Newbie

[VaKo]

I apolgise if this question is in the wrong place or has been asked many many times before.

I watched Luc Bresson's The Big Blue a few months back and it got me intrested in free diving. So what would be the best way to get into it? I currently do Tae Kwon Do and have started to go to the gym three times a week. Swimming doens't play a part yet, but I'm going to start going once easter is out of the way.

What advice do you have for someone who can barely swim a length?


VaKo

[fjohnson]

Here's advice you'd get from everyone here... get a buddy! If you get serious about this stuff you're going to need someone with you.

unfortunately we don't always have someone there.. I train in the pool and have a lifegaurd but that's not the same as having a well informed and trusted buddy, so unless my wife is along I really can't push the limits. And in the open water I never push the limits with out someone.. not even close to the limits!

This board is a wealth of information and if you browse back through the posts you'll learn tons of stuff. Advances are fast and that makes it fun.

Learn about SWB, and that'll open your eyes to the necessity of having a good buddy.

Also, this stuff for some is highly addictive..careful

Ferd <---- did I do that... I meant Fred.....

[thin_air]

here is a useful thread, i suggest reading all of the articles listed, these are mostly about saftey which should be your main concern right now, as "ferd" (did you spell your name wrong? ) said you should definitly find a buddy, try to go see the movie with someone else and get them pumped up about freediving, this is the best way to get a buddy, being in the UK you should have no problem finding someone

i would also suggest trying to find a class/course thats close to your location there are many groups of people who give good classes,

What advice do you have for someone who can barely swim a length?

learn to swim better, and get comfortable in the water, let the water accept you, dont try to fight it (not to sound to spiritual or anything)
and.... most importantly,

HAVE FUN

and good luck finding someone

[VaKo]

Went swimming today for the first time in about a year. Suprisingly i didn't find it as hard as i used to, did about 50m before i ran out of water (the pool is only 33m long, and i find it hard to swim in water thats about 4ft deep). Will go again tomorrow, but later to avoid the multitude of screaming kids and girls who don't want to get there hair wet...

ATM i can only do breast stroke with any degree of efficency, front crawl is possible but i need googles. I can also do something that i have been told is butterfly stroke but i doubt its anywhere close.


As for finding a buddy... i think that my friends will catch fire or something if they start doing something healthy. No luck there. Hopefully things will change at uni.

Tried the pressure eqalisation thingy (pinch nose and blow air into it) and got a sharp pain in my left ear (this is about 1.5m depth). What is going wrong?

I think i should start a website or something detailing all of this, an online journal or something.

VaKo

[Erik]

[i]ATM i can only do breast stroke with any degree of efficency, front crawl is possible but i need googles. I can also do something that i have been told is butterfly stroke but i doubt its anywhere close.


As for finding a buddy... i think that my friends will catch fire or something if they start doing something healthy. No luck there. Hopefully things will change at uni.

Tried the pressure eqalisation thingy (pinch nose and blow air into it) and got a sharp pain in my left ear (this is about 1.5m depth). What is going wrong?

VaKo [/b]

Hi Vako, and welcome. I would strongly suggest that at the level you are at, you get at least 1 proper training session with someone who has a reasonable knowledge about freediving. This could mean a few hours in the pool with an avid freediver, or even going to someone at BSAC or PADI for a Skin Diver intro or session. There is nothing like having someone show you, as opposed to trying to figure it out by yourself. I'm not saying that you should spend mega-bucks on a course, just try to hook up with someone for a day of diving. Post your desire for a buddy in the "Buddies" section, and it wouldn't hurt to post in the Freediver Guestbook, which is out of Plymouth www.freediver.co.uk . There are a lot of freedivers in Britain and Ireland (well, compared to Canada), and they always seem eager to help someone out.
Don't break your ears, it's nasty....get someone to show you
Just my suggestions, mind you,
Erik Y.

[VaKo]

At the level I'm at I wouldn't consider any form of diving, let alone free diving without a partner. I need to strenghten my swiming considirbly. I plan to swim for at least 2 hours a week (+runnning, Tae Kwon Do and weight training) maybe more once college is over. I want to feel confident that i won't sink lol.

As for professional training, its something that i want to do, a: when i can swim and b: when i have the money. Porsmouth is a fair trek (about 300 miles) so thats going to take planning as well

Its a long, hard road... but worth it.

VaKo

[Ken Hutchinson]

Welcome Vako
As others have mentioned, tying in with a buddy is the fastest way to gain knowledge. Although the info contained on websites such as this is great, you really need to dive with someone to put some techniques into use. The other advantage is a buddy can save you some coin by suggesting equipment that is worthwhile. Most of us went through a number of unsuitable fins, masks etc before figuring out what works. Of course this website is a great resource on equipment suggestions also. Finally I think your idea of getting out and swimming lots is really important. Freediving is all about being able to relax and feel comfortable in the water, and there's only one way for that to happen. By getting wet. All that said, freediving is one of life's great experiences, likely you'll love it. Welcome aboard.

[VaKo]

I'm looking for a buddy, but its got to be someone who's prepared to go from step 1.

Thanks for all the help.

VaKo

[Alun]

VaKo,
I just read through this thread, and was interested to read this part...

"What advice do you have for someone who can barely swim a length?".

This struck a chord with me, because only about 4 years ago, at the age of 24, I was a non-swimmer. I didn't have an actual fear of water, but I had always avoided any water based activites. One day, for some reason(?), I finally made the decision to learn to swim. I found a good teacher to help me and practiced virtually every day. About a year later I saw the Big Blue for the first time and was captivated by the whole thing. It was another year before I watched it again, and realised this was something I really really wanted to do... so I set out looking for other freedivers just as you are now.

I've now been freediving for just over 2 years, and dive deep a couple of times each week. Just 4 years ago the idea of being immersed in water was totally alien to me. Now, I can't imagine myself not being able to swim or freedive. So I went from one extreme end of the spectrum to the other!

So, the message here is this: don't let the fact that you may be a weak swimmer put you off becoming a freediver. But don't misunderstand me though. It's important to be a confident swimmer before getting into freediving. In my case, I was already a life-guard before I started freediving. That doesn't mean you need to be a really strong swimmer, but you need to feel very comfortable and totally confident in water. You shouldn't really think about freediving until you've reached that level.

Oh, and when you feel you're ready to take that first step, then send me an e-mail... because I live in North Wales, about 100 miles from you, and about 30mins away from the best deep freediving site in the UK. If you have transport from Derbyshire, then you're sorted.


alun

[VaKo]

Thanks for your advice.

Since i posted that i've started freediving. I remeber when i saw the 6m deep pool for the first time, i really did think that i'd drown. Now i'm completely at home there. My only problem is using the air I have effectivly and getting any kind of time underwater.

In my case once i'd dived once, i knew that i could do it and there was nothing to worry about. Still not the strongest swimmer but i have no problems in the pool.

VaKo