Question I failed my freediving course

[Chrisew]

I've been dreaming of doing a freediving course for a long time. During my last vacation in Mexico, I finally seized the opportunity. My freediving instructor works independently under the umbrella of Apnea Total. After a three-hour theoretical introduction, we went straight to a small, secluded cenote. We went directly on the rope up to 10 meters (free immersion and bifins). I definitely had a sense of achievement, but I wondered why it wasn't more about how to endure the breathing stimulus. I always imagined that this part would be given a lot of space in the courses. The instructor's approach was to withstand the pressure as soon as it comes and gradually get used to it.

I started the second day full of energy. This time, however, we went to one of those big amusement park cenotes. While we were doing our exercises on the rope, noisy groups of tourists jumped out of the hole in the ceiling into the water next to us and splashed around noisily in their life jackets. As it was a closed cenote, it was incredibly loud. I simply couldn't relax mentally and had to abandon the first 4-5 attempts after a short time. This put me in a negative spiral and my head completely shut down. I had to drop out of the course and am now totally frustrated. At this point, I wonder what factors contributed to my failure. In my opinion, the external environment was totally unsuitable for a beginner. However, I also read that organizations such as PADI, SSI, AIDA etc. explicitly train static apnea. So was it perhaps also due to the standards of Apnea Total? Do you have any words of encouragement for someone who has failed?
Chris

 

[Irishdiver]

First off put the word failure away. You tried the course, it didn't work out for you. Now try again. New Instructor, new location, maybe new organisation. Don't jump into the next course. Ask the instructor what you will be doing. Tell them you like the idea of training static (this is usually done in most entry level courses). Ask where the training takes place and relate your past experience to the new Instructor. Keep in mind that you should never be in a hurry with freediving. Depth and time will come, but more often then not it's a slow gradual process. Enjoy it and you'll start to relax and then the rest will follow.

 

[J Campbell]

Find a buddy and train statics at your leisure in a pool.

 

[Milky.chance5]

No worries, Tough environment and different teaching style might have thrown you off. Don't sweat it, though. Try finding another instructor or organization that suits your preferences better. Failure happens, but it's just a step towards success. Keep your head up and give it another shot! You got this!

 

[SDC79]

I've been dreaming of doing a freediving course for a long time. During my last vacation in Mexico, I finally seized the opportunity. My freediving instructor works independently under the umbrella of Apnea Total. After a three-hour theoretical introduction, we went straight to a small, secluded cenote. We went directly on the rope up to 10 meters (free immersion and bifins). I definitely had a sense of achievement, but I wondered why it wasn't more about how to endure the breathing stimulus. I always imagined that this part would be given a lot of space in the courses. The instructor's approach was to withstand the pressure as soon as it comes and gradually get used to it.

I started the second day full of energy. This time, however, we went to one of those big amusement park cenotes. While we were doing our exercises on the rope, noisy groups of tourists jumped out of the hole in the ceiling into the water next to us and splashed around noisily in their life jackets. As it was a closed cenote, it was incredibly loud. I simply couldn't relax mentally and had to abandon the first 4-5 attempts after a short time. This put me in a negative spiral and my head completely shut down. I had to drop out of the course and am now totally frustrated. At this point, I wonder what factors contributed to my failure. In my opinion, the external environment was totally unsuitable for a beginner. However, I also read that organizations such as PADI, SSI, AIDA etc. explicitly train static apnea. So was it perhaps also due to the standards of Apnea Total? Do you have any words of encouragement for someone who has failed?
Chris

I agree with the poster above who said that this isn't a failure, even if it feels like one. I've been diving for a long time now, and sometimes things just don't feel right. My best advice for anyone would be to listen to your body and mind - if it doesn't feel comfortable, stop. With improved skill/technique and greater experience, the proportion of days which feel right will increase and the external factors which are likely to affect your ability to dive will decrease. I would also make the point that 10m is actually quite deep. It's easy to see news articles with world record dives and the like, and I'm sure you'll be going deeper before much longer, but at 10m depth you are already deeper than the vast majority of humans will ever go. In fact I can quote a former world champion who now runs a well-known freediving school: "10m is £$%&ing deep!".

I also initially trained with Total Apnea, albeit in Thailand rather than Mexico, and I still occasionally refer to their syllabus. I accept that it may be bias due to them having introduced me to freediving, but I have to say that I really liked their approach. I also 'failed' (to use your term) and much more comprehensively than you did - I couldn't get deeper than 3m. However, I had time on my hands and stuck with it, and it all came together a few days later. That said, I've never been to a freediving school or club that accepted my Apnea Total certification, so I got qualified in AIDA a few years later to make diving travel easier.

I strongly suggest you do another course, though I accept that this is not easy for or accessible to everyone.

You specifically mention enduring the breathing stimulus. You can learn to do this in relative safety out of water (in fact that's how I learned at Apnea Total). There are lots of threads on here with advice on apnea tables, and you can also learn from books ('The Manual of Underwater Freediving' by Umberto Pelizzari is a great resource, in my opinion). But in all honesty there isn't a silver bullet: you have to be relaxed, and that's easier for some people than others. I personally believe that understanding what my body is doing and why I am experiencing certain feelings or sensations helps me to maintain relaxation. However, I have known divers who know no theory but can relax, and divers who know a lot of theory and cannot. If you're really stuck or don't understand what I've written, send me a direct message with any questions.

I've never met anyone for whom all aspects of freediving clicked straight away - and in my experience the most frustrating sticking points are typically related to either equalisation or relaxation (and often they are the same thing). Sure, people have issues with technique - poor finning, poor head position on the line, stuff like that - but those things tend to be about going farther or deeper, rather than just enjoying your dives.

Freediving is best when it's easy - but it's not easy.

 

[Milky.chance5]

Prioritizing pressure equalization over static apnea might not have been the best fit for your learning style. Don't call it a failure, but a learning experience! Look for a school that aligns with your preferences, practice in a calm environment, and remember, free diving is a personal journey, not a race. The underwater world is waiting for you to return on your own terms.