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Do you want to increase your lung capacity? Do you want to be able to remain relaxed in stressful situations? Do you want to improve your ocean confidence and capabilities?
If you answered, YES to any of the above, then a SSI Level 1 Freediving Course is for you.
In this article we are going to outline what is involved with a Level 1 Freediving course, and what you will get out of it.
Level 1 Freediver: DAY 1
Every dive school will structure their courses slightly differently, however most follow the same general outline.
Day 1 starts with theory, discussing key topics such as the physiology of diving, mammalian dive reflex - our inbuilt underwater mode, how to breathe correctly, recovery breaths, relaxation techniques and mental strategies, as well as some general safety skills.
Throughout the theory session, you will perform a number of practical tasks to allow you to practice some of these skills and experience the changes your body goes through on breath holds.
After the theory session, we break for lunch and meet up at the pool for an afternoon session.
TIP: Our advice to all our students is to eat light, and don't consume coffee during this block! Coffee is a stimulant, it increases blood pressure, heart rate, and causes the mind to race - the opposite of what we want went performing breath holds.
When we kickoff the pool session, we usually start with some stretches and dry breath holds to help prepare the body. Once we are warmed up and relaxed, we will jump in the pool and perform a static session.
Static apnea sessions are an extremely relaxing way to get used to the sensations of breath holding, whilst also being in a safe and controlled environment.
Once the static session is complete, we perform a neutral buoyancy test - making sure we are weighted correctly, and begin practicing some skills and working on our dynamic (kicking) technique.
The end of the session involves some rescue and buddying drills, to ensure you can safely buddy someone and respond effectively in an in-water emergency.
Level 1 Freediver: Day 2
Day 2 is my favourite!
This is where you get to apply everything you learned on Day 1, and start diving in the open water.
On Day 2 we host 2 Open Water sessions as per the SSI Standards, each session lasts for around 1hr 30 minutes.
The first Open Water session will introduce a couple of new skills, including constant weight (CWT) diving and free immersion (FIM). CWT is where you kick down the line and FIM is where you use your arms to pull yourself down the line.
Throughout the session we will work on these two disciplines, helping you to refine your technique and become more efficient in the water.
The second Open Water session, is where you will really start to find your groove and see what your body is capable of. In this session we will continue working on the skills and technique taught previously, but now we will work on going a little bit deeper and managing our dives better.
Book Our Next Available Course Below.
Requirements For Level 1 Certification
CWT 10M
Rescue from 10m
Dynamic 30m
Mask Removal at 10m
Arm Stroke Only
1 minute 30 breath hold
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