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10 Inspirational Quotes by Athletes

26/4/2020

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By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta.
To keep you engaged and inspired during these times of uncertainty and adversity I have pulled together 10 of my favourite inspirational sporting quotes from athletes and coaches. Remember, there is always something you can train or work towards, even if you can’t get to the pool or sea right now. Use this time to work on mental toughness, pre-dive routine, breath hold training....there are still many options to improve yourself. I hope these quotes can help you on your way towards your goals.

  • ​“Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” - Michael Jordan
  • “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” - Vince Lombardi
  • “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” - Wayne Gretzky
  • “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them.” - Picabo Street
  • ”There may be people people that have more talent than you , but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” - Derek Jeter
  • “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” - Arnold Palmer
  • “You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is a real joy.” - Arthur Ashe
  • “You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both these methods are only temporary. The lasting thing is self motivation.” - Homer Rice
  • “It’s not the size of the man but the size of the heart that matters.” - Evander Holyfield
  • ​“Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.” - George Halas
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Do you have another favourite sporting quote to share, maybe one that has really helped motivate or inspire you in the past. If so, add it to the comments below.
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Natures Boost for Freedivers

8/2/2020

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Ever wondered if there is a natural way to 'cheat' at freediving?
​This could be the answer! The studies seem to prove it. Watch the video to find out more....
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10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Dahab to Freedive this Winter

27/11/2019

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By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta

Dahab on the Red Sea Sinai coast of Egypt has long been home to a thriving freediving scene. Let’s look at ten good reasons you should visit as a freediver this winter!

1. Blue Hole:
Visit the famous Blue Hole of Dahab which has 100m deep water just metres from the shore (see photo). Here you will find some of the world’s top freedivers training alongside the stunning scenery of the deep blue water and mountain back drop.

2. Tropical Water:
The red sea is the closest tropical water to Europe and it is very different to the Mediterranean Sea with much more colours and corals. Here water temperatures range from 22c-30c, so even at its coldest in winter, it is still much warmer than the nearby Mediterranean at the same time of year.

3. Winter Sun:
Dahab is lovely and sunny! While Northern Europe gets rain and darkness, Egypt is still a lovely 18c-28c which is perfect without feeling like it is too much. And being in a desert region there is virtually no rain.

4. Depth:
Very easy access to depth for deeper freediving. The bay where Dahab sits is sheltered from any wind and gives depths of up to 50m just metres from the shore. For depths over 50m, the Blue Hole is just a short taxi ride away. And all with no thermoclines.

5. Social – Lots of Freedivers!:
Dahab has to be one of, if not the only, place in the world where freedivers are not greatly outnumbered by scuba divers, and to talk to someone about freediving does not have to involve a long explanation about the sport (“No...... not cliff jumping”).

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Dahabs Blue Hole
6. Chilled Out & Friendly Vibe:
Unlike the more touristy parts of Egypt or North Africa, Dahab has a slower and more relaxed vibe. There is less hassle and a much more relaxed atmosphere than many other parts of Egypt, such as Sherm el Sheikh.

7. ‘Finding Nemo’:
Naturally, as the water is more tropical, so the marine life is more colourful and there are lots of colourful corals and fish to see. A favourite at recreational freediving depths are the numerous Anemone Fish (Nemo fish). If you are really luck the turtles in Dahab bay will come over to say hello.

8. Multi-Sports:
Dahab has to be one of the few places in the world that is good for both freediving and kite surfing. With a prevailing wind from the North, the main dive sites remain sheltered while giving enough wind to make superb windsurfing and kite surfing conditions. Not to mention scuba diving, rock climbing, trekking.......

9. Bedouin Camp Hospitality:
The Bedouins, the nomadic people of this region of the world, are extremely friendly and always offer wonderful hospitality. There is nothing better for an evening than sitting under the stars next to a camp fire with a cup of sweet Bedouin tea in your hand.
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10. One Breath Freediving:
In winter One Breath Freediving will be providing high quality and customised freediving training and courses from Dahab. Expect the same high standard just in a different location! So if you have seen Malta and want to experience somewhere different, this is definitely the place to go next. 
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Freediving & the Art of 'Play'

2/10/2019

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By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta

Recently, during a shallower freediving session (that was forced on to us due to bad weather), I was diving down to the sea floor and just lying still on the sandy bottom playing with the sand in my hands. It was here during these breath holds that I was reminded of the importance of fun for freediving training. So for this blog post I wanted to discuss the concept of fun in sport and the importance of making practice ‘fun’, and how this can apply to freediving.

Freediving is a sport that can too often be overly focused on its end goals as a measure of success, as in “how deep was your dive?” or “how long did you hold your breath?”. Even at a recreational level it is still very easy to compare yourself with the person training next to you, or even comparing yourself to your own performance in the session you had last week. This ‘end goal’ focus can not only cause anxiety or increase fear of ‘failure’ but also as a consequence, reduce performance and decrease the positive feeling and sensation of the dive (which is why most of us do it in the first place, right?).

If we can try to recall our childhood when we played with our friends, maybe it was a football ‘kick about’ or a game of tag. There would usually be a winner overall but it more often than not, that that didn’t matter. The reason we played was for the joy of the play itself, not to try to beat our friends! To bring some of this fun back into adult sports can be very beneficial but at the same time it is difficult, especially to put our ego to one side. Having fun can increase physical and psychological health, releasing endorphins and decreasing stress. And what was the favourite word of us freediving instructors that we say to our students during the courses? .......RELAX..... This word is used so often in freediving that sometimes we can lose perspective of what we actually mean by it. Relax what? Relax how? Participating in an activity purely for the pleasure of the activity itself (with no end goals expected), can open up a doorway to new levels of relaxation due to the decrease in performance anxiety, (which creates tension and stress in both body and mind).

So what can this mean for our freediving training? It means sometimes dive off the line. Dive down to blow a bubble ring. Dive down to play with the marine life. Dive down and close your eyes. Dive down to look into a tunnel to see what is in there....just for the hell of it (exploration is FUN!). Sessions do not have to be about depth or times on every occasion. Playing and fun can distract from the breath hold and any anxiety (conscious or otherwise) associated with it. Hang and close your eyes.... Feel the sensation of the water on the skin... Try something new in the water with no expectations (no-fins maybe)! Or even like me, just lie on the seafloor totally engrossed with what small details or tiny creatures are before you on the sand, and this could provide you with a level of relaxation (and dive times) that simply cannot be achieved through force.
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Thanks for reading
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Equalising for Freediving: 6 Common Mistakes & the Solutions

29/8/2019

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By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta

If there is one aspect in the sport of freediving that gets the most overlooked by new freedivers it has to be ear equalisation. Many people start freediving expecting it to be the physical breath hold or mental capacity to deal with being underwater to be the most challenging aspect of the sport, and are often surprised when it is actually  equalisation of the middle ear that proves to be the challenge. Because it’s just as simple as pinching your nose and blowing, right?

Well not exactly. Firstly lets refresh and look at Boyle's Law as to why we need to equalise our ears during a dive. On an airplane you can get away with a simple blow against a pinched nose (or sometimes just swallowing!) to help compensate for the change in pressure in the cabin, this because the pressure change in an airplane is relatively very small. In scuba diving, the other place where you might equalise your ears, you can descend slowly, come to a head up position (which makes it easier), wait some time for it to work (and breathe!) before carrying on. In freediving we are descending fast in a head down position which makes the whole process more difficult if not done correctly or efficiently.

So here are the six most common mistakes of equalising for freediving that I encounter with my students as a professional freediving instructor:

1) Not being relaxed: 
Suddenly finding yourself upside down underwater and holding your breath is not conducive to being relaxed! Then trying to add another complicated skill (equalisation) makes things even more difficult.
Solution: Practice breath holds dry to get used to that sensation and the urge to breathe. Practice pool dynamics or statics to get used to that sensation in the water. Use muscle relaxation exercises to give you greater awareness of your body and how you hold it.
 
2) Descending too fast:
The quicker you descend the quicker you need to equalise. Fine if you are proficient at it, otherwise it can be hard to keep pace.
Solution: Slow down the descent speed, use the discipline of Free Immersion where you can stop or slow easier using the line. Remember that as you get deeper you will become negatively buoyant so will still descend without even kicking or pulling.
 
3) Using the incorrect or an inefficient equalisation technique:
FRENZEL technique (not VALSALVA) is the best method of freediving equalisation. Some people do it automatically, and some people need to learn it.
Solution: Learn Frenzel technique and figure out the best tongue position that works for you and how to control the ‘gates’ (soft palette and glottis). You can do all of this away from the water.
 
4) Not equalising frequently enough:
Freediving equalisation has to be done fast so you need to be ready so as to do it as often and as quickly as possible.
Solution: Keep your fingers close to your nose ready to pinch quickly when needed. Equalise in a rhythm pattern in anticipation of greater pressure coming up, not just waiting to feel pressure before reacting to it, which will prove too slow.
 
5) Not equalising the mask:
The mask often gets forgotten as an airspace and needs to be equalised via exhaling through the nose. If not done this can have a knock on effect to the ability to equalise the ears.
Solution: Exhale into the mask when you feel the pressure on the face increasing with depth.
 
6) Not training or practicing:
As with any skill, ear equalisation takes time to master. The control of the parts of the body involved does not often come naturally (who knew before how to ‘close your glotis’!?!). But practice makes perfect! You can’t expect to be good at something without practicing it repeatedly.
Solution: Learn and practice, practice, practice! Fortunately most ear equalisation training can be done dry so you can practice any time before even getting in the water. Doing a little bit of training every day will pay off greatly in the long term.
 
I hope this topic has provided some insight and will help you on your freediving journey! Of course the best way to learn a new skill is with an experienced freediving instructor that can observe and correct any mistakes and offer you correct advice and training solutions.
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Freediving Comino Wreck: P-31

18/6/2019

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By David Watson, AIDA & PADI Master Freediver Instructor and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving, based in Malta
Freediving in the Maltese Islands has lots of wonderful features that make it spectacular; the stunning underwater visibility of up to 40m, the cliffs and caves that are prevalent across the islands, the deep blue colour of the water that is unique to the Mediterranean Sea. But one thing that really draws freedivers to Malta is the chance to dive on ship wrecks. Malta has a LOT of wrecks, some sunk by nature (storms), by humans (wars), or on purpose to create artificial reefs. The P-31 wreck falls into the latter category.
P-31 History & Key Information:
  • ​A former East German Kondor class mine sweeper built in 1960’s
  • Purchased by Malta in 1992 (along with P-29 & P-30)
  • Decommissioned in 2004
  • Sank 24th August 2009
  • 52m long, 7m wide, weighing 360 tons
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Since being purchased by the Maltese Tourism Authority and sank as an artificial reef attraction for divers, the P-31 now sits upright on the sandy seabed West of Comino( just South of Blue Lagoon and just West of Crystal Lagoon), approximately 200m from shore. The depth on the bottom here is 20m and the top of the wreck is at just 10m deep. In fact the P-31 sits so shallow that it was necessary to cut off the mast of the ship before sinking her so as not to obstruct boat traffic. The wreck can often be seen clearly from the surface when you arrive by boat and I have even seen it occasionally from out of the airplane window when arriving or leaving Malta on certain days! In the summer months you will see a yellow ‘X’ marker buoy above to indicate the wrecks position.
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Since her sinking, the P-31 has had to weather some rough storms as the prevailing winds on the islands are from a NW direction and sitting this shallow in the water means that waves and swell have had an impact, but considering that she has been underwater for 10 years already the wreck is still in very good condition. Before sinking she was thoroughly cleaned and made safe for divers. This means doors and hatches were removed and obstructions such fixtures, wires and cables were cleared out. There are a number of levels to explore and for a freediver it is normally clear and obvious which direction it is possible and safe to go in.
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​Specific Tips for Freediving The P-31 wreck:

  • Be careful of scuba divers! Sometimes there can be large groups of beginners on the wreck and they can block or obstruct exit points. Also, the wall of bubbles they release can hinder the view from a buddies perspective.
  • Check overhead and around you as sometimes there are still a few stray cables or pieces of metal jutting out or hanging loose. Mind not to cut your hands or catch your wetsuit on any sharp edges.
  • The large hatches (what would have been engine compartments) towards the centre and rear of the ship are open and linked together.
  • Surface close to your freediving buoy and display either the ‘diver down’ or ‘alpha’ flag (or both!), to signify that divers are in the water. Ideally, also have someone on the surface watching boat traffic that can warn or issue instructions.
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5 Essential Tips for Wreck Freediving:
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  1. Take a Freediving Course: Knowing how to breathe correctly, having efficient technique, and knowing your body and understanding safety and how to rescue correctly will all make you a better, safer and more confident freediver.
  2. Be a Good Buddy: Always freedive with a buddy, never freedive alone. This is the golden rule of freediving! And, watch your buddies dive attentively from the surface and then meet them at a depth of 10m as they return back to the surface.
  3. Do Your Research: Make a plan before you enter the water and discuss and adapt it during the session when necessary. Know what each other is doing and where you are going. Know the wreck: study photos, ask other divers. Is it safe? Look closely first from the outside and never go in anywhere where there is no clear and obvious exit
  4. Use Suitable Equipment: Use a freediving buoy and rope, that way you can relax and breathe safely before and after the dive, boat traffic can clearly see you, and you can get down to the wreck using Free Immersion and therefore save energy to explore the wreck with a longer bottom time. Also recommend is a torch to look into darker corners and a knife or line cutters in case or accidental entaglement.
  5. Have Fun! Freediving a wreck can be fascinating and exciting with so much to explore and discover. There really is something special about seeing close up some huge manmade structure out of its element and deep in the blue water.

Lastly, please remember, freediving, and especially wreck freediving, can be DANGEROUS. Always freedive with a buddy, never push your limits or enter enclosed spaces with no clear or obvious exit. Please take a freediving course for your own safety and that of your buddy.
Interested in wreck freediving? Then subscribe to One Breath Freediving and follow our ‘Wrecks of Malta’ video series! Speak to David about freediving courses and wreck exploration possibilities.
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www.youtube.com/user/onebreathfreediving
www.onebreathfreediving.com
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AIDA Monofin Course: Training Drill

16/4/2019

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Monofin Training Drill:
Here Jose is using a kick board to help stabilise the upper body and a front snorkel to allow him to breath during the training exercise. This takes away the 'apnea' element away from this particular drill and allows him to focus on technique over breath hold while he adjusts to using the full sized monofin.

​How do you think he is doing?
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NEW: Buoy & Weight Rental (Independent Freedivers)

24/6/2018

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One Breath Freediving is now renting a full freediving set up (buoy/rope/bottom weights) as well as weights and weight belts, to certified freedivers (AIDA3 certified or above).
So if you are visiting Malta and want to do your own training and exploring, we can now accommodate your needs. Contact us for more information, or find the price list, here.
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The Curse of the Cold

22/4/2018

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You know that feeling. You've just flown out for your annual holiday to the dream destination and you have been planning this trip for the past year. Warm blue water awaits you, long fins at the ready, and then you feel it. The soreness at the back of your throat and the tickling in your nose....the cold you dreaded is here! Pretty much a disaster for any freediver on holiday
After suffering one recently I thought I would answer and look at a few of the questions and myths around the common cold:
Are you are more likely to catch a cold on a flight?
Yes. But it's not the circulating air on the plane as most people think. Simply being in a confined space with so many other people, increases the risk of germs spreading. ALTHOUGH, re-circulated air is more likely to give you sinus problems (another issue for freediving). Also, low humidity in the pressurised cabin increases the risk of infection.
Why is a cold a problem for freediving?
The cold virus is attacking the membranes of your nasal passages and your sinuses which makes them swell up and increase mucus production. This clogs up the sinus passages causing increased pressure and pain. During a dive air in the body expandes and needs to be able to move which it can't do as easily if these passages are blocked.
So we know there is no cold cure, but what can degongestant medication do?
As we all know, there is no cure yet for the common cold. Antibiotics will only fight bacteria, not viruses. Decongestants (tablets or spray) can shrink the swollen blood vessels in the nasal passages, lessening the pressure and helping with drainage.
Is it safe to freedive using decongestant medication?
​
Most research and advice on this topic is related to scuba diving (diving and descended under pressure for 30-45 minutes at a time). In scuba it is possible for the medication to wear off in that time causing problems on ascent. Freediving has different issues, most notably faster ascents and a lack of time to be able to stop and react if a reverse block (sinus pressure increasing from expanding air on ascent that is unable to escape the nasal cavity) occurs. Generally speaking it is risky, and anyway, if you are sick with a cold your body is fighting the infection and so is weaker and will therefore not be transporting oxygen as efficiently. Therefore you wont be feeling great and should not really be undertaking strenuous activity or pushing your limits!
Are there natural solutions for reducing congestion?
Inhaling steam such as in a hot shower or from a bowl of hot water. Adding an essential oil such a eucalyptus which has anti-inflammatory properties, can help. The hot steam dilates the blood vessels allowing increased blood flow and circulation, alleviates soreness and inflammation and liquifies mucus secretions making it easier to clear. Keeping hydrated also will allow the body to fight the virus quicker. Nasal irrigation such as a 'Neti pot' allows you to wash through the sinuses but this must be done with sterilised saline water and sterilised equipment and might feel uncomfortable if you are not used to it.
Any other options?
Snorkel!!! Most of the colour and marine life is in the top 0-10m of the sea, so you can still experience the wonder of being in the water and make the most of your holiday, even if you cannot dive down :)

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Why Train?

24/3/2018

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Imagine the scanario:
You successfully complete your first course in freediving, you loved the experience and can't wait for your next chance to dive down to 20m. Six months later, on your next holiday, you excitedly sign up for a freediving excursion to eplore the local reef, but it all seems harder this time, you are less relaxed, the breath hold is shorter, you forget how that whole equalisation thing works again....
Or
You are an Advanced Freediver, 'did the course got the card!'. You are more confident with your technique, happier holding your breath but you are turning at the same depth on every...single...dive and can't figure out how to get past this invisible obsticle that is holding you back......
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The Solution:
Training and coaching sessions!
Taking training sessions or a one-to-one coaching session with an experienced instructor can give invaluable feedback on your dive preparation and technique, give you new solutions to problems, give you feedback on your dives and give you the tools to perform at your best. For more experienced freedivers, coaching could help you overcome a plateau in your performance or open up new depths with easier equalisation methods, for beginners it could help refine your technique and increase your comfort and time underwater.

Freediving is a SPORT (unlike some other underwater activities that shall remain nameless :)), with strong mental and physical components and a high emphasis on technique. So to improve and achieve personal gains you need to practice and train yourself. Repetition and consistencey  are vital to see improvments in performance, there is no way around that. Remember, if it was easy and came with no real effort it would not be half as satisfying to reach new depths or times!

"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect." 
- Vince Lombardi

+++ Training and Coaching sessions are available year round for certified freedivers. David is an experienced AIDA & PADI freediving instructor with additional qualifications in Sport & Exercise Science and Personal Training. +++
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