Freediving AIDA2 Open Water Session Review - Training at Deep Station

Nov 26, 2024

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Hello! This is Leo, an instructor at VONFREEDIVE.

Last Sunday, we held an AIDA2 open water session at Deep Station, and I’d like to share a detailed account of that day. In this blog, I’ll cover the key aspects of the session, offering useful tips and information for those preparing for freediving. Freediving is more than just diving into depths; it’s a unique sport that combines skill, safety, and harmony with the water. Let’s dive into the journey together!

1. The Importance of Stretching for Freediving

The session began with stretching exercises. In freediving, stretching isn’t just about loosening up—it’s a crucial factor in performance and safety.

Relaxing tongue, jaw, and neck muscles: Essential for smooth equalization.
Stretching respiratory accessory muscles: Focused on intercostal and surrounding muscles to enable deeper, more effective breathing.
Lower body stretching: Taught to prevent cramps underwater.

Remember to include stretching in your routine before every dive!

2. Dynamic Pool Session: Refining Techniques

We then moved on to dynamic practice in the 25m pool. The session focused on refining techniques like streamlining, finning, and turning. Over multiple laps, participants showed noticeable improvement in their skills.

40m Dynamic Evaluation: Two students successfully passed this final evaluation. Dynamic training builds foundational fitness and technique, which are crucial in freediving.

3. Line Orientation Training: Preparing for Depth

After the dynamic session, we conducted equalization checks and line orientation training. This training focused on maintaining a consistent distance from the line while descending, an essential skill for deep dives.

Streamlining and finning: Skills practiced during the dynamic session significantly impacted line orientation.
Turns and injury prevention: Practicing smooth turns is vital for avoiding injuries during ascent and descent.
Safe ascent: Participants practiced maintaining proper line distance and grabbing the buoy immediately after surfacing.

Mastering duck diving and line orientation is key to performing a smooth 12m CWT dive.

4. Final Evaluations: The Road to Certification

Students who had developed sufficient skills underwent the following evaluations:

12m CWT Evaluation: Assessed the proficiency of line orientation and equalization.

5m Blackout Rescue Evaluation: Verified rescue capabilities in case of a blackout at 5m.

10m Safety Evaluation: Tested the ability to safely support a fellow diver.

Thankfully, two students successfully completed all evaluations and earned their AIDA2 certifications. Congratulations!

Closing Thoughts

This AIDA2 open water session at Deep Station was a valuable opportunity to revisit the importance of technique and safety. Freediving is more than just a sport—it’s an experience of harmonizing with water and exploring oneself through breath. Watching the students’ dedication and achievements was truly rewarding as an instructor.

I’ll continue to share tips and insights to help those embarking on their freediving journey. Looking forward to more growth and learning in the next session. Dive safe and enjoy the water, everyone!

Thank you for reading! If you found this helpful, please follow the blog and leave a comment if you have any questions!