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Advice for a mama returning to freediving?

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ogwahine

New Member
May 5, 2022
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Aloha folks. I started freediving with a 3-prong in Hawaii waaay back (hana buttah days, as we say), took a break, then was freediving and spearfishing regularly through my 20's and early 30's. Then...kids. And lots of intense work/career, too. Sigh. But now that my girls are getting older, I want them to grow up the same way I did and hopefully be stronger than me in all aspects of being a 'waterwoman'. So I'm motivated to get back into it, at least on a casual scale. I am very out of breath hold shape (when I was last diving regularly about 11 years ago, was 5 min) and admittedly a bit nervous to push my limits now that I'm a mom (it really feels like a switch flipped in my brain and I am more cognizant/wary of risk after having kids). Honestly, all I care about is having some decent bottom time, being safe, and being a role model for my kids. Aside from getting my general cardio/health back, any advice for an old geezer returning to the sport? I still have my old fins and masks/snorkel/knives. Frankly not as interested in spearfishing as much now, maybe I should for the kids' sake. Something I was doing right before I took a hiatus was diving just to pick up lost fishing weights from the shore fishermen to give me something to do for depth without necessarily spearfishing. I don't care about pushing 100', I'm happy with shallower reef diving. TIA for any suggestions for getting my rusty self back into it!
 
Reactions: annc and smdashik
Very cool! I'm sort of on a parallel type thing. Padi Instructor who nested in the rainforest and put all my energy into creating building a sustainable life. Two kids, two cat 5 cyclones, 25 years and 25 kilos later I'm headed back to who I was. After the kids left we could afford a decent boat for overnighters and have been doing two day reef trips which has let me get back into snorkeling and skin diving (and fishing always fishing). I've started doing yoga, breathing exercises, swimming laps and plenty of youtube .I've never been into freediving before and have lousy lung capacity but slowly I'm getting better. For me it's more checking things out and goproing, too many sharks in Far North Queensland for me to get excited about spearing. It's so great to hear other slightly maturer women are sharing the same journey. Please keep on posting, I'd love so see some pics of your adventures and keep in touch!!

Ann
 
Go for it!!! but be prepared for less performance than you want, at first.

I took a 5 year break from diving to build a business and the first day back was horrifying. 30 ft felt deep, ouch!
But it got better pretty fast and in a year or so I was a better diver than before the break.
 
I am motivated to get back into it, at least on a casual scale. I am very out of breath hold shape when I was last diving regularly about 11 years ago, was 5 min and admittedly a bit nervous to push my limits now that I'm a mom it really feels like a switch flipped in my brain and I am more cognizant/wary of risk after having kids.

Honestly, all I care about is having some decent bottom time, being safe, and being a role model for my kids.Aside from getting my general cardio/health back, any advice for an old geezer returning to the sport? I still have my old fins and masks/snorkel/knives.

Frankly not as interested in spearfishing as much now, maybe I should for the kids' sake. Something I was doing right before I took a hiatus was diving just to pick up lost fishing weights from the shore fishermen to give me something to do for depth without necessarily spearfishing.I don't care about pushing 100', I'm happy with shallower reef diving.

Jhovanna's Hair Salon
 
Reactions: annc

Yoga especially breathing exercises are good (pranayama is what I've been doing).

Gert Leroy on youtube as a bunch of great videos, I particularly like the "With Me" stuff.

Social Media is a great place to look for local clubs/training groups, and there are a few women specific groups out there.

I'm just casually trying to get better as a skindiver but enjoy that freediving fitness is holistic and encompasses mental and physical. I'm past the Mommy thing as my kids are grown but it's great to see women prioritizing themselves. I have very few regrets in life, one is that in my quest to live up to my own expectations of wife and mother that I never made room for taking care of myself. I wish you ladies tight lines and plenty of bottom time. Annx
 
Returning to freediving after some time away can be both exciting and challenging. Here are some tips to help you ease back into the sport safely and confidently:

  1. Start Slowly: Don't rush back into intense dives immediately. Take your time to reacquaint yourself with the sensations of being underwater and the techniques of breath-holding. Start with shallow dives and gradually increase depth as you regain confidence and comfort.
  2. Refresh Your Skills: Take a refresher course or training session with a certified freediving instructor. This will help you brush up on proper breathing techniques, equalization methods, and safety protocols. It's essential to ensure that your skills are up to date before attempting more advanced dives.
  3. Focus on Relaxation: Relaxation is key to successful freediving. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and visualization to calm your mind and body before dives. Being relaxed not only conserves oxygen but also enhances your ability to equalize and dive efficiently.
 
 
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