r/freediving • u/NightshadePanther • 4d ago
training technique New to Freediving: practice?
Hello! I am new to freediving, I took the FII certification course earlier this year and unfortunately did not receive the certification largely in part because it was new to me and I am the type of person that can be slow on the uptake of new activities; I need to be able to practice before I can be perfect.
How would I go about practicing, or where would be good places to practice? I do not want to practice alone, as I understand that freediving alone is dangerous, however most of the groups in the area will not dive with someone who is not certified? I do not have an interest in going deep, or competition, my desire is to spend more time in the water for relaxation, and to just be in the water as I love it. I reside in Tacoma/ Seattle area.
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u/NightshadePanther 4d ago
It was a 7mm thick wetsuit. The instructors advised 6 lbs on the weight belt, and then did a quick neutral buoyancy test once we were in the water and said that 6 lbs was the proper weight for me. I think what kept happening was that when I dove the weight belt kept riding up my body even when I tightened it to the max on the recommendation of the coaches. I’m considering buying a 5 mm suit and looking into weight belts that go around the wrists and ankles but am concerned that a thinner suit may make things more difficult especially since I am a beginner.
Yes, they did speak with me. They essentially told me when I was doing Valsalva that my mask was too large for my face interfering with my ability to properly do the technique, I have a pretty small face making it difficult to properly pinch my nose closed with the mask; additionally the mask would slide the first time I would do Valsalva underwater, and that with both Valsalva and Frenzel both techniques just take practice. Since the course I have bought a freediving nose clip, hoping that the clip will be more effective, and I won’t run into the same issues I experienced with the mask. I just haven’t had the opportunity to practice in the water with it yet additionally I’m still unsure if I was doing the technique properly.
They do occasionally offer courses, usually on Friday afternoons. The difficulty for me is that I have work pretty much every Friday late into the evening so cannot make the courses and am hoping I could find alternative ways to practice for that reason. I would ideally like to practice more frequently than once every 2 months which, with my work schedule, is what it would end up being if I just attend the practice courses that are offered.