Learn to Freedive at Saltfree
Our Freediver Course takes place over a weekend based at the NDAC in Chepstow, near Bristol and is suitable for complete beginners as well as intermediate freedivers who have never had formal training.
During the weekend you'll spend half a day in the classroom, half a day in the pool and most importantly, a full day in the lake gaining and developing skills in a range of freedive disciplines.
In the classroom, you'll learn about all the different types of freediving, how to hold your breath longer, what happens to your body as you freedive and why, how to choose and use freedive equipment and lots of stuff about how to train safely with a buddy.
In the pool, you'll have a go at Static Apnea and find out just how long you can hold your breath, after learning a few breathing and relaxation techniques to help you along. We'll also cover Dynamic Apnea, how far you can swim in the pool in a single breath - and of course, in both these categories, you will also learn safety techniques and how to be a good buddy to someone else.
In the lake we'll be working from the fantastic set up on the SaltFree pontoon. Training alongside experienced freedivers and UK team members, we'll have our own line set up at the right depths for you to try your hand at Free Immersion (pulling yourself down a rope) and Constant Weight (finning down and back up). We'll make sure you can equalise your ears comfortably, start working on your diving technique and make sure you know how to breathe before, and after your dive. We'll also do lots of safety and rescue practice.
After this course, you should have enough knowledge and experience to train in similar conditions to around 20m with a qualified buddy. Of course, you'll also be welcome at any SaltFree meet, with the opportunity to train a lot deeper as your experience grows.
The course is recognised by PADI as a Distinctive Specialty (so if you complete successfully, you'll get a certification that counts towards Master Scuba Diver) and if you come back for one additional day's diving, you can be certified as an AIDA 2 Star Freediver as well. (Unfortunately it is no longer possible to teach the AIDA 2 Star course in a single weekend).
To enrol in the course you need to be at least 16 years old and able to swim at least 200m without stopping. You will also need to complete a Medical Statement which requires a doctor's signature to say you are fit to freedive if you have any pertinent medical history. This is not normally a problem and you certainly do not have to be super fit.
The price of the Freediver Course is £250. This includes hire of all your equipment except a wetsuit (We can help you find somewhere to hire one and it usually costs about £40 for the weekend. The suit needs to be at least 5ml). It also includes a set of course notes to keep, certification fees, all the training materials, entry to the facilities we use and quite often a generous helping of cookies and hot ribena! The upgrade session to AIDA 2 star costs £75 and can be arranged most weekends Saltfree are training.
Remaining course dates for 2010 are: 21/22 August and 16/17 October (one place). Sign up and pay your deposit on the right. If you can't make any of these or have any questions, email us. Certification is dependent on reaching the target performances required.
We've taught this course to swimmers, snorkellers, surfers, spearfishers and even an escape artist. Whatever your individual aim for taking the course, we'll do all we can to help you get there. Just about everyone who takes the course surprises themselves with what they achieve. You will be amazed just how much a small amount of training can make to your breath-hold time and dive depth!
