7 Reasons Why Everyone Should Learn to Freedive

Freediving - a risky, extreme sport or an ancient, meditative practice? The perception of freediving has evolved dramatically in the last few years. Is this due to its ever growing prominence on social media, or the shift in mindset prompted by torturous COVID lockdowns, where our only freedom was to venture outside to exercise? Who knows. What is clear though, is that people are recognising the immeasurable physical and mental benefits that this practice is able to evoke. Freediving teaches us transferable skills that we can use to manage the stresses of everyday life, on land as well as underwater. It shows us that being completely submerged in nature has many healing benefits, enabling us to live more content and fulfilled lives.

In this post, I will explore seven of the best reasons to delve into the world of freediving. So if you’re umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether or not to take the plunge, read on!

Reason 1 - Because you can!

You don’t have to be a full blown mer-person to be a great freediver. Freediving, unlike many other sports, is accessible to almost anyone. Regardless of your level of fitness or your ocean experience and confidence in the water, freediving is something that you can explore in some capacity, whether it’s diving down two metres to take a closer look at marine life or to test your limits by diving 20 metres beneath the surface on a single breath. Freediving is a great way to gain the skills and ability to enjoy the underwater paradise that is right on our doorstep.

Reason 2 - To alleviate stress and develop resilience

Breathwork, relaxation and meditation are a huge part of freediving - without being able to control your breath, you will never feel truly zen underwater. One of the first things you learn on a freediving course is the power the mind has in controlling oxygen consumption - it’s through relaxing the mind that you’re able to stay underwater longer, without fear or panic. Finding the ability to control your breath is not just something that will improve your freediving skills, it’s something that can be used in any stressful situation - in water or on dry land, to calm the mind and, in turn, the body. Freediving training has great benefits for a whole range of people, from surfers wanting to learn how to stay calm during hold downs, to people leading high pressure corporate lives wanting to manage stress.

Reason 3 - To have awe inspiring interactions with wildlife

Now this reason should really be at the top of this list! With freediving, you’re not just an outsider looking in on the underwater world, you are completely immersed within it. With no bulky, bubble-weilding equipment constricting your movements and scaring off marine life, you are truly able to feel part of this world. Once you have mastered your breath hold, grab onto a rock and sit silently, observing the marine action that comes to life around you once you are completely still. It is truly the most humbling experience.

Reason 4 - To be part of an awesome community

Having moved to Sydney on my own five years ago, I really struggled to make friends (many others seem to have had similar experiences, so I can say, with some confidence, that this was not down to my questionable personality, but Sydney being a somewhat unfriendly city!) That was until I really threw myself into the freediving world. Since then, my dive buddies have become my best buddies and I am so grateful to have found a community of people who are adventurous, fun and passionate about the ocean. When you freedive, you are relying on your buddies to keep you safe and look out for you, it is this trust that really enables you to forge strong friendships. 

Me and my mermaid besties - whom I would never have met, had it not been for freediving.

Reason 5 - To feel safer in the ocean

There’s no escaping the fact that Australia’s oceans can be dangerous - rips and large swell can be intimidating to even the most confident among us. Being an avid freediver, you learn to be able to read the ocean, to work out which locations will be affected by certain winds, signs of a rip and which rocks and critters to avoid, making you far more competent and safe in the ocean. I suppose it would be remiss of me not to mention the S word here. Many of my friends back in the UK, and some here too, worry about sharks here in Australia. In my experience, I’ve found that the more time you spend in the ocean around these beautiful creatures, the more you appreciate them. I’ve dived with Grey Nurse Sharks, Wobbegongs, Dusky whalers, Port Jacksons and probably a far wider variety that I don’t even know about, and never once have I felt any sort of threat or danger. The fact is, the ocean is their domain and we are choosing to be part of it. So if I encounter any of the more ‘intimidating’ species, I’ll consider myself lucky to have shared the water with them, safe in the knowledge that the chance of an unwanted interaction is less than one in a million.

Reason 6 - To open up a whole new world of possibilities

I’ve been lucky enough to spend many years travelling and living in different parts of the world, experiencing some of the most beautiful places on the planet. My only regret is that I didn’t discover freediving sooner. I feel like all of the incredible places I have travelled to would have been made all the more incredible, had I explored them on one breath. From the limestone underwater labyrinths of the Philippines, to the mysterious cenotes of Mexico - there is, quite literally, a whole new world to explore.

Reason 7 - To have a free and fulfilling way to spend your time

The beauty of freediving is that once you have your fins, mask, snorkel and weight belt, every dive is free! There’s no need to make detours to the dive shop, pay for expensive tank refills or waste time with lengthy equipment set up. Just grab your fins and jump straight in! Looking back over the past few years, many of my most cherished memories have involved freediving; from spur of the moment day trips to visit the Grey Nurse Sharks at Bushies, to driving through sand dunes to dive around stunning Seal Rocks (find out more about my favourite dive spots in NSW here). Through freediving, I’ve found that you don’t need fancy hotels and expensive restaurants to enjoy the trips you take. A pair of fins and your mer-friends is more than enough.

So there you have it, seven great reasons to jump into the world of freediving! With Summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to learn to freedive.

Another world awaits! 

See you in the water soon…