Aida or Apnea Academy

[Dev]

hi, I have no official freedive experience, but like to become a certified freediver because I like snorkeling and freediving. Maybe if I really like the training, then maybe I'm prepared to go up to level 4 Aida or something like that.

I have a few questions

1) I have the option to go for Aida or Apnea Academy (AA). Which one should I choose? Or does the difference in instructor matter more than the difference in school?
2) If correct AA uses the well known "Manual Of Freediving: Underwater On A Single Breath" from Umberto Pelizzari as study material. Which book/manual does AIDA use? Is it similar?
3) My physical condition is ok/good (no smoking, enough muscle, good weight). I'm Padi Open Water certified. I have snorkeled on my last vacation with long Sporasub fins without problems. During snorkeling, I freedived to deeps of 15m (very hard to estimate without manometer). I read that a number of schools allow you to go straight to level2. Is it advisable for me to go straight to level2? (I don't want to miss important things. But I also don't want to be in a class with people that do the course to overcome their fears of being under water.)

 

[sgnips]

hi Dev
i do not know AIDA courses, but you can be sure AA will be an extremely good choice

keep in mind we never teach about performances or so, but rather on sensations, safety and tecnique
this way it almost doesn't matter who you are in class with, being complete dummy or not

our courses include lots of theory, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, making the learning process really complete and sort of 360°

being out in a 2nd level class in AA is actually possible if you prove you own the skills required (it's more than ever NOT about performance in this case), but the instructor will decide by his own
being not put in the upper level will not represent a real issue as the AA courses represent a trail

you can find out more at Welcome - Apnea Academy Official Site or on our facebook page

trying to answer your first question, i think the school you choose has great importance if you can find big differences in that, but the instructor will be the ultimate step so if he's not a good teacher, then choosing the best school will be of no use
maybe you can try attending one class from each one so to have a clearer idea on what you instructor will be
if still in doubt... go for AA!!! :t:t:t

 

[tim_a]

Aren't they pretty much the same? When you complete an AA course you get a */**/***/**** freediver certificate from AIDA...
The most important thing is that you have a good instructor, which organisation is behind that instructor isn't so important.

 

[sgnips]

Aren't they pretty much the same? When you complete an AA course you get a */**/***/**** freediver certificate from AIDA...
The most important thing is that you have a good instructor, which organisation is behind that instructor isn't so important.

Hi Tim,
as i stated before, i do not know Aida courses and never attended one but you might be right for some aspects

hope some AIDA instructor can help us

 

[sanso]

Aren't they pretty much the same? When you complete an AA course you get a */**/***/**** freediver certificate from AIDA...
The most important thing is that you have a good instructor, which organisation is behind that instructor isn't so important.

Hey there,

coming to the rescue an instructor for both AIDA and AA.

For a start: If you do an AA course, you will *not* receive an AIDA certification, neither the other way round. But I know that AIDA has a cross-over list that tries to acknowledge the level achieved in AA and find a corresponding level within the AIDA framework.

To your question what to 'go for' AIDA or AA, I can only add a "+1" to what has been said above. The quality of the education is down to the instructor and the student, not the certifying agency.

The AA requires you to have the Manual of Freediving in order to take their courses, but looking at the book, you want that book anyway, no matter whether you are required to have it for the course or not.

The contents of that book, though, could never fit into any level of a single course, so I would recommend it, but not rate it highly as teaching material, as it is just too much at once.

The AIDA courses are taught mainly along a presentation that contains the important points - for level of the course - and is filled with life and detail by the instructor, so the theory sessions are quite interactive. What the instructor then adds to these slides is up to him/her. - In our courses, we use selected videos for theoretical understanding and also video analysis of the students' dives to analyse technique and give feedback to the divers in a way that no book can ever do.

There is a lot to be said about both agencies, but in the end it is down to the instructor and the student. If you as a student keep your brain switched on during the course and don't - as happens often - leave your common sense at the door and your instructor has the knowledge and experience - and the skill to get some of that knowledge across - then you're in for a learning experience that can makes you a better diver.

My 2¢

 

[sgnips]

The AA requires you to have the Manual of Freediving in order to take their courses

Hi Sanso,
sorry but this is not true: the manual is not mandatory for our courses

sure it is one of the best book choices about freediving and sure we follow it during the courses, but still you can follow a course and decide not to buy it
maybe some instructors might decide to get it mandatory for their classes; again, it's up to the instructor, as the quality of the course is

 

[kevtron]

What about Apnea-Total? I took a class with them in Gili T. It was a 2 day course. He gave us a lot of info about free diving, history, how your body reacts to lack of O2 or too much CO2, some breathing exercises, and of course in water practice.

But I've noticed that this company isn't really talked about as much on this board. I guess AIDA and AA are much bigger?

 

[sgnips]

it's actually extremely difficult to compare 2-days courses with longer ones

 

[kevtron]

How long are the AIDA/AA courses? I thought I saw many of them were just 3-days. Though that is 50% more.

 

[sgnips]

we at Pianeta Acqua hold AA courses that last from october to january and then from february to may/june
1 session per week, made of 1 hour lesson plus 1 hour and half pool training
that is a total of 16 hours in classroom and 24 hours in pool, more or less
after that, AA require at least 4 open water sessions, usually made from march trough the whole summer season

none of these courses can be held in 2 o 3 days

 

[sanso]

Hi Sanso,
sorry but this is not true: the manual is not mandatory for our courses ...

True, the students may choose not to buy a copy, but the Manual is still on the list of required teaching materials in the AA standards. So, for courses, we're still giving a course for a drivers licence using a race car manual.

 

[kevtron]

That's great about those long courses. I was looking at this site for example:
Freediving / Apnea in Koh Lanta
Their AIDA classes are 2-4 days. Which is what I'd need as well, considering I'll only be able to travel to an area with good diving conditions for about five weeks twice a year (and of course will want to do more than simply free dive on my holidays). This way I can get a lot more material in in the time I have.

 

[sanso]

Re: Aida or Apnea Academy - both in Phuket

That's great about those long courses. ... I'll only be able to travel to an area with good diving conditions for about five weeks twice a year ...

There is also our school We freedive, which is moving to Phuket, Thailand this October. Easier to reach, with an international airport around the corner and with a bit more infrastructure than is available on Koh Lanta. (I know this because last season, it was We freedive who were providing the freediving education for the school there. ).
If you come over to our new base, you don't have to worry about which Agency to look for, because you'll be getting the benefit of two instructors - both trained in the AIDA and AA ways and other ways, too. - and a lot of experience in the field of sports education in general and freediving in particular.

So, hope to see you there, soon!

Richard

 

[kevtron]

Well that's very interesting! I'm already planning on at least 2 weeks in Thailand this coming Jan to get my free diving up. I'll certainly keep this in mind! (though honestly might prefer to be on a smaller island with less crazy tourists...) I'll be in touch as the time gets closer.

 

[sgnips]

Re: Aida or Apnea Academy - both in Phuket

you don't have to worry about which Agency to look for, because you'll be getting the benefit of two instructors

nice way to make students buy 2 manuals.... eheheheh
(kidding)

 

[sanso]

... might prefer to be on a smaller island with less crazy tourists..

Here I'd like to stand up for the island of Phuket. (Tadaaah!)

Phuket is a beautiful island whose reputation is so bad only for a few places on the west coast. If you stay clear of Patong et al, you will find that Phuket is quite charming and very, very welcoming. The above mentioned places are very nasty, but the rest of the island doesn't deserve the reputation it got from them.

Just for the record, no more.