Learn Freediving: 10 Important Things You Should Know
If you want to learn freediving, here’s something I discovered the hard way: being an experienced scuba diver doesn’t automatically make you good at holding your breath underwater! I started training with Jordan Leyva Alvarez of Freediving Lux in Luxembourg in October 2023, and equalisation turned out to be much harder for me than breath-holding.
I completed AIDA 1 and then my AIDA 2 Pool Freediver certification through theory and pool training. I haven’t completed the open-water requirements for the full AIDA 2 Freediver certification. But after nearly three months of practice, I managed to swim 50 metres underwater on a single breath, and I was so proud of that achievement!
If you’re curious about trying freediving, these are ten things I’d want you to know before your first lesson, with advice from Jordan’s interview and what I learned along the way. Let’s dive in!
1. Assess Your Physical Fitness
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to start freediving, but being comfortable in the water helps enormously.
Swimming fitness, controlled finning and the ability to relax matter more than trying to prove how long you can hold your breath. A good beginner course will explain its swimming prerequisites and help you work at a suitable level.
PRO TIP: If you’re preparing for a course, practise ordinary swimming and gentle mobility work. Leave breath-hold drills for properly supervised training, not solo sessions at the pool.
2. Check Your Medical Fitness Before You Learn Freediving
Before you enrol, check the course’s medical questionnaire and be upfront about any condition that could affect you underwater.
AIDA’s course guidance includes a medical form, and some answers may require assessment by an appropriate healthcare professional. Having asthma, ear or sinus problems, or another condition doesn’t mean you should diagnose your own fitness to freedive.
Jordan emphasizes this step, saying, “Consulting a healthcare professional to ensure your body can handle the pressure changes is crucial.”
PRO TIP: Ask the instructor for the medical form before paying for your course. If anything needs clearance, you can deal with it before your first water session.
3. Get Professional Freediving Training
Freediving isn’t simply scuba diving without the tank, and a qualified instructor makes a real difference.
Jordan couldn’t stress this enough, saying, “Diving without proper training can be dangerous.” He also told me, “Freediving is open to everyone, and when you follow the rules, it’s not inherently dangerous. Like any sport, there are risks, but with the right mindset, it’s incredibly safe and rewarding.” I treat that as his personal perspective, not a guarantee that freediving is risk-free. You can look for courses from AIDA (International Association for Development of Apnea), PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or SSI (Scuba Schools International).
What my AIDA courses in Luxembourg were like
I began with Jordan at Freediving Lux in October 2023, taking AIDA 1. We started with theory, then moved into swimming-pool sessions. That course didn’t include open-water sessions.
Afterwards, I took AIDA 2 Pool Freediver. The pool training was more intensive, covering dynamic apnea (swimming underwater on one breath), breath-holding, equalisation, breathing techniques and safety skills. I earned the AIDA 2 Pool Freediver certification, not the full AIDA 2 Freediver qualification, because I didn’t complete the required open-water component.
I expected some of it to come naturally because I’d already been scuba diving for years. Well, I was wrong about that!
PRO TIP: When comparing courses, ask exactly which certification you’ll receive and whether open-water sessions are included. A pool certification and a full open-water freediving certification aren’t interchangeable.
4. Learn to Equalise Without Forcing It
If you’ve tried scuba diving, don’t assume your usual equalisation habits will work the same way in freediving.
This was my biggest challenge by far. Jordan taught us the Frenzel equalisation technique, and I still haven’t completely mastered it. With scuba, I’m used to descending more slowly and having time to adjust. Freediving felt much quicker, and equalising was harder than I expected.
I can comfortably freedive to around eight metres, but going deeper has been difficult for me because of equalisation. Interestingly, holding my breath wasn’t the part I struggled with!
Jordan calls equalisation a “must-master skill,” reminding us that learning to equalize in safe, controlled conditions is key to avoiding discomfort—or worse, injury.”
The important thing is not to force your way through pressure or pain. Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommends stopping your descent, moving slightly shallower if necessary and ending the dive if you can’t equalise.
PRO TIP: Ask your instructor to demonstrate equalisation and help you troubleshoot it on land before attempting descents. Never treat discomfort as something you need to push through.
5. Always Freedive with a Trained, Attentive Buddy
Even if you’re only practising in a pool, you need a capable buddy who understands freediving rescue procedures.
Never freedive alone. Breath-hold blackout can occur with little warning, including in shallow water. A person watching casually from the poolside isn’t the same as a trained buddy actively supervising you and ready to respond.
DAN also warns against hyperventilating before a breath-hold dive, because it can reduce your urge to breathe without making the dive safe. Learn the appropriate buddy and recovery procedures from your instructor rather than improvising them.
PRO TIP: Agree on who is diving and who is watching before every attempt. Follow the one-up, one-down system taught in your course, and don’t practise personal-best distances on your own.
6. Understand Your Freediving Environment
Pool training is a useful place to learn, but you still need to think about the conditions wherever you plan to freedive.
In open water, currents, visibility, water temperature, boat traffic and access points can all affect your plans. Check the conditions and choose a site that suits your training and experience.
For example, Moalboal in the Philippines is famous for its sardine run. It’s a great reminder that you don’t always need to go deep to see marine life, but you still need to respect local conditions and boat traffic. That isn’t a substitute for a properly supervised freediving session.
PRO TIP: Ask your local instructor or dive centre about suitable entry and exit points, boat activity and the day’s conditions before heading out.
7. Prepare Mentally and Learn to Relax
Freediving taught me that staying calm and moving efficiently can matter just as much as physical ability.
Jordan introduced us to breathing and relaxation techniques during our training. Rather than treating the urge to breathe as a contest, you learn to recognise your limits and follow a safe, supervised routine.
As a scuba diver, I’m used to breathing steadily through a regulator. Freediving required a different kind of concentration, and I found that surprisingly interesting.
PRO TIP: Focus on the skills your instructor is teaching, not the numbers on somebody else’s watch. Depth and distance can wait.
8. Make Gradual Progress When Learning Freediving
You might be surprised by what you can achieve through consistent practice, even without chasing records.
My proudest moment was swimming 50 metres underwater on one breath during training. It took me nearly three months to reach that distance, so I was delighted when I finally managed it!
What made the difference wasn’t simply trying to hold my breath longer. It was learning to relax, improve my technique, move more efficiently and manage my energy. That progress came through organised training, not practising long breath-holds alone.
Jordan’s advice is simple but essential: Respect your body’s limits and progress slowly.
I wouldn’t recommend specific depth increments, underwater distances or extra seconds for you to aim for. Those need to be guided by your instructor, your skills and the safety arrangements in place.
PRO TIP: Measure progress by how comfortably and consistently you perform the skills, not just how deep or far you go. Your best session may be one where your technique finally clicks.
9. Respect the Marine Environment
Freediving can let you observe wildlife without scuba equipment, but the same ocean-care rules still apply.
Avoid touching coral, chasing animals or feeding fish. Keep your fins clear of the reef and give marine life room to behave naturally.
If you find rubbish, don’t risk a breath-hold, lose track of your buddy or enter a hazardous area to collect it. You can read more about the TRSHBG here, but safe diving comes first.
PRO TIP: Leave things better than you found them, but only collect debris when it’s genuinely safe to do so. A photo or a report to a local cleanup group can be the better option.
10. Find a Freediving Community
A good instructor and a supportive club can make the learning process much more enjoyable.
Training with Jordan in Luxembourg gave me a structured way to learn a sport that turned out to be quite different from scuba. I appreciated having someone explain the techniques and correct my mistakes, especially with equalisation.
Jordan often emphasizes that freediving is more than a sport – it’s about connecting with people who share your passion.
If you’re in Luxembourg, you can follow Freediving Lux on Instagram for its latest posts and training information, or check the Freediving Lux website. Confirm current course availability directly rather than assuming a past timetable still applies.
PRO TIP: Ask whether a group offers pool-only training, open-water training or both, and what buddy-safety practice is included.
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning Freediving
If you’re thinking of booking your first lessons, these are the practical questions I’d sort out beforehand.
Can I learn freediving if I already scuba dive?
Yes, but you’ll be learning a different set of skills. I was already an experienced scuba diver when I trained with Jordan, and I still found Frenzel equalisation challenging.
Is AIDA 2 Pool Freediver the same as full AIDA 2 Freediver?
No. I completed the AIDA 2 Pool Freediver certification, which covers the applicable theory and confined-water requirements. The full AIDA 2 Freediver qualification also includes open-water requirements, which I haven’t completed. Check the current AIDA course framework with your instructor.
Can I practise underwater breath-holding alone in a swimming pool?
No. DAN advises having a trained, attentive buddy for every breath-hold dive, including pool training. Don’t hyperventilate or practise long underwater swims without proper supervision.
What if I can’t equalise when freediving?
Stop descending and don’t force it. Move slightly shallower if necessary and end the dive if you can’t equalise. Ask an instructor to review your technique and seek medical advice for persistent problems.
How long does it take to improve at freediving?
It varies. For me, reaching a 50-metre dynamic swim took nearly three months of training. That’s my personal milestone, not a beginner target or a reason to push beyond your limits.
The Wrap Up: Learn Freediving
If you’re curious about freediving, I’d recommend starting with a qualified instructor and letting yourself be a beginner, even if you already scuba dive. I learned a lot with Jordan in Luxembourg, but I also discovered that some skills, especially equalisation, take patience.
I’m proud of my 50-metre underwater swim, yet I still have work to do on Frenzel equalisation. That’s perfectly fine with me. You don’t need to chase deeper dives or longer breath-holds to get something worthwhile from the experience.
For current details about training in Luxembourg, you can check Freediving Lux on Instagram. Most importantly, practise with a properly trained buddy, respect your limits and enjoy learning something new.
Disclosure: This article is based on my personal experiences, opinions and an interview with the freediving instructor, for which permission was granted to share on the Diving Escapades website. No compensation or incentives have been received for this article. Should there be any compensations or gifts in the future, they will be clearly disclosed in the respective post. I am dedicated to providing honest and unbiased insights to my readers.
