| Freediving

Freediving, originally referred to as skin-diving, is in essence how you unite yourself with the world under the surface. The only thing you need to practice this sport is a breath of air but, of course, most people use a mask with snorkel and fins.

I suppose that because of mans never ending desire for fun and play, he has made the sport of freediving to also include competing in a variety of categories. Contest in freediving are primarily divided up into three basic categories:

• Constant weight
• Static apnea
• Dynamic apnea

There are also other categories, such as "no limit", but very few people do this for obvious reasons.

Constant weight

This is the classic branch of freediving and most people believe to be the most important, because it is. Here the diver swims down as far as safely possible then swims up to the surface. The diver normally swims beside a line but is not allowed to touch the line. The diver can not dump any weight to surface, that is to say, his weight must remain constant during the entire dive. If fins and mask are to be used for the competition, this is decided upon before it starts. Of course, Constant weight is done without fins as well.

Static apnea

In static apnea you just lay in the water and hold your breath as long as you can.

Dynamic apnea

This is swimming underwater as far as you can, horizontally. You get only one breath of air and swim with or without fins. This type of competing is well suited to swimming pools as well as open bodies of water.

These are basically what people train and they all help to become a better Freediver and to enjoy the sport more. If you become really good and want some real adventure you might want to try No limit.

No Limit

This branch of freediving is all about diving deep any way you can. The competition is organized when someone want to hold the world record and was made known and popularized by the movie "The Great Blue". No limit competition is not recognized by the AIDA or CMAS and contest of this nature are very uncommon. In no limit the diver rides a sled that can weigh as much as the diver wants it to and the diver comes up with the help of an air sack that the Freediver fills up at the bottom.

Variable weight

Here the diver uses a sled running along a line for the decent. The sled  can weigh as much as the diver wants. During the ascent the diver is allowed to use the line to help surface.

Free Immersion - Immersion Libre

Thats what the frogs made a game and named it. It just moving down and up a line as far or as fast as you can. (Without fins)


A word of caution, training and competing in freediving is not entirely risk free and in fact can be very dangerous. To begin with freediving supervision is recommended.