PFI Freediver Course


Maximum 5 students per class

Course length 2.5 days

Course Fees: $445

Two boat trips, $60 per trip plus tax  = $127.20

Course fees plus boat fees $572.20

Boat fees due the day of the trip

 

Max depth 66 feet

Average Student does a 2-3 minute breath hold.

Average Student does a 60-foot freedive.

 

 

 Read why Immersion Freediving is different from the rest.

Course prerequisites

  • Must be comfortable in the water.
  • Must be 15 years or older.

Materials included in course

  • Includes PFI Freediver Manual and informational packet with specific details regarding location and scheduling information.
  • Includes Immersion Freediving T-shirt.
  • Boat fees are not included and are additional. They are typically $60 per trip and are paid directly to the boat. This freediving course has two separate ocean sessions. In locations where open water training is done via shore, lake, quarry, or spring, there is no boat fee.

Typical course schedule

  • Friday 1:00 – 7:00  p.m. classroom
  • Saturday 9:00 – 12:00 p.m. pool session 1:30 -5:30 p.m. ocean session
  • Sunday 9:00 – 1200 a.m. pool session, 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. ocean session

Gear requirements

  • Mask and snorkel
  • Fins
  • Wetsuit
  • Weights and Weight belt
  • timing device or freediving computer

 

 

Gear recommendations

Upcoming course schedule


Freediving Course Outline

 

Breathing techniques

  • How to get a much bigger breath than you can right now.
  • How to breathe to maximize bottom time.
  • How to breathe when you surface to increase safety.

Static apnea (Holding your breath face down in the pool)

  • Average student completes freediving course with a 2:00 -3:00 minute breath hold.
  • How to practice static apnea in a safe manner with a trained buddy.
  • Why it is important to train static apnea.
  • Become a more confident and comfortable freediver by adding a minute or two to your breath hold.

Freediving Safety

  • How to provide proper freediving safety as a buddy.
  • How to weight yourself properly to ensure safety and maximize performance.
  • What a blackout is, how (as a buddy) you would recognize it before it happens, and how to deal with it.

 

Kicking and Entry Techniques

  • How to kick properly so you are not wasting energy getting to the bottom.
  • How to kick straight down to bottom without your typical 30-degree angle on descent.
  • How to make an efficient entry without wearing excessive weight.
  • Reduce your oxygen consumption and increase your bottom time by making these modifications to your entry method and kicks.

Freediving Equipment Lecture

  • Why a freediving mask is superior to a scuba mask for freediving.
  • Why a freediving-specific wetsuit is better than a scuba wetsuit.
  • What type of snorkels are good; what types should you avoid.
  • Are your $150 dollar scuba split fins great for freediving or terrible for freediving?
  • Modifications you can make to existing gear to increase performance.
  • This lecture will turn you into a much more informed consumer when purchasing gear.

 

Streamlining Techniques

  • Proper hand position for freediving and why it matters.
  • Proper head position for freediving. Ever wonder why most freedivers and spearfishermen never kick straight down? This is why.
  • How to reduce surface area as you are pushing through water. This makes the same dive require less energy, which leads to increasing your bottom time.

 

Hands-on equalizing workshop

We will discuss proper equalizing techniques for freediving. Believe it or not, it’s not the same as equalizing for scuba. If you’ve ever had to turn around and head up to the surface because you couldn’t equalize while freediving, this is the answer.

We will explain the difference between the Valsalva and Frenzel equalization methods. The Valsalva method of equalization is taught in scuba courses. It is basically pinching your nose and blowing. The proper equalization method for freediving is the Frenzel technique. We will discuss how to find out which method you are using and how to switch you over to the right method. You will also receive homework assignments to give you the tools to practice at home and perfect the techniques.

 

Items received upon on successful completion of course

  • PFI Freediver Certification card.
  • Membership to a Yahoo forum for all PFI graduates. A great way to find dive buddies and ask questions.