In this article you will learn how, with a little dedication, you can free dive up to 30 meters below the water level.
Steps
Step 1. Time and note how long you can hold your breath while underwater
Step 2. Calculate your pulse rate by placing your index and middle fingers together on the inside of the wrist or on the side of the neck
Apply a slight pressure, wait a few seconds and you will hear a slight pulse: count how many you feel for a couple of minutes; divide the number by 2 and you will get your heart rate per minute. Write this down for future reference.
Step 3. Find out how many meters you can go underwater while holding your breath in one fell swoop
It is important to do this step with someone, in case something goes wrong. Write down what this depth is.
Step 4. Do breathing exercises:
inhale slowly and deeply for 5 seconds and exhale for another 10-15 seconds. WARNING: If you inhale and exhale for the same number of seconds, you will hyperventilate and may pass out. After taking several cycles of breaths, stand still and ask someone to measure your heart rate.
Step 5. Continue to practice your breath until the number of beats per minute is less than 80
Only then can you continue with the next step.
Step 6. Try going underwater, with a deep breath, to the same place where you did the previous dive
If you reached 2-3 meters the first time, try to go down to 5; if you dropped 3-6 meters try to get to 7-8; if you went over 9 meters, try adding 3 more.
Step 7. Repeat the previous step several times
The heart rate should drop below 60 after more or less a month of practice. Try using fins and see how far you can swim.
Step 8. Practice giving slow, deep leg strokes, using the longest fins you can find and you will see that, over time, you will descend faster (they are specific freediving fins)
Step 9. Try being underwater for 1 minute and surfacing for another minute to release carbon dioxide from your lungs
Step 10. Use a rock to counteract buoyancy
Advice
- Longer fins are more difficult to manage, but give more results (more power and speed).
- You will need to compensate beyond 3 meters of depth. Just close the nose with your fingers and try to blow air out of the nose itself. Do this several times, especially in the first few meters of the descent, when the pressure varies very easily. During surfacing, the inner ear will automatically stabilize. WARNING: DO NOT dive deep if you feel cold or have difficulty compensating. The resulting damage is very serious and could seriously and permanently damage the eardrums.
Warnings
- Don't fret! Especially just before diving, as it would cause a decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) in your circulatory system. CO2 levels are what trigger your breathing when you hold your breath. Eliminating too much CO2 would prolong the inhalation demand period and you could hold your breath longer BUT, by not increasing the oxygen level, it would make you more vulnerable to fainting on ascent! So be very careful NOT to hyperventilate.
- Going beyond 6 meters deep, a compression is created in the lungs that could be very difficult to rise to the surface.
- Never dive at night or in an area with strong currents. The currents could, in fact, take you too deep and impart an excessive force, with very serious consequences.
- Don't dive if you have heart or lung problems.
- Do not take medicines to clean the nose, as the mucus may return and make it difficult to clear the ascent.
- Don't dive alone. Make sure you are always with someone who can help you in case of problems.
