What is freediving?
We all heard about freediving once in our life or already tried. But do we really know about its benefits? The different unknown but however existing disciplines? The best places to dive? This is the thing we would attempt to decrypt. So hold your breath and dive at the very heart of our article.
Discovery, well-being and personal challenge
Freediving, also known as “apnea” is an underwater sports practice more and more trendy that can be exercised by both amateurs who want to discover and professionals like the biggest record men and divers all over the world. It deals with immersing yourself by a ventilation blockage system. The places which allow to practice diving are very diversified and unusual. Specialists suggest to practice freediving and emphasize its large healthy effects on both short and long term: welfare, self-awareness, method of evasion, breathing control. Morgan Bourc’his, professional diver praise its positive effects on body. It is said that a frequent activity would permit to better breathe in order to fully feel in keeping with your body and minds. In addition, there would be a relaxation of muscle tensions and pain and an improvement in stress management. Personally, I fancy going to dive, what about you?
Safety above all
Nevertheless, this is important to know the risks related to freediving as a bad brain irrigation or in the worst case a heart attack that would lead to physiological and psychological changes. As a consequence, it is strongly encouraged to be well supervised while practicing in order to feel as comfortable as a fish in water. We distinguish two steps in freediving domain: the one linked to well-being and the other to fighting. After that short presentation, let’s analyse the different freediving records by discipline.
Underwater freediving disciplines and their world records
As stated above, we already know freediving in general but for those of you who are curious about this, you must be aware that apnea has several disciplines and some men and women hold a record for each discipline. Nowadays, we are assisting to a growing numbers of federations supervising freediving practice and thanks to it, classes of levels also emerge. Let’s see the different forms of freediving :
STATIC APNEA
Static apnea is a discipline in which a person holds their breath underwater for as long as possible, and need not swim any distance.
Man World Record longest apnea
With O2: Aleix Segura Vendrell Spain = 24min and 3s, 02/28/2016
Without 02: Stéphane Mifsud France = 11min and 35s, 06/08/2009
Woman World Record longest apnea
Without 02: Natalia Molchanova Russia = 9min and 2s, 06/29/2013
DYNAMIC APNEA
Dynamic apnea can be done with or without fins and require breath held dives where the diver travels in a horizontal position under water under their own power without aid/physical contact of a static surface.
Man freediving record
With fins: Mateusz Malina Poland = 285 meters, 07/03/2016
Without fins: Mateusz Malina Poland = 244 meters, 28/06/2016
Woman freediving record
With fins: Natalia Molchanova Russia = 237 meters, 06/11/2016
Without fins: Magdalena Solich-TalandaPoland = 200 meters, 04/21/2018
CONSTANT WEIGHT APNEA
In this discipline, the freediver descends and ascends using his fins/monofin and/or with the use of his arms without pulling on the rope or changing his ballast. Only a single hold of the rope to stop the descent and start the ascent is allowed.
Man freediving record
With fins: Alexey Molchanov Russia = -130 meters, 07/18/2018
Without fins: William Trubridge New-Zealand = -102 meters, 07/21/2016
Woman freediving record
With fins: Alessia Zecchini Italy = -107 meters, 05/02/2017
Without fins: Sayuri Kinoshita Japan = -72 meters, 04/26/2016
VARIABLE WEIGHT APNEA
In this discipline, the freediver descends with the help of a ballast weight and ascends using his own strength: arms and/or legs, either by pulling or not pulling on the rope.
Man freediving record
Stavros Kastrinakis Greece = -146 meters, 05/02/2016
Woman freediving record
Nanja Van Der Broek Holland = -130 meters, 10/18/2015
NO LIMITS APNEA
In no limits apnea, the freediver descends and ascends with the method of his or her choice. Often, a heavy metal bar grasped by the diver descends fixed to a line, reaching great depths. The most common ascension assistance is via inflatable lifting bags or vests with inflatable compartments, which surface rapidly.
Man freediving record
Herbert Nitsch Austria = -214 meters, 06/14/2007
Woman freediving record
Tanya Streeter USA = -160 meters, 08/17/2002
Start a freediving course
Freediving teaching and competitions coaching are controlled by l’Association Internationale pour le Développement de l’ApnéeAIDA which cooperates with another organization la Commission Nationale Apnée de la FFESSM since 1992. Another progress in the world of freediving is that it can be possible since 2010 to win a certificate based on your level by both competent organization.
This is also appropriate to mention la PADI which is the biggest international organization in terms of training about underwater diving. It markets classes which go from beginners to instructor’s certificate. La PADI offers practical and theoretical courses so that each person can easily get a certificate after freediving learning. There were nearly 20,000 of performers in 2014 versus 2,500 in 2010, and almost 6,000 levels gained, the equivalent of stars while skiing, against 2,800 six years earlier. The whole organization around freediving makes its international reputation today.
To conclude
In that rich and varied environment, let’s conclude this article with loveliness mentioning one of the greatest figure of underwater freediving Guillaume Néry, french champion of apnea who nurtures that practice and makes it alive through his trips and explorations. Many times recordman and world champion, this outstanding free diver who accidentally reached a depth of has been contacted to appear in many ads, documentaries or also music videos as he did in the Beyonce’s Running Lose it all hit. He describes his activity as an art and he traveled all over the world searching for the most fascinating places to explore. From Greece, Egypt to the Bahamas, we hold a different look to the world that surrounds us with a poetic and artistic goal which gives us the desire to go freediving!
» ALSO READ – Portrait of Guillaume Nery a former apnea world champion
