~ Engolphed's "What is Freediving" Guide ~

Hey Sythe , Most of you at this point are probaly think , What Is Freediving? Like Really?

Well , This guide is going to help you have a better understanding of Freediving, It will contain the Disiplines, Facts and Techniques.

Contents:

-What Is Freediving?
-Why Should I Freedive?
-What are the "Free Diving Discipline's "
-What Gear is Involved?
-What are the Risks involved?
-What Can Free diving Help me With?
-Thanks To...

This Leads me to The Question...

What is Freediving ?

According to Wikipedia -

"Freediving is any of various aquatic activities that share the practice of breath-hold underwater diving"

According to Me -

Freediving is a Sport which challenges the limits of you as a person, not just physically but also mentally. Freediving consits of various water activities testing your breath hold and mental state of mind.


Why Should You Free Dive?

Freediving as a sport will let you discover yourself as an individual, Not just physically but mentally. You will be Testing your body and mind's absolutte limits. You will be piushing yourself to breaking points ahcieving goals possibly breaking a few Records.With Free Diving you can discover the ocean and what it has to offer.

- Why Do I Free Dive ( Me) ?

Personally I Free dive as it helps my fitness and mental health. I find it challeging which is always good. I like making my self goals and breaking them.

What are the "Free Diving Discipline's "

Freediving Consists of 7 Discipline's

-Static Apnea (STA)
-Dynamic Apnea With Fins (DYN)
-Dynamic Apnea Without Fins (DNF
-Constant Weight (CWT)
-Constant Weight Without Fins (CWF)
-Variable Weight (VWT)
-No Limits

Static Apnea (STA)



The free diver holds his or her breath for as long as possible with the mouth and nose submerged. Most free divers float face down in the water.

Static apnea is the only discipline measuring the duration one can hold their breath. Performances can be recognised in a pool or open water.

This can truly test one self control , mental capacity and overall athleticism.
This Discipline has to be closley meassured by medical staff and saftey Divers.

Dynamic Apnea With Fins (DYN)



The free diver swims in a horizontal position underwater attempting to cover the greatest possible distance. The use of fins such as Bi fins or a mono fin will greatly increase your success. The mono fin being the most preferred choice for long distance swims.

This Discipline is good for setting Goals as they can just be distances. This event is Best when done in the pool as there are no other counter-acting factors against the diver.


Dynamic Apnea Without Fins (DNF)



The free diver swims in a horizontal position underwater- Much like the Above - (generally in a pool) attempting to cover the greatest possible distance, no fins or propulsion aids are allowed.

Dynamic apnea without fins is the most natural of all disciplines. Good technique is very important in this discipline. Divers tend to go at a slow speed that use's less energy however is effcient in gaining metres.

Constant Weight (CWT)



The free diver descends and ascends a line by kicking. The diver must return to the surface with the same amount of weight they descended with. The diver can use the line as a guide however can only pull on the line when they turn. A base plate is set at the nominated depth where the diver must retrieve a tag. They are attached to the line with a lanyard. Most successful divers use bi or mono fins for this discipline. The mono fin proving to more successful on deeper dives.

Constant weight , dynamic apnea with fins and static apnea are the three disciplines that are considered for international individual and team events.

Constant Weight Without Fins (CWF)



The diver descends and ascends underwater down a line using their own muscle power, no propulsion equipment is allowed (fins) The diver can stay in contact with the line but must not pull it until he/she reaches the bottom to begin their ascent.

Constant weight without fins is the most difficult depth discipline, it requires perfect coordination between propulsion, equalization and technique.

Variable Weight (VWT)



The free diver descends with the help of a ballast weight, such as a weighted sled with up to a third of their body weight and ascends using his/her own power be either kicking /or pulling on the rope.

The sleds are designed to carry the diver feet first.


No Limits



The freediver descends on a weighted sled and returns to the surface using a lift bag that is inflated by the freediver at depth.

When the diver reaches the desired depth, the diver disconnects the lift bag portion off the sled and inflates it by using compressed air. The diver is then lifted to the surface.

No limit is the deepest discipline in freediving. It involves little physical exertion and it takes an enormous amount of mental control.

What Gear Is Involved?

The Main part of the Gear involved is a Type of Fin.

Monofin
This Fin is extremely efficient as its big - light and give alot of thrust / propulsion. These Fins vary from $400-$800 for Begginers to Upwars of $5000 For Professional Cabon Fins.

Bi Fin
This fin isn't as good as the monofin however, it still gives good efficient power to effort ratio. These fins start from $200-$500 for begginers to over $1000 for Professional fins.Bi Fins are usally around 900mm-1000mm in length.

MonoFin - Bi Fin



Now , So you can see! you need Googles!

Googles are used in placement to masks. Mask are not used because the pressure at great depths can exceed the mask causing it to shatter in your face. These cost upwards of $80



Last peice is the Wetsuit.

Wetsuits are usually made of latex / Smoothskin wetsuits for less friction against the water. These are upwards of $ 600

All the Gear for you to get started will set you back around $1500 :'(



What are the Risks involved?

There are several risks in real deep freediving. As in all freediving its very dangerous to hyperventilate before diving (breath deeper and faster than normally). This could otherwise seem to be the right thing to do because the diver experience it as easier to hold the breath for a longer time before the reflex makes the diver breath again.

The risks depend on that large amounts of carbon dioxide are weathered out of the blood keeping the oxygen pressure at a normal.

Most Common Risk is Shallow water Blackout.

So as you can see / think...Free diving isn't for the Faint hearted...

What Can Free Diving Help me with?

You may be thinking , What can free diving help me with? well , Freediving as a sport can help you with cardio related activities - Expanded you lung capacity and all around physical health.

Free Diving also involves around 60% effort of the mind. It will strengthen your self control , you mental capacity and you will understand more about your body and mind overall.

A Short Video to give some sort of Idea of the Freedom



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrXQbucZUDA

Thanks to...

Google Images for Supplying me with Images
Wikipedia for Supplying me with my First Defination of Free diving
Youtube+ The Producers of the Short Clip
Thanks you all the Readers

* I Engolphed have written this guide with my own personal knownledge and nothing is plagirised. I have retrieved pictures from google and have mentioned it below*


Thank you for Reading my Guide - Please post ANY Questions and I will do my Very Best! to Answer them
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Wow , Very infomational Guide dude , Never knew anything about this sport and now...it seems so intense!! Nice Guide Man! Good Topic!

 

Thanks Mate , Glad To help

My Next Guide will be similar to the extent that its another underground Sport I do!

 

Very well thought guide man, only thing it could use is some different colors, a spelling check and maybe a video if you have the time. Again, great job and keep it up!

 

Sure - Thanks.

Ill Get Firefox for my Next Guide to Run Spell check - Unless theres any other programs ?

Ill get a Video Now.

 

Looks amazing. I can't find anything to improve, really. Interesting read aswell.

 

Thanks!!!

I like making guides that people know nothing about , it helps open their mind to many oppitunities.

 

thanks man this guide is awesome!!!

might actually try this sometime it looks sorta fun!

 

Thanks Again , Fun yet phycially+Mentally demanding!

 

As everyone else has said, thread is win. No improvements from my end, keep up the good work.

 

Never knew anything about this topic, and now I feel as if I know everything! Great guide, nice layout/design! Fabulous work. Looking forward to your next guide.

 

Wow Thanks people , Much Appreciated.

 

Next Guide Is Coming =p

 

Nice guide mate ' do you scuba ? I've done my open water as I have been
living/working in the whitsundays the past 3 months which is on the edge of the great barrier reef

 

Nope , Dont do Scuba As I can do most things Scoobies do holding my breath
I can dive 80m in deepth with a 1-2 minute bottom time , and can hold my reath for just over 10 minutes - Current world record is 11m 42 Secs.