Recreational Freediving
What is freediving?
At its essence, freediving is the act of being underwater and in your element.
It makes no difference whether you are in shallow or deep water. Spending time underwater, while staying within your own personal comfort zone, is the ultimate transformative experience.
What is Recreational Freediving?
We call freediving recreational when it is about inner exploration, camaraderie with fellow freedivers, and exploring the aquatic wilderness. Competitive freediving is also exciting and fun, but requires a different approach, especially when it comes to practicing it safely.
Recreational Freediving is the backbone of sport freediving in Canada. Most people first step into the water with a mask and fins because they want to see what lies below the surface. Many of our members either combine competitive diving with recreational diving or dive solely for fun – all year round!
Is Freediving Extreme?
Just as with any sport, it depends on your attitude and your preparation. If you take safety courses with a local club or through AIDA Canada, adhere to safety standards, spend time getting to know your own body and how it reacts to breath holding and the aquatic environment, you will find yourself enjoying a great sport with little danger. If you ignore these resources, you will be like the skier who ventures onto a closed run and risks an avalanche of potential accidents.
The main thing that freedivers learn is that breath holding is natural, enjoyable and easy, once you know how to do it properly and safely.
Why do people freedive?
Freediving attracts many different kinds of people. Some dive for the pure kinesthetic experience of moving through the water. Others are amateur underwater naturalists. Many freedivers also become photographers, striving to capture an image that will define their liquid experiences. Friends and families find swimming, snorkeling and freediving a healthy way to spend time outdoors.
Introducing children to freediving gradually and with a natural emphasis on comfort not only encourages people to place emphasis on safety in the water, it offers a different perspective of the sport than what is commonly expressed in the media and public.
How do I start?
Join a local club and AIDA Canada to learn more about freediving. Take a basic freediving safety orientation course to learn how to dive safely and enjoy the sport even more. Join our community by participating in club and AIDA National events, our forums, and in the broader international community of freedivers.
If you don’t have a club nearby, consider forming your own club. AIDA Canada can provide you with the essential resources to get it going, the training and safety standards to operate safe training sessions, and AIDA Canada benefits to help you attract more members. We can help you connect with other divers that share your interests.
What are the benefits of freediving?
First and foremost, freediving gives you the opportunity to develop amazing confidence and comfort in the water. Learning breath control, economy of motion, fluidity, and developing greater body awareness in the water will help you feel at ease in the water.