Freediving, also known as breath-holding, skin diving, or apnea, is the sport or activity that consists in holding your breath with your face submerged in the water. Freediving is growing really popular all around the World and the Philippines are becoming a major hub for Freediving.
Some people also refer to it as a form of advanced snorkeling. While freediving, you go underwater without the use of any breathing apparatus such as scuba gear. Freediving has been practiced traditionally for pearl diving or fishing for thousands of years in Japan with the Ama or in French Polynesia. Nowadays, freediving activities also encompass spearfishing, underwater hockey, competitive freediving in swimming pool and in ocean, underwater rugby or football, and underwater target shooting.

If you are new to freediving or have tried freediving but want to improve your theory, technique, or core skills, check out the different courses and training options available on our website.

Competitive freediving, as a sport, is made of several disciplines that can be practiced in a swimming pool or in the open sea. There are officially 8 competition disciplines – 4 in the swimming pool and 4 for in the ocean – but there are also many other disciplines that people keep inventing for fun or for exploring and breaking records. The competitive disciplines that are also practiced in freediving courses are:

Swimming pool:

Static (STA): Static is all about holding your breath. It is practiced floating at the surface of the water with your face immerged and holding your breath as long as possible. The current world record in this discipline is 11min35s for male and is held by Stephane Mifsud (France) and 9min02s for female and is held by Natalia Molchanova (Russia)

Dynamic (DYN): Dynamic is practiced horizontally in the swimming pool and the goal is to swim the longest distance possible while holding your breath. Traditionally, top athletes use a monofin for this discipline, which allow them to maximize their ration propulsion/effort. The current world record in this discipline is 316m and is held by Mateusz Malina (Poland) and 265m for female and is held by Magdalena Solich-Talanda (Poland)

Dynamic with Bifins (DYNb): Just like for Dynamic, Dynamic with Bifins is about swimming the longest distance using exclusively bifins. The current world record in this discipline is 301m for male and is held by Guillaume Bourdila (France) and 236m for female and is held by Christina Francone (Italy)

Dynamic without fins (DNF): Dynamic without fins is finally practiced horizontally as well but you must swim as far as possible without any propulsion devices (such as fins). The current world record in this discipline is 244m for male and is held by Mateusz Malina (Poland) and 206m for female and is held by Mirela Kardasevic (Croatia)

 

Outdoor:

Free Immersion (FIM)

Free immersion is one of the 4 depth disciplines and is practiced without fins. The Freediver uses only the rope to pull himself down and up. The current world record is 126m for male and is held by Alexey Molchanov (Russia) and 101m for female and held by Alessia Zecchini (Italy)

Constant weight with Bifins (CWTb)

Constant weight with bifins is the most recent of the 4 depth disciplines. The Freediver is going down and up using only bifins as propulsion. Only flutter kicks are allowed (in opposition to dolphin kicks). The world record for male is held by Alexey Molchanov (Russia) at 118m and for female by Alenka Artnik (Slovenia) at 106m

Constant weight (CWT)

In constant weight discipline, the diver is going down and up using propulsion form fins. Traditionally Freedivers use a monofin and undulation technique for constant weight. It is the depth competition discipline with the deepest world record. It is held by Alexey Molchanov (Russia) for male at 131m !!! and by Alenka Artnik (Slovenia) for female at 122m !!

Constant weight without fins (CNF)

In constant weight without fins the Freediver is not allowed any propulsion device or the use of the rope. The Freediver is going down and up using breaststroke technique. The world record for male is 102m and is held by William Trubridge (New Zealand)  and for female is 73m and is held by Alessia Zecchini (Italy)