I am new to freediving, but not physical training (this is my realm
). That said, here is what I think about training for freediving:
Both aerobic and anaerobic fitness are important in training for freediving, but due to the nature of freediving it is detrimental for a person to put on excess muscle through anaerobic training (more muscle=more oxygen use).
Anaerobic Training (weight training):
Anaerobic training is important in freediving because the stronger your legs are, the easier it is to make long, strong strokes and the less your legs are tired by each stroke. Anaerobic training reaches a point in sports like freediving that it can actually become detrimental.
It is of most value used to form and keep a strong base of muscle in the core and legs.
The majority of the muscles you will use will be in your lower body and core, and will be a mix of fast and slow-twitch muscles with the majority of those being fast-twitch. Thus anaerobic fitness in the core and lower body is very important. Some exercises that will help with this are Front and Back Squats (quads, core, glutes) , Leg Curls (hamstrings), Morning Glory (hamstrings, back), and Calf Raises. IMPORTANT: Do very light weight MANY times (more reps, less weight) because it mimics what your muscles will be doing in freediving. If you are at a gym, tell a trainer that you need to concentrate on your core (abs, back) and lower body (CALVES, HAMSTRINGS, QUADS, GLUTES, and HIP FLEXORS) and he can tell you what exercises to do and how to do them. Or look them up online.
Aerobic Training (cardio training):
Aerobic Training is important in freediving due to the importance of optimal oxygen consumption in freediving.
Aerobic training is the more effective of the two after establishing a strong base of muscle in the core and legs. The lower your resting and sub max exercise heart rates are the less oxygen you consume.
There are a ton of ways to train your cardiovascular and respiratory system to be more efficient but the ones that will me most effective for the freediver (on land) are running and biking (in that order) because of the use of the lower body and core. To break it down further than that, the use of sprint intervals (sprint for 30 sec and walk for 1 min, repeat) and interval training on a bike (hills or fast pedaling followed by a more relaxed pace, repeat) will be more effective than long distance running/biking for the freediver. Also, your body responds to this kind of training best when done around the 20-30 minutes (depending on age, weight, desired result, fitness, etc).
Alternate between aerobic/anaerobic training throughout the week (Mon - weights, Wed - run, etc) and start slowly. Dont train when you are sore. Stretch all muscles used before and after training. Eat well (that's a whole 'nother topic).
This is just a general outline on improving fitness for freediving, I cannot give specifics without knowing a whole lot more about the client.
Good luck,
Nate
