Where to start in freediving
In the first in a new series of blogs for Scubaverse, top freediving instructor Emma Farrell shares her knowledge…
As freediving continues to grow in popularity there are more and more clubs and agencies to choose from and multiple levels to work your way through, so choosing where to start can be tricky. Are you an absolute beginner, or do you have lots of diving experience but no formal qualifications?
Do you have years of open water swimming under your belt as well as lots of holiday scuba diving trips? Whatever the case, you have to choose wisely when you begin your freediving journey, and starting at the top is not going to be the case.
Where to start in freediving – Beginners
Your choices are a little easier if you’re a complete novice, as the first step is to simply find a course list and start at the very beginning. You must bear in mind, though, that there are two entry points to choose from – you can undertake a Try Freediving Course which gives you a very basic but enjoyable introductory session in confined water (i.e. a swimming pool), or go straight for the complete RAID Freediver Course. With the former you will still have to move on to the full RAID course before you are allowed to dive and practise in open water or take part in the open water section of the Go Freediving club. With the latter you will immediately join in with other fledgling freedivers and participate in speciality courses, workshops and club days.
Where to start in freediving – Experienced divers
If you have a lot of experience with freediving and scuba you might feel suitably equipped to join Go Freediving and undertake a more advanced course. Unfortunately you can have all the experience in the world, but with no recognised freediving qualification you won’t be able to join or take part in higher level training. This is purely down to insurance and health and safety reasons, as well as maintaining club standards. As an alternative, we do run a condensed RAID Freediver Course that is tailored to cater to more experienced divers, and can offer this to you so that you can get up to speed quickly and, most importantly, safely.
Whether you are an accomplished spear fisher or a complete newbie, the RAID course will introduce lots of excellent new things to you, and the instructors at Go Freediving will ensure lessons are tweaked in such a way that they make the most of your existing skills and abilities.
Find out more about free diving at www.gofreediving.co.uk
