Photo: Aleksander Nordahl, ettpust.com
When you freedive there are many things that affect the dive, and in this article we give you the basic advice that gives you better technique and more efficient dives. We show extracts from the rich webinar on how to further develop your skills as a freediver, where you can explore this topic further.
Are you a beginner? Start with shallow dives in calm water, lie on the bottom or hold on to kelp leaves, feel that you feel mastery and calm before moving further out where there may be deeper and more sea. Don't take your time, don't compare yourself to others, think that the approach to freediving should be calm and low-threshold, and try your hand as you get used to the equipment and get the feeling of freediving.
Lie on the surface and breathe calmly through the snorkel. Lie there until you feel your body relax completely.
Start the alignment, "squat" down at a 90 degree angle with your hip and lift your legs so that you are "pushed" down.
How you hold your head affects the dive. You dive most effectively with a straight neck, but if you are hunting, looking for shells or following a fellow diver, there are natural movements of the head that make diving less streamlined. You can try to keep your neck straight and your head still, but rather practice moving your eyes. It is also easier to balance if you don't bend your head up or down.
Swim with straight legs. If you swim with a lot of bend in your knees, you create an unnecessarily large resistance in the water. You have to have a small crack, but it should be marginal.
Don't have loose ankles, then you lose momentum when diving and you get almost no effect from the fin blades. The ankles should be "locked" in a straight position.
Keep your hip still (not "dance salsa").
Keep your arms alongside your body when ascending , do not use your arms to swim/paddle with, as you slow down your speed.
OTHER FACTORS
Stretching is important for the body to have a good, straight posture . In the video below, Helge Løvskar shows good stretching exercises that you can easily do at home. When the technique comes, many will notice that the need for increased strength will come, e.g. in the stomach, and then it is strength training that applies.
Mental peace. Sit quietly at home or somewhere else where you can relax, and practice breathing calmly and letting the sounds come and go. When you meditate regularly, you will find calm more quickly when freediving, and you will be able to cope with stressful situations better. In the video below, Helge talks about how he meditates to find calm and focus when he freedives.