The sheer pleasure of riding a wave can quickly change into fear of a wipe-out, and a hold-down under tons of water. The bigger the waves, the longer the hold-down underwater after a wipeout. In extreme cases, these hold-downs can last minutes. If you get caught by a wave and whirled around it feels like you’re in a washing machine. Panic and disorientation are not uncommon. The PADI freediver training surfers can prepare themselves for situations extended hold-down situations.
Freediving is a mental exercise in being calm. Like Meditation, it teaches you how to switch back and forth between an active thought process with a high state of awareness to a state of calmness. This is very important in a wipe-outs situation because when you take off on a big wave, your adrenalin is pumping and your heart is beating through your chest which are the two most detrimental things for a good breath hold. Freediving teaches you how to “flip the switch” and put yourself into a relaxed mental and physical state when under extreme duress. Freediving is about inward power, discipline, and control.
By doing a PADI Freediver course, surfers will learn a range of disciplines and skills that will prepare the surfer for hold-downs.
The PADI Freediver course consists of four main phases:
- Knowledge development about freediving principles through independent study with the PADI Freediver Touch.
- Training in achieving a relaxed mental and physical state
- Confined water session to learn breath-hold techniques as well as static and dynamic apnea. Goal – static apnea of 90 seconds and dynamic apnea of 25 meters.
- Open water sessions to practice free immersion and constant weight freedives to 10 meters.
All serious surfers should undertake a PADI freediver course.
If your teenager is a Surfer then consider giving him a Freediving Gift Certificate as your next gift.
