Newbie freedive journal

[jimqpublic]

Hi all,

I've started a new journal http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showjournal&j=19 Called Starting from Zero or something like that. Hopefully it will chronicle how I go from zero, through dry training, then the PFI class next month, to being a master of the deep.

Or it will fizzle out and you'll all know I decided that diving isn't for me!

 

[jimqpublic]

Made some add'l posts:

#1 Intro: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=52

#2 First Week Dry Training: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=54

#3 Fear & Doubt: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=66

#4 More Dry Training: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=67

#5 Gear: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=72

 

[naiad]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I am also not a great swimmer. This is because it's simply too tiring for me!
More on that...
[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?p=593257#post593257"]East London Freedivers...[/ame]

If you can find a club to train with, training is much safer and more enjoyable. I found a club nearly 3 years ago, and I've been going ever since!

Lucia

 

[jimqpublic]

New journal entry- Last night I tried out my gear for the first time in some murky, 4' visibility water.


#6 First time in the water: http://forums.deeperblue.net/journal.php?do=showentry&e=73&enum=6

 

[smellsfishy]

Jim,

You need to learn the duck dive. It may be tough to explain the technique but here goes....

Lying face down in the water make sure you're nice and relaxed, take your final breath and equalize your ears. bring one of your legs (I use my right usually) in by bringing your heel to your butt and then extend/kick your leg up perpendicular to the surface of the water at the same time bend forward at the waist. This should leave most of your body straight up and down, The leg that's outside of the water will start to force you down counteracting your buoyancy and you will begin to sink. Depending on your buoyancy setup you can wait for your fin tips to sink under the water and start to kick nice slow wide strokes, or you can do as I do which is as you start the duck dive give one stroke with your hands to pull you under the water and start kicking. Remember it should be fairly relaxed, don't rush, it's all about technique. You can do it with both legs to begin with but you use more energy than required.

Good luck !

 

[jimqpublic]

I think it's also called the Pike dive. I was trying but I got so disoriented that it didn't work for me.

I felt very bouyant so I may pick up another weight to make the initial learning easier.

Presuming my new fins arrive on Friday I'm planning to go to Catalina Island where the water is clear to get some more practice. I don't want to waste valuable time at the PFI class the following weekend learning the basics that I can work on in advance.

Jim