[Cliff Etzel]

For many years, I have espoused doing hard core apnea cardio and weight lifting with pool sessions to develop my freediving.

Problem is, my body can't take that kind of training any longer. When I trained with Aharon Solomons in January 2006, he emphatically stated that the Pipin way of training was detrimental to my achieving good technique both above and underwater while freediving. In other words, grunting my way through training. He was right. He insisted that Ashtanga Yoga alone combined with pool and open water training would get me where I wanted to be in physical fitness both personally and for freediving. It took me until May of this year to finally take his advice.

I'm sure there are others on the forums who practice some form of Hot Yoga and all I can say is WOW! Since beginning, I have noticed a radical shift in my overall body strength and flexibility. Now I only do a mix of Core Power Yoga/Pilates and mix it with Dynamic Pool with gear and the Static Apnea tables (PB of 4:20 to date).

I'm specifically training to shoot video while freediving, handling a Light & Motion Bluefin housing, sometimes with full HID lights. I want to work mainly in the depth range of 5-10 meters -maybe a little deeper where the light will allow me to not have to take my lights unless absolutely necessary.

What are others thoughts on this type of training?