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PADI - Free Dive - Courses & Experiences

Who should take this course?

Freediving is about inward power, discipline and control. If you’ve always wanted to enter the underwater world quietly, on your own terms, staying as long as your breath allows, then freediving is for you. Taking the PADI Freediver course is your first step toward discovering why freediving is becoming a popular way to explore beneath the waves.

To enroll in a PADI Freediver course you must be at least 15 years old. You need adequate swimming skills and need to be in good physical health. No prior experience with snorkeling, skin diving or freediving is required.

Younger than 15? 12 year olds and older can enroll in the PADI Basic Freediver course and eight year olds and older can enroll in the PADI Skin Diver course.

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What will you learn?

The PADI Freediver course consists of three main phases:

  • Knowledge development about freediving principles through independent study with the PADI Freediver Touch™ (or your instructor may conduct class sessions).

  • Confined water session to learn breathhold techniques as well as static and dynamic apnea. Goal – static apnea of 90 seconds and dynamic apnea of 25 metres/80 feet.

  • Open water sessions to practice free immersion and constant weight freedives, plus proper buddy procedures. Goal – constant weight freedive of 10 metres/30 feet.

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How can you start learning now?

Contact your local PADI Freediver Center or PADI Freediver Instructor and get the PADI Freediver Touch tablet app. The Touch is an interactive study tool that gives you the background information you need to freedive safely and allows you to learn at your own pace. Your PADI Freediver Instructor will check on your progress and make sure you understand important freediving information.

Good news – the PADI Freediver Touch also includes all learning materials for the PADI Advanced Freediver and Master Freediver courses.

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What freediving gear will you use?

In the PADI Freediver course, you learn to use a mask, snorkel and fins, and may also use a wetsuit and weight belt. Using gear designed specifically for freediving is best, however, in this course, you may be able to use snorkeling equipment you already own.

Check with your local dive center about the gear you’ll use during this course and get advice about everything you need from your PADI Freediver Instructor.

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Next Step

Learning to progressively go deeper and stay longer on one breath is incredibly satisfying, so don’t wait.

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PADI Basic Free Diver Course

1 - 3 days

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Freediving is about inward power, discipline and control.

If you’ve always wanted to enter the underwater world quietly, on your own terms, staying as long as your breath allows, then freediving is for you.

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To enroll in a PADI Freediver course you must be at least 15 years old. You need adequate swimming skills and need to be in good physical health.

No prior experience with snorkeling, skin diving or freediving is required.

 

The PADI Freediver course consists of three main phases:

  • Knowledge development about freediving principles.

  • Confined water session to learn breathhold techniques as well as static and dynamic apnea. Goal – static apnea of 90 seconds and dynamic apnea of 25 metres/80 feet.

  • Open water sessions to practice free immersion and constant weight freedives, plus proper buddy procedures. Goal – constant weight freedive of 10 metres/30 feet.

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PADI Advanced Free Diver Course

1 - 5 days

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Achieving a new freediving time or reaching a new depth is an incredible feeling.

It satisfies that very personal desire to do your best and be proud of what you can accomplish.

Refine and improve your freediving skills, allowing you to progress slowly while learning how your body performs during apnea.

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To enroll in a PADI Advanced Freediver course you must be at least 15 years old and have a PADI Freediver certification (or a qualifying certification from another freediver organization).

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The PADI Advanced Freediver course consists of three main phases:

  • Knowledge development about advanced freediving techniques and equipment.

  • Confined water session to learn stretching and relaxation techniques as well as refine static and dynamic apnea. Goal – static apnea of 2 minutes, 30 seconds (2 minutes for freedivers younger than 18) and dynamic apnea of 50 metres/165 feet (40 metres/130 feet for freedivers younger than 18)

  • Open water sessions to practice deeper free immersion and constant weight freedives, along with additional buddy procedures and rescue techniques. Goal – constant weight freedive of 20 meters/65 feet (15 metres/50 feet for freedivers younger than 18)

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PADI Master Free Diver Course

3 - 10 days

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If you’re an advanced freediver who wants to learn how to fine-tune your lifestyle and training so that you can approach elite freediving levels, then the PADI Master Freediver course is for you.

Through focused sessions, you’ll bring your static apnea, dynamic apnea, free immersion and constant weight skills to the next level.

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To enroll in a PADI Master Freediver course you must be at least 18 years old and have a PADI Advanced Freediver certification (or a qualifying certification from another freediver organization).

 

The PADI Master Freediver course consists of three main phases:

  • Knowledge development about nutrition, relaxation and advanced breathing techniques.

  • Confined water session to improve static and dynamic apnea attempts, including a no fins dynamic apnea. Goal – static apnea of 3 minutes, 30 seconds and dynamic apnea of 70 metres/230 feet.

  • Open water sessions to practice mouthfill equalization and perform warm-up and workup dives for free immersion and constant weight freediving. Goal – constant weight freedive of 27 metres/90 feet.

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