6 Types of Competitive Freediving Explained in Detail

6 Types of Competitive Freediving Explained in Detail

By: Manny Lagos | Date: 2025-03-11T05:33:57.024Z

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Freediving isn’t just a hobby– it’s a competitive sport that pushes the boundaries of what you can achieve underwater in ways that very few others can. 

It can be swimming effortlessly into the ocean and breaking a personal record or holding your breath longer than you thought possible– competitive freediving is all about testing your limits and seeing just how far your mind and body can take you.

But with so many types of freediving disciplines out there, how do you select the one dive competition you want to participate in? Should you focus on time, distance, or depth?

By the end, you’ll have a pretty clear idea of which freediving discipline suits you the best and maybe even your next SCUBA competition goal!

Overview of Freediving Competitions

There are primarily six different types of freediving competitions:

• Constant Weight (CWT)
• Free Immersion (FIM)
• Dynamic Apnea (DYN/DNF)
• Static Apnea (STA)
• Variable Weight (VWT)
• No Limits (NLT)

Each of these competitions comes with its unique set of challenges, and in the sections ahead, we’ll discuss them in detail. You’ll learn the rules, techniques, and what makes each one special.

By the end, you’ll have a pretty clear idea of which freediving discipline suits you the best and maybe even your next SCUBA competition goal!

Importance of Understanding Different Disciplines

Every freediving discipline comes with its unique sets of challenges, rules, and techniques. Some test your endurance and breath-holding skills, others push your limits and test just how deep you can go.

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to competitive freediving or you’ve already participated in a few freediving competitions, getting a solid understanding of different disciplines is key to growing in this sport.

On that note, let’s check out the various types of freediving competitions.

Constant Weight (CWT)

Constant Weight is one of the most popular and respected disciplines.

The concept is really simple– You can just use your fins or monofin to ascend or descend along a line to a predetermined depth. You can’t use any extra weights or propulsion devices to make it easier, all you can rely on is the power of your body and breath.

Technique

In Constant Weight (CWT), technique is everything. You have to conserve energy as much as possible during both descent and ascent. Proper body positioning (head aligned and body streamlined) will help you reduce drag and maximise speed. And when it comes to kicking– gentle, controlled movements will help you ascend smoothly.

Rules

• The athlete must descend and ascend along a vertical line.
• The use of fins is allowed, but it’s not compulsory. 
• Once you begin your dive, no external assistance is allowed.
• The dive is considered successful only when the diver resurfaces with their hands and feet out of the water and no signs of distress.

Free Immersion (FIM)

Free Immersion (FIM) requires endurance, strength and laser-sharp focus. In this discipline, an athlete can only use their arms to pull themselves down and up a vertical line. Unlike CWT, the use of fins is not permitted in this freediving discipline. 

Technique

When it comes to Free Immersion (FIM), it’s more about efficiency in your pulling technique than strength. Yes, having strong arms and a solid core is crucial to push yourself downwards, but it’s all about finding the perfect rhythm. 

To minimise fatigue and maximise depth, you can pull yourself down the line while keeping your legs relaxed behind you. And don’t forget to focus on breath control– it is equally important.

Rules

• Athletes must descend and ascend along a vertical line using only their arms.
• The use of fins is not permitted, but a wetsuit and weight belt can be used.
• The dive will be considered successful only when the diver resurfaces without any signs of distress and touches the surface.

Dynamic Apnea (DYN/DNF)

In dynamic apnea freediving competitions, divers have to cover the greatest horizontal distance possible while holding their breath. You basically have to swim horizontally and cover a predetermined distance of like 25 or 50 meters. The real challenge lies in keeping your breath and buoyancy in check. Dynamic apnea freediving can be done either with fins (Dynamic with Fins-DYN) or without fins (Dynamic No Fins-DNF).

Technique

In this discipline, every movement counts. Dynamic apnea doesn’t test your breath control abilities– it actually tests how far you can go while using the least amount of energy. 

In dynamic with fins (DYN), your fins do all the work, so long, steady kicks are important. While you might feel like fast kicks will get you there faster, keep in mind they also burn through your oxygen supply– very quickly. 

In dynamic without fins (DNF),  you rely solely on your arms and legs. So it’s important to begin with a strong push-off and use the frog-style stroke to cover the maximum distance possible in one smooth motion.

Rules

• All athletes must swim underwater along a horizontal plane.
• The dive distance is measured from the start point to the point where the diver resurfaces.
• Dive will be considered successful when a diver resurfaces within a set time after reaching their maximum distance.

Static Apnea (STA)

Static Apnea (STA) might look simple in comparison to the other disciplines we just discussed but, in reality, it is one of the most mentally demanding challenges out there. It tests your lung capacity AND mental strength.

Athletes participating in STA freediving competitions have to hold their breaths while floating motionless on the surface of the water. The goal is to stay calm and remain as still as possible for as long as possible. It is the only discipline that judges the time of breath hold and not distance.

Technique

As we said, this SCUBA competition isn’t about speed or depth– it’s completely about controlling your breath. To master the art of Static Apnea freediving, you need to find the balance of focus and relaxation. A calm state of mind helps you conserve oxygen and extend your breath-hold time. 

Basically, the more grounded you are, the less energy you burn. The less energy you burn, the longer you last in the competition.

Rules

• The athlete has to remain stationary on the surface of the water.
• The timer starts when the diver inhales and stops when they exhale or show any signs of distress.
• The dive will be considered successful if the diver remains still and breathes out at the surface without any external assistance.

Variable Weight (VWT) and No Limits (NLT)

In Variable Weight (VWT) freediving, you ride a weighted sled down into the water to a predetermined depth, but it doesn’t help with the ascent. You’ll have to rely solely on your muscle power to resurface. You can kick or pull on the line to come back up but you also need to equalise properly because there’s added pressure at greater depths.

No Limits (NLT) is freediving at maximum speed. A weighted sled descends you to a predetermined depth but when it’s time to ascend, you don’t have to kick, instead an inflatable lift bag will bring you back up. It’s considered unnatural and dangerous in many places since both the descent and ascent are rapid. 

Before participating in this sport, it’s important for the divers to be self-aware of their limits and take proper safety precautions.

Techniques

In Variable Weight (VWT), you have to look for the right mix of power and relaxation. You’ll also need to conserve energy during the descent because once you hit the target depth, you’ll have to use your strength to ascend. 

No Limits (NLT) demands a strong mind and quick reflexes so that you can handle the speed and pressure changes efficiently.

Rules

• In VWT, athletes are required to reach the target depth using a weighted sled and return to the surface without any external assistance.
• In NLT, athletes are allowed to use just an inflatable lift bag for the ascent, no other equipment.

Choosing the Right Discipline

Every freediver has their own style, you have to pick the discipline that speaks to you.

If you like a challenge of endurance and efficiency, Free Immersion (FIM) or Constant Weight (CWT) might be perfect for you. 

If you’re someone who does well with speed and distance, Dynamic Apnea (DYN/DNF) will push your limits and give you a real challenge. Static Apnea (STA) is great for people who want to put their minds to test as it is all about staying calm and in control underwater.  

Lastly, for those of you who like to push past natural boundaries, Variable Weight (VWT) and No Limits (NLT) are the best two options out there.

Conclusion

By now you know competitive freediving isn’t just about breath-control or depth, it’s about technique, mental toughness, and the will to unleash your full potential. Each discipline brings something unique to the table and it all comes down to what interests you the most.

If you’re ready to master the art of competitive freediving, let us help you out.

At Utila Dive Centre, we’re passionate about helping freedivers like you push boundaries, hone their diving skill, and build the confidence to compete.

No matter where you are in your journey, our expert instructors will guide you every step of the way. 

Contact us and learn how to freedive with Utila Dive Centre!