Your perfect first step into the world of Freediving and Spearfishing. Introducing our most accessible and beginner friendly freedive course, the Performance Freediving International Basic Freediver Course!
This program teaches freediving techniques for comfortable enjoyment in the aquatic world to depths of 10m/33ft. You will also practice Static Apnea to help develop your breath-holding abilities and in-water comfort.
Your PFI Basic Freediver course will cover topics such as:
- Essential safety procedures for breath-holding at the Basic Freediver Level
- Proper breathing techniques for freediving and snorkeling
- Confined water skill development
- Open Water skill development
- Equalization for depth diving
- Equipment for freediving and snorkeling
- The fundamental physics and physiology of freediving
Is this course for you?
- You’re interested in learning the fundamental techniques of Freediving and Spearfishing
- You’re new to freediving and spearfishing
Format/Duration
This course is taught by highly trained PFI Instructors The PFI Basic Freediver course includes, at a minimum:
- Classroom Session
- Confined Water session
- Open Water session
Skills
Some of the skills a student will be able to perform at the end of the PFI Basic Freediver course are:
- Safety skills as a buddy
- Perform a 1:00 minute static breathhold with opportunity to increase to 2:30 minute
- Dive with proper technique to a max of 10 meters/ 33 feet constant weight and free immersion with proper recovery breathing
Prerequisites
- Swimming or snorkeling experience
- Good health and fitness
- 10 years of age with guardian permission
Course Components
Classroom
- Attend all classroom teaching sessions
- Stretching and equalizing workshops
- Snorkel skills
Confined Water
- Minimum of four consecutive static breath-holds without any hypoxic symptoms minimum 1:00 minute
- Recovery breathing and coaching
- Full Mask flood and ascent from depth
Open Water
- Recovery breathing and coaching
- Six target constant weight dives reaching maximum 10m/33 feet
- Four free immersion dives to a maximum 10m/33 feet
- Emergency rescue and problem management (rescue scenarios)
Equipment Used:
- Mask, snorkel, fins
- Appropriate exposure protection
- Weight system (if needed)
FAQs
How long is the course? What’s the structure of the days ?
1 day
Saturday morning classroom theory 8:00am-10:00pm
Saturday morning confined water session 10:30pm-1:00pm
Saturday afternoon ocean 1:00pm-3:00pm
What’s the cost of the course?
$1400 which includes:
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Personalized instruction from highly trained freediving specialists.
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A student-to-instructor ratio of no more than six:one
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Classroom sessions with detailed knowledge development taught by freediving experts
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Confined water sessions
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Open water sessions
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Hands-on experience with specialty freediving equipment
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Certification card
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Boat costs
Do I need to be able to dive deep to do the course?
No, the course is made to teach you to dive so you don’t need to be at any advanced levels of diving ability. What we require is you need to be able to swim, thread water comfortably and have overall water comfort. It is also highly preferred that you have experience using basic snorkeling gear such as a mask and snorkel.
General good health and fitness.
What equipment do I need?
Mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit or at least some kind of exposure protection. Weightbelt if you have a wetsuit. Timing device (such as waterproof watch or stopwatch) or a freedive computer.
What does this course teach?
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Essential safety procedures for breath-holding at the Basic Freediver level
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Proper breathing techniques for freediving and snorkeling
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Confined water skill development i.e., static apnea
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Open water skill development i.e., techniques for depth diving
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Equalization for depth diving
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Equipment for freediving and snorkeling
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The fundamental physics and physiology of freediving; understand what happens to your body at depth
Up to a depth of 33 feet
Is this course for you?
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You’re interested in learning the fundamental techniques of freediving and spearfishing
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You’re new to freediving and wish to get your best start in the sport the right way. Or you have been diving a while and are ready to take your diving to the next level safely.
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You typically dive in the shallows
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You want to dive safely
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You want to hold your breath longer
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You want to dive deeper
