r/freediving

I'd been searching for ways to watch this online for a couple years, just checked again and now you can buy/rent it, at least in the U.S. A classic that inspired a lot of people to get into freediving!! (despite maybe some questionable diving practices in the movie :P)

Bit of a long shot, but thought I’d ask here.

I’m based in the UK and currently a pretty broke student. I’d love to get a neck weight for pool training, but buying something like the C4 Dyno new would cost me around £160 with shipping, which is a bit painful right now. I had my eye on the C4 Dyno after being given the chance to use it during my AIDA 3.

Before I go down the DIY route (inner tube + lead shot), I thought I’d ask if anyone here has a neck weight they don’t use anymore and would be willing to sell. If the cost of sourcing materials and postage for a DIY one ends up close to the price of a used one anyway, it probably makes more sense to just buy one second-hand.

Happy to pay shipping within the UK (and EU if it's reasonable).

Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this 🙏

Hello everyone, I am looking for a spearfishing buddy in Italy or any country in the Mideterranean because i dont want to dive alone. Please let me know if you want to plan a trip together. I am based in Germany and would like to plan spearfishing weekends/holidays. Thanks.

I've been practicing the Frentzl technique off and on for a little while, and think that I've got it for the most part. I have done exercises and can open/close the glottis, open/close soft palate, and do the technique semi-successfully without any abdominal engagement. My ears pop, but it can take a couple tries sometimes to do that.

I feel like it is somewhat inefficient, though. Whenever I do it, I feel like I lose a bit of air and I hear a squeaking sound, kind of like a dolphin would make. I'm pretty sure that somehow my glottis isn't able to withstand the increased pressure, and that it's the glottis making that sound. Im fairly certain that my soft palate is open, as I do get some degree of popping in my ears.

Has anyone had this issue before? Ive tried various exercises with a balloon and some step by step walk through, but am not quite 100% on what im doing wrong or which exercises might help.

If anyone has any advice, I'd be super keen to hear it.

During my scuba course, in the part about basic water skills, I was taught the “frog kick” (alternating frog kick) technique: you let the propulsion from the legs finish, then use your arms, and so on.

The idea is to move slowly and efficiently, using as little energy as possible.

In freediving, I often hear that you should move slowly to conserve oxygen.

But performance is usually measured in distance or depth (which is much more complex), which seems to require some speed.

So how do you determine the optimal speed to maximize performance?

Hi there!

New to freediving. I've done my wave 1, but I cannot equalize upside down. A common issue. I can Frenzel fine feet first, and at an angle.

I know it is not my soft palate as I can actually control that when upside down (tried the balloon exercises upside down haha). What I experience actually is that as soon as I past a certain angle and upside down, it feels like my head wants to explode. As if my brain is coming out my nose. I get so much pressure in my sinuses (forehead, behind eyes). It makes me feel slightly nauseous. And if I try to equalize that pressure only builds and it hurts. Even at surface level.

Even on land when I bend over to pick something up, or do a downward dog or handstand, I feel so much pressure in my head. I thought this was normal but apparently not everyone has this haha. As far as I know I don't have sinus issues / allergies. My nose is not congested and I can breathe fine haha. I do live in a tropical environment with AC on at night.

I will see an ENT specialist soon, but was wondering if anyone has similar experiences and what causes it? If there are any fixes?

Thank you!

Hello I’m a beginner in freediving but I’ve been seeing Aida and wave certification - which one should i take and is there a difference

Hello!

I’m thinking of signing up for a freediving course for this summer, and it would be my first time trying it out. It is a PFI freedive course hosted by the local surf club and Bottom Dwellers. It is a mix of online lectures, pool practice and open water diving down to 20m, and I get my certification after completion of the course. I also get Ted Harty’s “Road Map to Frenzel” and some other pre-class learning material before the course starts.

I’m on the East coast of Canada, and the water will most likely be cold at the time of the course, so they strongly recommend at least a 5mm open-cell freediving suit or a 7mm freediving suit. Other gear requirements are a mask + snorkel, weight-belt and weights, fins and a timing device or diving computer.

I’m not very knowledgeable with wetsuits, and I’m wondering if anyone has any gear recommendations, general tips, or resources for a beginner. I do also have lots of swimming experience, but I have never snorkelled or scuba dived before. I wear SCBA for work sometimes, and I lifeguarded for 6 years, so I trust my swim ability; it's just the gear side of things that's daunting me.

Hi everyone, I’m taking a break from Cape Town where I recently started freediving, and heading to Japan for 3 months starting June 2nd. After that I have another month or so to spend somewhere in Asia. My main goal is to use the island part of the trip to actually improve my freediving, snorkeling every other day and freediving with a local school or operator around 3 times a week.

My original plan was to spend the first month in Tokyo (monthly rentals seem the most budget-friendly), then 2 weeks on Ishigaki and 2 weeks around Okinawa, and then head north to Hokkaido and explore that area. Last year I did southern Japan up to Kyoto and Osaka so I want to see something new this time.

The issue is that looking at weather and sea conditions, June seems better for the islands while July might be nicer for Tokyo. So I’m wondering if I should flip the order.

A few things I’d love advice on: should I do the islands in June and Tokyo in July, or does the original order still make sense? Which islands would you recommend for a beginner freediver who wants calm conditions and good visibility? Ishigaki is my top pick but I’m open to Miyako, Kerama or elsewhere. And if you know any good freediving schools or operators in that area that work well for beginners, I’d love to hear about them.

Last question after Japan I have about a month left and want to spend it somewhere close by in Asia that’s affordable and has a good freediving scene. Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are all on my radar but I’m open to anything within a reasonable flight from Japan.

Thanks a lot in advance.

At the end of a long static I’m pretty tense, especially in the area around the neck, shoulders, and collarbones. Nothing unusual there, but I tried to take a video of my static to see what happens in my body. Other than the usual contractions and some tension discolouration at the end, nothing really looked unusual. However, after a few recovery breaths, the tension in the muscles slowly faded, but only after a few breaths, a large muscle in the area between my collarbones and shoulder bulged outwards. I know I can’t really explain it without showing images, but I’d leave them for myself for personal reasons 😅

Any idea what is that though and why it happens?

Dopo aver nuotato in piscina faccio spesso un po’ di apnea dinamica (senza zavorra).

Ho notato che se parto in espirazione (polmoni parzialmente vuoti) riesco a stare vicino al fondo senza fatica, mentre con i polmoni pieni tendo a galleggiare e faccio più sforzo.

Inoltre, con meno aria mi sembra anche più facile trattenere il respiro e mi sento più a mio agio.

Qual è il rapporto tra volume d’aria e performance in dinamica? È solo una questione di assetto o c’è altro?

Hey everyone,

I will visit Cyprus in the end of may, and I was wondering if there are some memorable spots on the Greek side, I will probably be in Aya Napa and maybe around paphos.

Also looking for a buddy, so if you are on Cyprus and looking for a buddy to do some fun/exploring dives maybe we can do it together :)

I went swimming the other day, and I saw these metallic bead-like blobs scattered around on the sand underwater, it was staying still. I didn't touch it or go near it, it looked like liquid mercury from what i saw online.

I have also seen strange things like a car wheel in the ocean.

https://preview.redd.it/2vow1i9bvnvg1.jpg?width=1140&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4699b7c5191f432ab0e4e56d1aabc14171c68a58

this is what it looked like, what else could it be? the stuff was not being affected by waves and just stayed on the floor motionless.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to do my PADI certifications and a freediving course in next months. I’m looking to buy basic gear - mask, snorkel, and possibly fins and a wetsuit, that can work for both scuba and freediving, plus some casual snorkeling on vacation.

I only need beginner-friendly equipment, good for traveling for a few beach days each year, I’m not planning to go to 60m in neither, will be completely happy if 20.
But I’d prefer to have my own gear that I know and fits me well, when it makes sense.

Mask: Any recommendations that work reasonably well for both scuba and beginner freediving? I’ve seen a lot of mentions of the Cressi F1 for diving. Is it fine for my level to use it as freediving mask?

(I know fit is everything and the usual advice is to try in a dive shop, but I don’t have one nearby, so I’d appreciate specific models to look at first)

Snorkel: does it matter a lot? or just whatever snorkel I have?

Fins: I know scuba and freediving fins are quite different. But is there a decent “dual-purpose” option which is also traveling friendly or should I just rent at the destination?

Wetsuit: Can a basic 3 mm suit work for both scuba and freediving (assuming suitable water temps), or are they different enough that renting is smarter?

I realize that making compromises means that it won’t excel in either area, but for now it’s just for learning. If something clicks and I decide to pursue professional freediving :D I’ll invest in proper pro‑level equipment. For the moment having 1pcs which covers multiple activities makes more sense for me.

Thanks for any suggestions!