Freediving is only natural. Before we are born we are already immersed in the womb. It is during this time that our bodies become adapted to the aquatic environment. Everyone is a Freediver in the beginning. After we are born, many of us don't become re-introduced into the water until we are bit older. It's this time when we forget our aquatic roots. Learning to freedive is something that we need to reintroduce ourselves to the habit of not breathing. Kona Freedivers was founded for the purpose of teaching freediving so that we can all relearn the skills that we once knew.
Freediving is as old as mankind. Ever since humans needed to collect and gather food we have been exploring the ocean in search of our sustenance. The Greeks and Tunisians have been sponge diving for hundreds of years. They use rocks to descend into the depths and a line to come back up. Gathering sponges from the seafloor. Freediving training involved the effort to stay underwater long enough to get what you need to survive.
I had the good fortune of being able to learn to swim soon after I was born. My parents enrolled me in a baby swim course where I learned to swim underwater and grab gulps of fresh air between strokes. So I can remember swimming and freediving my entire life. By taking a freediving course you can learn to Freedive again. Freediving courses will teach you about your natural physiology and your mammalian diving reflex. This innate ability is built into our genetics. In fact it is built into all mammals genetics. Yes even bunny rabbits and bats have this reflex!
Water comfort is one of the main factors when learning to freedive because it is important to be relaxed while freediving. Have you ever tried to go to sleep when you were anxious? It is the same when learning to freedive. It's important to be relaxed so your body is prepared for the breath hold. Your breath hold will be longer and more successful this way. To be relaxed you must be comfortable in the water to begin with. This comes back to water comfort.
Factors Affecting water Comfort:
Temperature
Buoyancy
Constriction/Restriction
Swimming Ability
Practice
Temperature
If you are cold it is very difficult to be relaxed and comfortable in the water. Imagine trying to go to sleep when you are cold? Imagine taking a course where you are trying to learn to freedive and the instructor is giving you directions but your teeth are chattering and you just want to get out of the water. No good! This is why it is so important to have a good wetsuit so you can stay warm. See our blogs about wetsuits for more information on this important piece of freediving gear.
Buoyancy
If you are sinking while breathing up on the surface it can be taxing on your body. This means you will have a less effective breathe-up. It also can make you tired and tired people have more trouble when they attempt to learn to freedive. By wearing a wetsuit you can adjust your buoyancy so you will be able to float comfortably on the surface. We teach about this in our level 1 freediving course.
Consriction/Restriction
This is usually having to do with your gear. Sometimes people will wear a mask and they become claustrophobic or panicked. Having the right mask can help but other times it is something mental the person needs to overcome. This cannot be done within the scope of a freediving course. Other times people will have a wetsuit that is too tight. This is because it is typically not designed to fit their body. Finding the correct off-the-rack suit can be very difficult for most because of their body shape. Getting a custom suit will solve this problem. Read our blogs about this topic.
Swimming Ability
Having water comfort often comes down to how much time you've spent in the water. This is something that only time and practice will give you. It can be a big challenge trying to learn to freedive while at the same time getting used to swimming. Having long freediving fins and a wetsuit on will make swimming a bit easier but you still must swim!
Practice It all comes down to one big factor. How much time have you spent in the water? The more time you spend and the more recently you've been in the water the more likely you will be to have water comfort. In our scuba diving business we often have guests where it's been years since they've dove. When they get back in the water it's a challenge for them to get used to the environment. We usually must give them extra attention to help get them back to where they left off years ago. Spending time snorkeling or swimming will give you an immense advantage when you learn to freedive because freediving is an extension of those activities. Donning long fins and a wetsuit enhances the skills and abilities you have already adapted from swimming and snorkeling. A freediving course can hone your innate abilities and enable you to dive deeper for longer. When it comes freediving. We all have the ability to learn to freedive again. Some of us may be a bit rusty and it can just be a matter of putting the time in to get to where we are ready to take a freediving course. Kona Freedivers was founded on the premise that freediving is accessible to everyone. But that doesn't mean if you pay for a course you will instantly become a freediver just by showing up. Becoming a good freediver takes effort. Some of the effort is being ready for the course and ready to receive the information. Being ready can take some effort but will be worth it because you will get more from the course. During the course it will take some effort to ensure you are learning the information. being ready to recieve the information into your mind and body is important because there is a lot of it! If you have any more questions about taking a freediving course give us a call at (808)464-6584 or e-mail us at info@konahonudivers.com
About the Author
Byron Kay is a freediving instructor and the founder of Kona Freedivers and owner of Kona Honu Divers as well as Kona Snorkel Trips. They stand out as Hawaii's top rated and most reviewed businesses among their peers having a perfect 5 star rating on google. To learn more about Byron and his latest goings on visit his bio page.
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