races. Take t!rns timing each other or having side by
side !nderwater races for a predetermined distance. 0hange this !p by swimming
with fins$ with one fin$ with no fins$ carrying weights or any other creative way
yo! can think of to have f!n.
Practice p!tting on gear !nderwater witho!t s!rfacing. %ay yo!r weightbelt$ fins$
mask and snorkel on the bottom. Practice diving down and p!tting on all yo!r
gear incl!ding clearing yo!r mask in one breath. *f this becomes too easy try
doing it after e5haling half yo!r air or all yo!r air. This activity also helps yo!
become familiar with yo!r e?!ipment and being able to p!t it on in the water or in
not ideal conditions.
:r0 land training
#o! can do this at home$ work or wherever yo! have some free time and space.
#oga. Almost all forms of yoga are wonderf!l ways to improve yo!r freediving
thro!gh their connection of mind and body. One partic!lar form of yoga known as
pranayama foc!ses on the breath. Training and working on yo!r mind to breath
connection is a ma:or foc!s of all competitive freedivers and improves depth
diving$ breath hold times and general en:oyment in the water. An instr!ctional
video of this is available at www.brianp!cella.com.
Apnea walking. eep track of yo!r performances by co!nting yo!r steps or !sing
a stopwatch. *t4s best to do this on grass or on a soft s!rface in the event that yo!
e5perience a blacko!t. This is a good way to p!sh yo!rself and e5perience the
effects of raised 0O, levels so that when yo! get in the water yo! can recogni6e
the signals and stay within yo!r limits.
Diaphragmatic stretching. Working on the fle5ibility of yo!r diaphragm aids in
being able to achieve a larger vol!me of air with the inhale. 9ore importantly
having a fle5ible diaphragm d!ring a dive to depth allows yo!r l!ngs to compress
to a smaller vol!me which in t!rn provides greater ability to e?!ali6e. The ma:or
limiting factor for freedivers looking to increase their depth is problems with
e?!ali6ation. )le5ibility of the diaphragm is the best way to increase yo!r ability
to e?!ali6e with increased depth. An instr!ctional video for this is available at
www.brianp!cella.com.
9editation. There is no do!bt a large part of freediving is physical conditioning$
b!t the mental aspect of the sport cannot be ignored. /eing able to control yo!r
tho!ghts to red!ce yo!r heart rate$ rela5 tension$ red!ce stress and !ltimately
en:oy yo!r time in the water plays a ma:or role in advancing yo!r freediving
ability. 9editation is a conditioning of yo!r mind to maintain control of yo!r
tho!ghts$ and like anything else it takes practice and training.
.a/et0
*n general freediving is a relatively safe activity if a few safety g!idelines are always
followed. *n a confined water environment s!ch as a pool there is little risk of in:!ry
aside from a slippery pool deck. *n the open ocean yo! have more concerns with
weather$ c!rrents$ waves and marine animals$ b!t the risk of personal in:!ry is still low if
common sense is !sed. The highest risk across the board with freediving is the risk of
drowning. 'o with s!ch a low risk of personal in:!ry and a high risk of death by
drowning it is necessary to foc!s o!r attention on how not to drown while freediving.
Any activity in or aro!nd water carries the potential for drowning. This is why the b!ddy
system is so important$ AT A%% T*9.'& *t only takes a few inches of water to cover a
persons airways and if yo! are !nconscio!s and witho!t anyone to keep yo!r airway
clear it4s possible to drown in something as shallow as a bowl of water.
T!e #dd0 .0%tem
*n freediving the most important safety
r!le is A%WA#' D*8. W*TH A />DD#&
#o!r b!ddy sho!ld be a tr!sted dive
partner who also has proper knowledge of
freediving safety proced!res and that yo!
have practiced emergency freediving
sit!ations with. With correct planning and
practice both yo! and yo!r dive b!ddy will
be able to e5plore yo!r diving potential
with confidence.
#o!r dive b!ddy sho!ld be trained in the
importance of providing direct s!pervision while yo! are preforming any breath hold
activity. Direct s!pervision means always making yo!r b!ddy the most important foc!s
and not being distracted while they are diving. When yo! think abo!t it$ yo! wo!ld only
want the same respect and attention while yo! are diving. *t4s :!st like the golden r!le of
lifeC One sho!ld treat others as one wo!ld like others to treat oneself. /y b!ilding a
tr!sting relationship with yo!r dive b!ddy$ whether it4s yo!r first time diving together or
thro!gh years of diving together$ yo! will both be able to en:oy yo!r freediving by
having confidence in yo!r safety partner. Proper instr!ction in cardio p!lmonary
res!scitation ;0P"< and basic first aid skills are also important. Direct s!pervision while
freediving is observed in the act!al act of the freedive and after the diver reaches the
s!rface. 9ore specifically maintaining direct s!pervision d!ring the dive with the one
b!ddy !p and one down r!le$ with comm!nication once the diver reaches the s!rface
;are yo! OE< and in a grace period of at least =1 seconds after reaching the s!rface.
%ets look at each of these for a complete !nderstanding of how to be the best safety
partner possible.
(ne C- ) (ne :o7n
The one !p and one down r!le means that
when diving in open water$ one partner
stays !p on the s!rface and provides
direct s!pervision while the other person
is down freediving. While on the s!rface
the s!pervising partner sho!ld be paying
attention to the freediver$ their dive time
and be prepared to dive in the event of an
emergency that wo!ld re?!ire them to
provide assistance. 0omm!nicating yo!r
dive plan incl!ding target depth$ total
dive time and how yo! feel abo!t the dive
will provide !sef!l information for the
s!rface partner. *t is also the
responsibility of the diver to stick to this
plan and to be honest abo!t how they feel
abo!t the dive at hand. *n recreational
freediving where yo! are not diving on an
ascent line and will be moving
hori6ontally as well as vertically it will be
necessary to anticipate ascent location.
This will be m!ch easier to determine by comm!nicating a dive plan and disc!ssing
variables s!ch as c!rrent and hori6ontal distance to cover. The s!rface s!pervisor sho!ld
also be Dbreathing !pF ;see Diaphragmatic /reathing and /reathing 0ycles< in
preparation for their own dive$ b!t also in case the freediver needs assistance. This
e5change of roles will allow for both b!ddies to get the most o!t of their time in the
water in a safe and responsible manner.
A great way to incorporate the one !p and one down r!le with spearfishing is to carry
one g!n between two divers. /y carrying one g!n the s!rface safety diver is able to
foc!s all his attention on the diver down$ where it sho!ld be. This eliminates any chance
of the s!rface safety becoming distracted and chasing after fish while his partner is
down$ leaving him witho!t a b!ddy and essentially diving alone. Another benefit of two
divers spearfishing with one g!n is that in the event of an emergency the safety diver is
not b!rdened with e5tra e?!ipment and has both hands available. With the e5pensive
cost of most spearg!ns it is not too easy to discard one even if it is to help a diver in
tro!ble. This can lead to f!mbling aro!nd with two g!ns while trying to help a diver
ca!sing an already bad sit!ation to become worse. %oosing one g!n is not as bad as
loosing two g!ns$ and no g!n is worth the life of yo!r b!ddy. Trading one g!n between
two divers is a f!n way to h!nt and b!ilds a sense of teamwork when working together
to land a good fish.
The one !p$ one down safety system is not limited to gro!ps of two$ b!t works
partic!larity good with a gro!p of three. *n this system yo! have the freediver ;position
A<$ the secondary safety who is also preparing to dive ne5t ;position /<$ and the primary
safety ;position 0<. *n this rotation the freediver ;A< becomes the primary safety ;0<$ the
primary safety ;0<$ becomes the secondary safety ;/< and prepares to be the ne5t diver$
while the secondary safety ;/< is now the freediver ;A<. This way there are two safety
divers ready for an emergency$ and at the same time allows plenty of time for recovery
and preparation for the ne5t dive.
This gro!p of three divers working together also works great for spearfishermen. The
thing to remember is to h!nt with no more than two g!ns in a gro!p of three. This way
the primary s!rface safety never has a spearg!n in their hands and is ready to give
assistance to the diver down. *n a gro!p of three with two spearg!ns it is also possible to
assist landing a good fish or fending off sharks with the e5tra g!n. /y working together
like this yo! form a good feeling of camaraderie and accomplishment while diving in a
very safe and sec!re manner.
.#r/ace *omm#nicationD ,re 5o# (>E
*n competitive freediving a s!rface protocol m!st be done within +A seconds of the
divers4 airway breaking the s!rface. This protocol consists of the removal of all facial
e?!ipment ;mask$ goggles$ noseclip$ etc<$ looking at the official :!dge and giving the
DOF signal and saying D* am OF. All of this has to be done in this order and within +A
seconds or the diver is given a red card and the dive does not co!nt d!e to fail!re to
complete the s!rface protocol. The reason for this is to ass!re the conscio!sness level of
the freediver. The protocol tests the divers coherence in both motor skill and verbal skill
to ass!re they are not close to a black o!t. *t is not eno!gh to get only one o!t of the two
test correct as sometimes the diver is able to give an a!tomatic response from m!scle
memory and then proceed to slip into a black o!t. nowing that this is possible it is
important that as recreational freedivers we incorporate a similar s!rface protocol on
every dive.
A minimal s!rface comm!nication between
dive partners is once the freediver has
s!rfaced and recovered from their dive$ an
DOF signal m!st be given and ret!rned. A
better proced!re wo!ld be to give and ret!rn
the DOF signal and to also verbali6e this by
saying D* am OF. /y adding this one e5tra
step of verbal comm!nication the s!rface
s!pervisor is better able to determine the
conscio!sness of the diver. The DOF signal
by itself co!ld be a response mechanism and
a!tomatically given even in the event of being
close to a black o!t. *f this is the case by
incl!ding verbali6ing D* am OF into yo!r
s!rface proced!re the diver may give additional indications s!ch as not being able to
clearly say D* am OF or not looking at yo! while saying it. Never ass!me they are fine
:!st beca!se they gave the DOF signal$ hypo5ia d!lls the senses and ca!se fa!lty
:!dgment. /e a pr!dent dive b!ddy and read the signals. *f yo! s!spect the freediver is
not O move into position to provide assistance and comm!nicate yo!r observations to
them. 'tay with them !ntil a f!ll recovery is observed.
(+%erve T!e Freediver /or 30 .econd%
Again if we look at competitive freediving and the A*DA ;Association *nternational for
the Development of Apnea O the governing association for all competitive freediving<
g!idelines that are implemented for safety it will give !s a good idea of r!les we can
incorporate whenever we are freediving. *n competitive freediving once the freediver
has s!rfaced the stopwatch begins and the diver has +A seconds to correctly preform the
s!rface protocol and m!st also keep their airway above the s!rface witho!t assistance
for a f!ll =1 seconds. This is the amo!nt of time that it takes for freshly o5ygenated
blood to cycle thro!gh the body and reach the brain. Altho!gh the diver may not be f!lly
recovered from the dive with fresh o5ygen reaching the brain the risk of a black o!t after
=1 seconds is e5tremely low. *f the diver seems to be str!ggling or having a diffic!lt
time recovering from a dive e5tra time sho!ld be spent with them to ens!re a f!ll
recovery. #o! want to make s!re that when yo! switch the one !p one down roles that
yo! have a safety diver that is !p to the task of assisting yo! before yo! begin yo!r dive.
)or this reason maintaining direct s!pervision of the freediver for a minim!m of =1
seconds after they s!rface is a m!st. After they have recovered$ are no longer at risk of a
black o!t and had a chance to catch their breath$ they will in t!rn be prepared to
s!pervise yo!.
(-en Water ,nd :e-t! .#-ervi%ion
While freediving in an open water environment and with depth diving yo!r goal there
are certain safety considerations to be aware of. Depth freediving !nder ones own power
is also known a constant ballast and is the most respected discipline form of freediving
d!e to the incredible amo!nt of effort re?!ired by the athlete. Acknowledging the
physical and mental demands of depth freediving is the first step in becoming a safer
freediver. The possibility of hypo5ic problems can be f!rther e5acerbated by the
environment in which it takes place with variables s!ch as visibility$ c!rrent$ sea s!rface
conditions$ cold as well as many other factors that arise when e5posed to different
environmental conditions.
With the introd!ction of these obstacles it is important
for the s!pervising diver to be prepared and remain
diligent to the task at hand. *n limited visibility water
;d!e to water s!spended particles or low light levels<
when the diver goes o!t of sight this is partic!larly
tr!e. >sing an accent line and remaining within arms
length of the line will greatly red!ce the stress levels
for both the diver and s!rface s!pervisor. *n addition
to knowing where the diver is even when they go o!t
of site it is possible to !se the line as a
comm!nication tool thro!gh a predetermined set of
p!lls. )or e5ample at the bottom of the dive there will
be one p!ll as the diver changes direction. /y keeping
one hand on the ascent line the s!rface safety diver
feels this single p!ll on the line and knows the
freediver has reached the t!rnaro!nd point of the dive
and sho!ld be on the ret!rn. *f the freediver is tired or
in ?!estion of making the dive they may begin p!lling on the line to assist with their
ascent. The s!rface safety will again feel the m!ltiple p!lls on the line and know that the
freediver is having diffic!lty and be able to dive down to meet the freediver and provide
assistance if needed. This comm!nication of knowing where the freediver is thro!gho!t
the dive even witho!t being able to see them improves safety and confidence
dramatically. Additionally the ascent line provides a vis!al reference point for the
freediver$ letting them know they are heading in the right direction and are going the
shortest distance to their target depth and back to the s!rface.
When !sing a dive line in open water to foc!s on depth or techni?!e it is important to
have the line hanging straight down in the water col!mn. *f c!rrent is observed at the
dive location this will ca!se the dive line to p!lled off at an angle by the force of water
flowing against it. The best sol!tion when c!rrent is present is to free drift with it. /y
drifting with the c!rrent yo! will no longer be in constant fl!5 with the c!rrent$ b!t
rather flowing with it and a part of it traveling at the same speed. This will make the
dive line hang straight and allow yo! to freedive at the same speed as the ascent line$
making it feel like there is no c!rrent. *f this is not possible and yo! have to anchor or
there is still the effects of a c!rrent yo! need to take this into consideration and be
prepared to observe the area aro!nd the dive site in case the freediver drifts off the dive
line.
This is a common problem when spearfishing where we are not following a dive line
and foc!sed on h!nting a specific location. Prior planning and creating a dive plan with
yo!r b!ddy is essential. One tactic is to anchor the boat !p c!rrent of the desired h!nting
gro!nds and trail a long floating line ;commonly called a tag line< with a float on the end
off the boat. This tag line sho!ld float directly over the target area. #o!r dives sho!ld
start !p c!rrent at the boat and as yo! drift with the c!rrent yo! sho!ld be able to s!rface
near the tag line and !se it to p!ll yo!rself back !p c!rrent. The safety diver sho!ld be
able to stay on the s!rface and let go of the line at the same time the diver starts the dive.
This way both the s!rface safety and diver will be drifting at close to the same rate and
in low visibility sit!ations help in being close to each other when the diver s!rfaces.
Another tactic to !se in helping keep track of a diver when spearfishing in low visibility
conditions is !sing a floatline. A floatline is a line that has one end attached to either the
spearg!n or is rigged as a break3away set!p where it is attached to the shooting line. The
other end is attached to a float that remains on the s!rface at all times. /y !sing a
floatline the s!rface safety is able to follow the line and !se it to determine the
appro5imate location of the diver down. Other safety feat!res of !sing a float line
incl!de being able to abandon the spearg!n in emergency sit!ations to improve speed to
get to the s!rface witho!t worrying abo!t loosing the g!n. Once back to the s!rface yo!
can recover the spearg!n hanging on the end of the floatline. #o! can also !se the
floatline to p!ll yo!rself back to the s!rface. This has two advantages in that it helps yo!
conserve o5ygen by !sing yo!r arms instead of yo!r legs and it signals to the s!rface
safety that yo! may need assistance.
/eing a proper dive b!ddy also means thinking ahead and knowing yo!r partners
freediving style and habits. %earning this comes thro!gh open comm!nication before
diving while disc!ssing the dive plan and once yo!r in the water thro!gh observing their
style and form. This incl!des watching them on the decent for signs of fatig!e or
anything o!t of the norm that may indicate forthcoming problems on the ascent$ as well
;and more importantly< observing their style d!ring their ascent. What is their normal
fining rate the last few meters$ do they drop their arms at a certain depthE Observing and
knowing yo!r b!ddy4s style in the ascent will allow yo! to know if there is something
wrong and in the case where he is !nable to signal to yo!$ yo! will be able to provide
assistance from !sing yo!r int!ition.
Proper weighting and practicing removal of ?!ick release weightbelts is important in
open water depth freedive training. "emember that 71I of blacko!ts occ!r at the
s!rface and the problem is easily managed if proper weighting g!idelines have been
followed and the safety freediver is ready to respond.
.tatic ,-nea .#-ervi%ion
'ince not everyone has easy access to deep water for depth diving$ static apnea in a pool
is pop!lar among freedivers looking to train in a controlled environment. Altho!gh static
apnea is simply a timed breath3hold at the s!rface of the water$ it can be dangero!s with
black3o!ts and the possibility of drowning. -!st like with open water diving direct
s!pervision while training static apnea from a trained b!ddy is a m!st.
The proper techni?!e for training static apnea incl!de setting a target time and
comm!nicating a set of signals to be !sed thro!gho!t the breath3hold attempt. The safety
s!pervisors4 signal is given by two taps on the freedivers sho!lder and asking the
?!estion Dare yo! OEF This is the first signal and is given a min!te before the target
time$ then again =1 seconds before the target time$ at the target time and every +A
seconds past the target time. *n response to the s!pervisors4 signal the freediver signals
back by lifting one finger in a direct and p!rposef!l manner. This indicates that they
!nderstand the ?!estion$ are feeling O and will contin!e with the breath hold. *f at any
time the safety diver observes a ?!estionable or weak response the safety sho!ld
immediately give two more taps on the sho!lder to ens!re coherence of the diver. At this
point if the signal is not clear or ?!estionable in any way the freediver sho!ld be bro!ght
!p and the safety diver sho!ld be prepared to assist the freediver !ntil a f!ll recovery is
made. *f this happens the freediver sho!ld discontin!e breath3hold training for the day.
An e5ample of the se?!ence for a target breath3hold of =C11 min!tes isC
1C11 O +CA7 No signals
,C11 3 +
st
signal 3 'afety 3 Two taps on the sho!lder and verbali6e time
3 Diver O "esponds by lifting one finger
,C=1 3 ,
nd
signal 3 'afety O Two taps on sho!lder and verbali6e time
=C11 3 =
rd
signal O 'afety 3 Two taps on sho!lder and verbali6e target time has been
reached
=C+A and every +A seconds after target time 3 'afety contin!es with two taps on the
sho!lder and verbali6ing time. *t is also important to observe all body lang!age and
:!dge coherence of diver.
3 Diver O "esponds by lifting one finger and observes feelings and
response to b!ilding 0O, and dropping O, levels.
'ince most static apnea is practiced floating in a face down position$ observing body
lang!age as well as the comm!nication signals are important for safety.
The s!pervising safety freediver sho!ld be aware of the body lang!age that indicates the
nat!ral progression of a diffic!lt breath hold and not a freediver in tro!ble. 0ontractions
are the most common signal that a breath hold is becoming diffic!lt. This is the m!scles
of the diaphragm having contractions in an effort to begin breathing again. The
fre?!ency and strength of these contractions sho!ld be observed in order to know yo!r
partners static apnea style. 0omm!nicating breath hold habits and setting an appropriate
target time will allow yo! to progress safely in static apnea while yo!r dive b!ddy will
feel comfortable and be able to foc!s on any abnormal body lang!age that co!ld indicate
a problem.
>pon s!rfacing after a static breath hold a s!rface protocol sho!ld be observed :!st like
in open water depth diving. Allowing the diver to recover from the dive and then
comm!nicating with both the DOF signal and by saying D* am OF. The same risk for
black o!t d!ring recovery applies to static apnea and the safety sho!ld contin!e
observing the freediver for at least =1 seconds and be ready to provide assistance if
needed.
The final phase of a static breath hold is the most diffic!lt and re?!ires the most control
for the best res!lts. As the breath hold becomes !nbearable and the end is nearing the
diver sho!ld gran the edge of the pool to assist in recovery. This seems to also provide a
mental affirmation that everything will be alright and provide a positive feeling that can
help e5tend the breath hold. When the time comes to lift the head o!t of the water !se
the edge of the pool for s!pport to hold yo!r face o!t of the water. Never stand !p or
r!sh into an !pright position as this will ca!se blood to flow with gravity o!t of yo!r
head and lead to a potential black o!t. *nstead calmly lift only yo!r head o!t of the water
!sing yo!r arms and immediately begin hook breaths followed by recovery breathing
!ntil yo! are f!lly recovered.
lac1o#t%
Holding the breath vol!ntarily to remain in apnea brings the possibility of a blacko!t or
near3blacko!t also know as a 'amba or %oss Of 9otor 0ontrol ;%90<. /oth conditions
are d!e to a grad!al cons!mption of o5ygen in the l!ngs. This cons!mption of o5ygen in
the l!ngs therefore red!ces the o5ygen levels within the blood and body tiss!es as well
as a corresponding increase in carbon dio5ide levels in both areas. At some point these
levels become life threatening and the body will sh!t down as an emergency response
system for the conservation of life. This last resort emergency sh!t down is better know
among freedivers as a black3o!t. *n the case where a freediver s!rfaces :!st moments
prior to a complete black3o!t$ altho!gh they are still conscio!s will e5perience
symptoms of a near3blacko!t also known as a samba. A samba as it is referred to by
competitive freedivers d!e to the loss of motor control resembles the conv!lsion style of
the DsambaF dance. 0ommon displays of a samba are spastic shaking$ rolling of the head
and desperate efforts to hold on to something or keep the head o!t of the water. 'amba4s$
or near3blacko!t4s are the most common form of hypo5ia amongst freedivers and almost
always happen at the s!rface after ascending. *n both a black3o!t and near3blacko!t the
freediver sho!ld be monitored to ens!re a complete recovery and f!rther freediving be
discontin!ed for the day. Any dive where yo! e5perience a samba or a f!ll black o!t
sho!ld be caref!lly reviewed for mistakes and incorrect techni?!es. >se this information
to learn what lead to the negative e5perience and what yo! were feeling thro!gho!t the
dive. >se this e5perience to make yo! a better and safer diver in the f!t!re.
.ign% o/ a 4earFlac1o#t @.am+aB
The following signs are indicators that a freediver is close to$ or is having a samba. *t is
important for the s!pervising safety diver to !nderstand what conditions to look for to
correctly identify a near blacko!t in order to respond ?!ickly. *n the event that a
freediver e5periences a samba the dive sho!ld be reviewed from both the divers
perspective and from the safety divers point of view. The diver needs to recall tho!ghts
and feelings before$ d!ring and after the dive as well a review of the techni?!es !sed
that lead to the samba. *n almost all near black3o!t e5periences the freediver is !nable to
clearly recall the last moments of the ascent and the what happened at the s!rface. The
s!rface safety can fill in the blanks from their observations and provide !sef!l
information to !nderstand what went wrong. /y st!dying the se?!ence of events that
ca!sed the samba yo! can !se this information for corrective proced!res to avoid this
from happening again.
'igns of a near blacko!t areC
0onf!sion andKor !nable to comm!nicate clearly 3 >nable to respond to s!rface safety protocol$
or directed in the wrong direction.
%oss of 9otor 0ontrol ;%90< 3 >nderwater on the ascent the freediver may kick in an
abnormal style$ arms may fall to the sides$ or the head may roll forwards or back. On the
s!rface the freediver may have diffic!lty breathing d!e to diaphragmatic contractions$ the eyes
are !nable to foc!s on yo!$ andKor the m!scles in the face may ?!iver d!e to %90.
/l!eness of the skin O D!e to low levels of o5ygen in the blood this is visible in areas s!ch as
the lips and aro!nd the eyes$ where blood vessels are close to the s!rface of the skin.
Any physical or emotional behavior that is abnormal O This may incl!de la!ghing$ giggling$ or
crying.
.0m-tom% o/ a 4earFlac1o#t @.am+aB
The following are symptoms the freediver may e5perience with a near3blacko!t. *t is !p
to the freediver to be honest with oneself if any of the symptoms are ever e5perienced
and take corrective actions to avoid f!rther near blacko!t sit!ations or potentially a f!ll
blacko!t.
'ymptoms that a freediver may e5perience that indicate they have e5perienced a samba
incl!deC
0onf!sion or loss of memory O D!ring the s!rface protocol ?!estions and signals are conf!sing
or so!nds !nclear. Any loss of memory or blank spots of dive or d!ring the recovery are
symptoms of a near3blacko!t and signals that yo! were only seconds from a f!ll black3o!t.
.motional instability O This can be either a feeling of overwhelming happiness ;!s!ally
accompanied by !ncontrollable la!ghing or giggling< or a sense of despair ;!s!ally signaled by
crying or whimpering<.
%oss of 9otor control ;%90< O *nvol!ntary movements or inability to control movements s!ch
as speaking d!e to ?!ivering lips. #o! may still be able to keep yo!r airway above the water
b!t be shaking or have m!scle tremors.
Any abnormal physical conditions or emotional feelings O Physical conditions s!ch as tingling
or n!mbness in the face or hands$ or !nclear vision after a dive. Abnormal emotional feelings
of e5treme happiness or depressionKfear.

,%%i%ting a 4earFlac1o#t
*n order to be prepared for emergency sit!ations that arise from a near blacko!t which
co!ld potentially t!rn into a f!ll blacko!t it is important as a responsible freedivers to
ed!cate yo!rself on the signs that a diver is e5periencing a samba or near blacko!t. Ne5t
we need to know how to assist the diver in need of help and practice emergency
proced!res for dealing with these sit!ations. How we deal with these sit!ations depends
on the severity of the samba and the environment it takes place in. Practicing worse case
scenarioGs and recogni6ing that a near3blacko!t can ?!ickly become an !nconscio!s
victim are the first steps in being prepared. 9ost importantly$ al7a0% /reedive 7it! a
+#dd0. Witho!t a b!ddy to keep yo!r airway above the s!rface death by drowning is
certain in the event of a blacko!t&
*n most cases a freediver e5periencing a samba or near3blacko!t at the s!rface will still
be able to keep their airway above the s!rface b!t needs assistance in the event they
s!ddenly loose conscio!sness. *f a diver s!rfaces with bl!e lips$ shaking !ncontrollably$
or shows any abnormal behavior that co!ld indicate they are e5periencing a near
blacko!t yo! sho!ld react ?!ickly and move into a position to provide assistance. *f the
diver is !nable to recover and fresh o5ygen does not reach their brain with their first
co!ple breaths the sit!ation can escalate into a complete blacko!t.
Therefore the safety diver needs to first recogni6e the signs of the samba and ?!ickly
mane!ver into position to provide assistance. The best position to move into is within
arms reach and at a @A degree angle from directly in front of them. )rom this position
yo! can still read their eyes$ facial e5pressions and comm!nicate with them. /y not
being directly in front of them yo! will be in a better position to catch their head if they
loose conscio!sness and their head falls back. )rom this position yo! will also be able to
?!ickly provide s!pport by hooking one arm !nder theirs. *t may also be necessary to
provide assistance by s!pporting them !nder the arms or with a leg !nder their bottom
so the diver is able to stop swimming$ allowing for a ?!icker recovery. At all times be
prepared to protect their airways from going !nder water. /e ready to catch them !nder
the chin if they fall forward or with a hand behind their head if they fall back.
Another important aspect in assisting a near3blacko!t is with contin!o!s talking and
enco!raging the diver to DbreathF. D!ring a near blacko!t a freediver will occasionally
forget to breath at the s!rface d!e to the effects of hypo5ia and its ability to ca!se fa!lty
:!dgment. /y talking to them in a calm and reass!ring manner they will have a ?!icker
and more pleasant recovery. This sense of control will also be felt by the safety diver
who will be dealing with a stressf!l sit!ation and by speaking this way it will help them
be in more control and make better decisions. *t can also help to remove their mask for
greater ventilation and the fresh air across their face will help stim!late nat!ral
breathing. -!st remember if there is wind and waves to protect them from water
splashing !p their nose or in their mo!th.
.ign% ) .0m-tom% o/ a lac1o#t
The signs and symptoms of a blacko!t are the same as a near3blacko!t$ b!t the freediver
becomes !nconscio!s and is at risk of drowning d!e to their inability to keep their
airway o!t of the water. *t is important to recogni6e the signs and symptoms of the near3
blacko!t beca!se many blacko!t4s begin with these and !nconscio!sness can s!ddenly
occ!r. )or this reason the s!pervising safety diver needs to move into position to provide
assistance anytime signs of a near3blacko!t are observed. The most important role of the
safety diver is to keep the blacko!t victims airway above the s!rface of the water and
clear of obstr!ctions.
,%%i%ting a lac1o#t
The main goal when assisting a blacko!t is to keep the victims airway4s o!t of the water$
prevent water from entering the nose and mo!th and to clear any foreign obstr!ctions
that might be blocking breathing. A blacko!t scenario can be an e5tremely stressf!l
e5perience for the safety diver. *t !s!ally looks worse than it is and with proper
assistance yo!r b!ddy will regain conscio!sness and be f!nctioning on their own in a
short period of time. Thro!gh practice and an complete !nderstanding of the event yo!
can minimi6e the stress for both yo!rself and yo!r partner and !ltimately !se the
e5perience as a learning tool for yo!rself and others.
As the s!pervising safety diver it is of !tmost importance to be familiar with the signs of
a near3blacko!t ;since the diver !s!ally passes thro!gh this stage before becoming
!nconscio!s< and move into position to provide assistance. On the s!rface this means
hooking one arm !nder the victims arm to provide s!pport and gain control of them in
order to keep the airway4s above the water. Position them onto their back to keep their
face above the water while !sing the hand of the arm that is hooked !nder their arm to
s!pport the back of their head. This is best achieved by !sing yo!r left arm to hook
!nder the victims right arm ;if yo! are on their right side<$ or by !sing yo!r right arm to
hook !nder their left arm ;if yo! are on their left side<. /y positioning them on their
back and locked arm in arm with them at yo!r side$ yo! can slowly swim laterally with
the victim to help keep their body on the s!rface. *f conditions allow remove their mask
with yo!r free hand and tap the side of their face while blowing across their eyes and
nose. /oth these actions will help stim!late sensors on the face that will help res!me
spontaneo!s breathing. 'peaking in a calm and positive manner for them to D/reathF
will also help to reach their s!bconscio!s and get them breathing on their own again. *f
yo! are in the open water with waves that threaten to cover the divers face leave their
mask on and protect their mo!th with yo!r free hand. /etween waves yo! may be able
to lift the mask an inch or so off the face and blow across their nose and eyes to help
stim!late the breathing receptors$ b!t be prepared to lower it immediately to protect their
airway.
When a diver has a blacko!t it is the body4s self defense system to conserve val!able
o5ygen. A common mistake of !ntrained freedivers is to DshockF the victim back from
!nconscio!sness by slapping$ shaking or sho!ting at them. Not only does this raise the
safety divers apprehension of the sit!ation which leads to poor decisions$ b!t it also
signals to the blacko!t victim that the body is still in danger and may ca!se them to
remain !nconscio!s. *n these cases when the diver does awake from this aggressive
behavior they tend to str!ggle and fight against their safety diver$ conf!sed by the
sit!ation and only making matters worse. *nstead by remaining calm and speaking in a
positive and enco!raging manner s!ch as D*t4s ok$ breath$ breath$ yo!r at the s!rfaceF the
diver will feel comfortable and more likely to begin breathing sooner. "emain positive
to help red!ce both yo!r stress and the stress of the freediver.
Th'n- &or re'$!n*
30 Me%er Deep Free$!"!n* M'n#')
Please visit
www./rianP!cella.com
for
)reediving ( 'pearfishing
*nstr!ctional 8ideo4s
(
0o!rse *nformation&
Please send all comments and s!ggestions to
/rianP!cellaSgmail.com
Dive 'afe ( Have )!n&

30 Meters Deep Freediving Manual

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30 METERS DEEP FREEDIVING MANUAL 1

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