Learn how to freedive: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to freedive: A Beginner's Guide

By: Manny Lagos | Date: 2025-03-11T05:19:47.120Z

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Looking for a new challenge? Or maybe you just want to experience the ocean from a completely new perspective? Either way, freediving is perfect for you. It allows you to explore the underwater world without any bulky gear– just you, your breath, and the water. 

And the best part? Anyone can do it with the right techniques and training. Yes, even beginners!

But what exactly is freediving, how do you get started, and where do you learn how to freedive from?

Let’s find out!

What Is Freediving?

Unlike SCUBA diving, where tanks and regulators do most of the work, freediving is all about relying on your lung capacity and breath control. Yes, freediving is the art of diving underwater while holding your breath. It’s the perfect mix of endurance and deep mental focus that lets you dive beneath the surface in the most natural way possible. 

Benefits of Freediving

Some of the most popular benefits of freediving for beginners are:

• Improved lung capacity – Working on breath-holding techniques actually increases lung capacity and oxygen use.
• Enhanced mental clarity – Freediving helps reduce stress/anxiety, improve focus, and train your mind to stay grounded in all situations which ultimately leads to greater mental clarity.
• Increased ocean awareness – Moving freely in the water lets you get up close and personal with the stunning marine life and beautiful sea creatures.
• Full-body workout – Freediving activates several muscles at once, strengthens your core muscles and keeps you in good shape.
• Better overall swimming skills – The more time you spend underwater, the more comfortable you get. Freediving helps you glide smoothly and build confidence underwater. Who doesn’t want that?

Now, let’s move on and learn how to freedive step by step!

Step 1: Preparing to Freedive

Physical and Mental Preparation

Freediving isn’t just about taking a deep breath, jumping into the water and hoping for the best– it requires proper physical and mental preparation. 

Remember, the better prepared you are on land, the more easy your diving journey will be. 

You can start to learn to freedive with:

• Breath control training – Start by practising slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing– it will help you hold your breath for longer.
• Working on flexibility and strength – Yoga and stretching improve mobility which is a must for a great freediving experience. 
• Mindfulness and relaxation – If you want to learn freediving, meditation is very important. Practising meditation and other visualization techniques helps you gain mental clarity and focus completely on the dive. The more relaxed you are, the better your dive will be.

Choosing the Right Location

Choosing the right diving spot can make or break your freediving experience– especially if you’re considering freediving for beginners. You want to look for a place where you can focus on perfecting your skills without tackling strong currents and rough conditions. Stick to calm, clear waters with great visibility– it’ll help you build confidence and get comfortable with equalization and breath-holding. Start with shallower depths, around 10 meters (30 feet) or less, and then move on to deeper waters. 

Pro tip: Never dive alone! Find a dive buddy or an experienced freediver to make sure you have someone to rely on in case of underwater emergencies.

Getting the Gear

Getting the right gear for freediving might seem like a very small thing, (considering freediving requires minimal equipment) but trust us– it plays a huge role in the kind of diving experience you’re going to have. 

Here’s what you’ll need in your SCUBA packing list, especially when you’re learning how to freedive:

• Low-Volume Mask 
• Pair of Long Fins
• Weight Belt 
• Dive Watch 
• Wetsuit (If required)

Step 2: Learning the Basics of Freediving

Practising in Shallow Water

Before diving deep, it’s important to build confidence and get comfortable in a controlled environment like a pool. Practise floating face-down while holding your breath, and gradually work on extending your breath-hold time. Learning different freediving techniques is also crucial before you dive into the ocean.

The Duck Dive

Ever seen a dolphin glide smoothly in the ocean? That’s what divers aim for with the duck dive. Here’s how to nail it while you learn freediving:

• Take a deep breath and bend at the waist, then point your head and arms downwards.
• Next, kick your legs up straight, and let gravity pull you down.
• Once you’re underwater, start your descent with controlled fin kicks.

Equalizing Pressure Underwater

When you dive deeper, the pressure increases, and you start to feel it in your ears. So, try the Frenzel maneuver (use your tongue and throat muscles to equalize) or the Valsalva maneuver (pinching your nose and gently blowing) to keep the pressure in check and have a comfortable dive.

Step 3: Building Confidence

Increasing Dive Time Gradually

You don’t have to push your limits right away. Learning how to freedive is all about easing into the water, finding your rhythm, and getting in tune with your body. It’s always recommended to start with short dives and gradually increase the dive time– one breath at a time. The more you practise in shallow waters, the better your body gets at using oxygen more efficiently. 

The key to learning freediving for beginners is to take it slow, listen to your body, and have fun!

Being Calm and Focused

Did you know the more relaxed you are, the longer you can stay underwater? Tension burns oxygen very quickly. So, it’s super important to calm your mind and body by taking slow, deep breaths before each dive. Once you're in the water, move slowly at first and avoid putting in any unnecessary effort. 

Believe us, the more you dive, the easier it gets– soon, you’ll be freediving in the deep blue like you were born for it.

Step 4: Safety and Best Practises

Your Limits Under Water

Freediving is all about staying calm, in control, and knowing when to stop. Pushing your limits might sound thrilling, but remember, safety should always come first. No matter what you do. Every person’s body reacts differently to depth and breath-holding, no matter the experience level. So it’s important to get in tune with your body and really understand how you’re feeling during every dive. 

If you notice even a tiny bit of tingling or dizziness or get that gut feeling telling you to come up– resurface immediately. No water sport is worth the risk. Moreover, you can always go for another dive!

Post-Dive Recovery

What you do after a dive is equally important to what you do during a freedive. As soon as you come back up, focus on recovery breathing. You can do that by taking short, controlled inhales followed by relaxed exhales. It helps in restoring oxygen levels and prevents hypoxia. Now, it’s important to give yourself time to rest and hydrate between dives too, especially after long dives. 

Conclusion

Freediving is one of the purest ways to experience the magic of the underwater world, where all you need is your breath and your determination. There’s something really freeing about diving deep into the ocean with no tanks or bubbles, an experience everyone should get first-hand!

At Utila Dive Center we give you just that. We provide extensive training on how to freedive, help you develop the right mindset, and take proper safety precautions so that your diving experience is one to remember.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete beginner or someone looking to hone their diving skills, our expert instructors are there to guide you every step of the way!

Ready to enter the ocean and uncover nature’s hidden secrets? Join us to go freediving now!