Blog Posts

TOP 5 MARINE LIFE TO SEE WHILE FREEDIVING IN Dahab, Egypt

17/12/2023

In this blog post I wanted to discuss some of the marine life of the Red Sea at Dahab, and is the second part to accompany a post I did last year for the Maltese Islands. The Red Sea is a tropical sea and has much more colourful than the Mediterranean, with hard and soft corals and abundant colourful fish and marine life.

I am writing a little bit about my own observations with 5 of my favourite marine life, all of which can be found by freedivers and snorkellers around Dahab and other parts of the Red Sea.
Click the highlighted links for more detailed descriptions and video footage.

1) Clownfish (INFO):
Made famous from the movie 'Finding Nemo', the clownfish can always be found close to its host anemone with which it has a symbiotic relationship. Super cute in appearance (there are a number of colours and varieties), however, they will get agitated and even 'charge' a diver who gets too close to their anemone home (where they might be raising a juvenile). Their group hierarchy and parenting information is very interesting and well worth a read!

2) Crocodile Fish (INFO)
De Beaufort's Flathead, to give it its full name! Though as you will see, when in their natural habitat of lying in wait for prey on the sand, they appear just like a crocodile. They are related to scorpionfish, stone fish and even lion fish and are similar ambush predators. Not massively common in Dahab, but a lovely to see one up close if you get the opportunity.

3) Turtle (INFO)
Egypt has a few species of sea turtle along its Red Sea coast, most commonly Green Turtle and Hawksbill Turtle. The info guide linked above will give the specifics of spotting the difference between the two. If you are lucky we could see a turtle at Lighthouse bay while line training, commonly cruising past majestically and surprisingly speedily. This is a real treat!

4) Napoleon Fish (INFO)
AKA Humphead wrasse this fish can grow up to 2m in length and weigh 180kg. The first time I saw one from a distance from above I thought it was a shark! They are a beautiful green or green-blue colour with the distinctive humped head especially distinctive on larger adults, although the ones seen closer to the reef in shallow water are usually juveniles.

5) Sea Goldie (INFO)
This is the fish you see in abundance on photographs of coral reef, a distinctive orange colour and will dart into the protective cover of reef outcrops if startled or threatened. Only 7-15cm long the Red Sea variety spawn in the winter months of December to February. This little fish really gives a lot of colour to the reef and look stunning as a school against a backdrop of blue sea

Sea Goldies on the reef

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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"But Does It Really Matter Who My Instructor Is?" - Anon

15/11/2023

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I wanted to address the topic of instructor choice as it has been mentioned in passing to me more than once, and it surprisingly seems to be of little consideration for many a potential student! Often the prospective student spends the time on choosing the freediving agency or the price of the course is a factor, but not really looking at the person that will teach them.

I covered this topic to a degree in the Blog post regarding 'Teaching Philosophy as an instructor'. This was more taken from the instructors perspective. But the student should also remember, this is fully in their control, and with a small amount of research and planning they can really make the most of their freediving course by taking a considered choice of instructor.

Things to look for from your instructor when making a choice for your freediving course:

Experience: Of course experience comes from time and practice. The instructor could be wonderful and have the best intentions, but if they are new they wont yet have all the tools to be able to fully spot and correct your mistakes, which is vital for a students learning progress.
Clear and positive Communication: This should come from the start via the first chat/message/email. Look for guidance and clear information without being pushed or rushed. The instructor should be accommodating to your desire for more information about the courses or training you wish to undertake. Communication is going to be vital during the course, so this is the first test.
Organisation & Planning: There should be a structure to the course but with flexibility to adapt to things like weather conditions. If, for example, a course is listed as 3 days why does this instructor insist 2 is enough? Are corners being cut or elements rushed or missed completely? Also look for clear instructions for PRIOR to the course so you can prepare and practice before starting for real.
Reviews: This is easy to check, though nearly every instructor will (should!) have 4.8-5 star review profile. But look beyond the surface and search for these key words, or similar, from past students: *PATIENT*, *SAFE*, *CONSCIENTIOUS*, *KNOWLEDGABLE*, *ATTENTIVE*, *CALM*.

I hope you found this blog interesting, and remember, not all instructor or teachers are equal!

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Test & Review: Sopras Apnea Freediving Lanyard

7/8/2023

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Lets start with some basics!

What is a freediving lanyard?
A freediving lanyard keeps the diver close to the dive line and is a safety mechanism to ensure the diver does not get lost and can be pulled up in an emergency

Why use a freediving lanyard?
For safety. It is mandatory when diving out of sight of the surface, such as deeper dives or in bad visibility conditions

What does a lanyard consist of?
A 1m+ long cable attached to a velcro strap at one end and a carabiner at the other
There are generally 2 options with a freediving lanyard:

A carabiner of steel (heavier/faster) OR aluminium/carbon (lighter/slower)
Emergency quick release system of 'pull tab' on the velcro strap OR 'quick release' buckle and pull cord.

These choices come down to personal preference

LOOKS:
The Sopras Apnea lanyard uses an effective form of cable, steel carabiner velcro wrist strap and quick release buckle. It is a simple form which is not over complicated and cluttered and leaves you to attach your own quick release pull cord of choice (OBF will include and attach this for you as we have discovered the simplest and most effective option to use).
The blue 'Sopras Apnea' logo forms the velcro strap and is in a nice baby blue colour.

IN THE WATER:
The velcro strap is big enough to easily handle in rough surface conditions and holds securely due to the large velcro contact area. The carabiner descends nicely with the diver as it is a robust steel. A nice surprise is the lack of cable twisting due to the QR swivel at the wrist strap end.

PRICE:
At €50 it sits at a strong price point compared to some that are in the €60-65 range. The simplicity of it keeps the price down as some with carbon parts are obviously more expensive because of the materials used.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
A strong and simple lanyard that is great value for money. Perfect for use Constant Weight or Constant Weight Bi-Fins.

PROS:

Simple design and form keeps it simple to use and maintain
Great price compared to others on the market
Cable seems thicker and more robust than others on the market meaning it kinks less with use over time

CONS:

Fast moving carabiner due to being steel. It depends what lanyard you are used to and what discipline you are training as to this being an issue or not (Pro or Con)
Quick release pull cord must be added yourself (NOTE: when buying from OBF we do this for you at no extra cost!)

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Fish Profile: Mediterranean Damselfish (Chromis chromis)

27/7/2023

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The Damselfish (Chromis chromis) is the most abundant fish in the Mediterranean sea and so often gets overlooked as it is just so common around us while we dive. But believe it or not this grey adult fish (left image) starts out its life as a bright, you could say 'neon', blue, when they are babies and juveniles (right image)!

Adults are 5-10cm long and have the distinctive forked tail and school around the rocky reef or sea grass from the shallows to depths of up to 30m.

A really remarkable fish (see the fascinating youtube video below). Here in Malta the babies hatch in early to mid July and then we are surrounded by these beautiful, tiny blue fish!

Adult Damselfish near common habitat of Posidonia (sea grass) meadows

Juvenile Damselfish

A very interesting video about Chromis chromis, filmed entirely while freediving:

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Sopras Apnea Aperta Mask: Test & Review

27/6/2023

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Sopras Apnea have released a new freediving masked named 'Aperta'. I recently took it into the water to test it out on a freediving session and here are my initial conclusions:

Looks:
A very cool looking mask with a good balance between 'angular' shapes and curves (some recent masks are very harsh in their looks). The chevrons in the silicone above the nose bridge is a nice little visual touch. From the side the profile is very low volume and minimalist with a quite pointed nose pocket.

In The Water:
It has a small and light feel to it in the hands, and on the face it feels soft and comfortable. There are the small waffle patters on the nose pocket that provide a better grip for pinching during equalisation. There is a degree of flexibility at the nose bridge between the glass lenses that allow some pressure at depth to be minimised through flexion of the mask structure. Visibility is great due to large lenses for such a low volume mask.

Price:
It sits in the mid to high range in the Sopras Apnea mask range, at €45, though notably I have seen the exact same mask (no doubt from the same factory), marketed by another brand and retailed at €56! So this is a real bargain.

Final Thoughts:
A lovely low volume mask at a great price. Well worth a try if you are in the market for a new or a spare freediving mask.

Pros:
- Very low volume
- Silicone skirt is soft and comfortable
- Nice looks
- Great value

Cons:
- Nose pocket is on the narrow side

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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5 Most Impressive Shipwrecks For Freedivers in Malta

24/5/2023

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Malta has lots going for it for freediving including amazing visibility of 30m+ and impressive underwater topography including caves and caverns. One thing that always stands out to our divers visiting Malta at One Breath Freediving is the abundance and accessibility of shipwrecks available to see.

Here I have made a list of our favourite wrecks for freediving. All have been sunk on purpose as an artificial reef and diving attraction and all are in the depth range (or viewing range) of 10-20m. Next to each listing is a link that takes you to a video of the wreck on the OBF YouTube channel so you can get a better impression of the amazing experience that is wreck freediving here.

I hope you enjoy. Let us know in the comments which is your favourite wreck to freedive!

P-31 wreck is in extremely clear water and is visible from the surface

Um El Faroud being prepared for scuttling

1) Patrol Boat P-29:
LOCATION: Cirkewwa | DEPTH: 20-35m | VIDEO: HERE
Former East German patrol boat built in 1960's before being sold to the Maltese navy in 1997. Scuttled as a diving attraction in 2007. Sits in 35m of water at Cirkewwa in North Malta, this is one of the wrecks we see most as we frequently train at this location. 52m long and 8m wide and sister ship to P-31 in Comino.

HIGHLIGHT:
Seeing the dark shape below from the surface and if able to dive just to 10-15m above it, gives an amazing view of the whole ship, so perfect for new freedivers and as a first wreck.

2) Tug 2:
LOCATION: Sliema | DEPTH: 12-20m | VIDEO: HERE
A former working tug from the Valetta port, this boat was sunk in 2013 as a diving attraction and artificial reef. It is quite a swim from shore (10 min surface swim) but well worth the effort as it is a great looking wreck in a typical 'tug' form. Doors and windows are all removed to make it safe for divers to explore.

HIGHLIGHT:
Perfect depth and size for freediving on and to access safely inside. Great fun and ideal for making cool freediving videos.

3) Um El Faroud:
LOCATION: Wied Iz Zurrieq | DEPTH: 15-35m | VIDEO: HERE
This former oil tanker is an impressive 115m long and 16m wide and sits on the seabed at 35m in two parts having been broken apart in a particularly fierce storm. This part of the coast is susceptible to strong currents so this particular wreck is more suitable for advanced freedivers. If you are lucky and probably with a strong current present, you might see schooling Barracuda around the upper decks. See photo above for this ship being positioned for sinking.

HIGHLIGHT:
The pure size of this wreck is immense and amazing to see for the very first time. The propeller is very impressive if you are comfortable down at 35m.

4) Patrol Boat P-31:
LOCATION: Comino | DEPTH: 10-20m | VIDEO: HERE
This is the sister ship of the P-29 at Cirkewwa so shares the same specifications but sits shallower on a sandy bottom at 20m deep making it another wreck perfect for all levels of freediver. Scuttled in 2009 it is still in good condition as it is sheltered from the worst storms. Accessing the wreck is by boat as it lies off the uninhabited island of Comino. Beware of other boat traffic, especially in the summer months.

HIGHLIGHT:
Being able to see the whole wreck from the surface (see photo above) is amazing. So also perfect for snorkellers. Often lots of scuba divers which adds more fun with the accompanying bubbles.

5) MV Scotscraig:
LOCATION: Anchor Bay | DEPTH: 10-20m | VIDEO: HERE
This wreck has an interesting history as it was used for the Popeye movie (1980), firstly to transport the material into the secluded bay to construct the film set, and then in the movie itself. The boat is a river ferry 25m in length and relatively wide, sitting at 20m depth on a mix of rocks and seagrass. The visibility here is never great by Maltese standards (15m maybe) and it is a LONG swim (or better by kayak) just North of Anchor Bay.

HIGHLIGHT:
Not frequently dived on because of its more isolated location, so feels more of a real 'discovery' and the marine life can be more abundant because of this.

Come freediving with One Breath Freediving to see these and more wrecks in Malta. Exploring and fun freediving sessions available to already certified freedivers.
Interested in deeper and historical wrecks in Malta? At this underwater museum website you can view numerous amazing Maltese shipwrecks in a 3D interactive experience: HERE

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Introduction to "Relaxation" in Freediving

6/4/2023

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When you are freediving, one of the most repeated terms you will hear from your instructor or coach will be "Relax". But what exactly is meant by that term in the context of freediving? What can we relax, how can we achieve a more relaxed state and why is it so important for freedivers. Lets take a look at what is involved.

People....relaxing

WHY we want to be relaxed is mainly to do with oxygen consumption, (as are most considerations in freediving). With only one full breath to take with us on our dive, our oxygen supply for that duration will always be finite. So we need to consider WHAT uses our oxygen while we dive. Movement (to a degree), is necessary, but then unnecessary movement or even muscle tension will use oxygen but with no benefit to the freediver. And just the same as unnecessary thinking and mental 'movement' will also increase oxygen consumption.

Therefore, we can break this topic into two parts; MENTAL relaxation and PHYSICAL relaxation, and look at the best measurement indicator of each. And finally the link between the two, the BREATH.

Physical Relaxation:
The human head weighs between 5-6kg and is held in place by just 7 vertebrae and around 20 muscles. The majority of the day, everyday we carry this weight around with us, but of course we get used to it so we don't think about it much (usually not until you hurt some of those vital neck muscles!).

However, in the water we have a sensation of weightlessness due to Archimedes principle which exerts an upwards force on the body. So while we have this support from the water we can totally relax our muscles secure in the knowledge that we are safe and will float. And to give in to this sensation is a really amazing feeling, and unique to us on in our gravity inflicted land living lives. We can use the sensation of floating in the water as a cue to remind us to relax the muscles of the body and just let go of the tension and float, with the head and neck being an obvious place to start (and easy place to spot by the instructor if not relaxed).

You can easily experiment yourself with feeling the difference between muscle tension and muscle relaxation by trying 'Progressive Muscle Relaxation'. That is, tensing and releasing specific muscles in isolation to feel the difference between the two states.

Mental Relaxation:
'Mind Chatter' can be characterised as that voice in our head that pops up intermittantly to say various things throughout a given day, the majority of which are not vital or important at that particular moment. And also, if we are worried or scared or distracted then this chatter can often be negative in its content, causing us increased anxiety or stress.

In isolation, the human brain uses 20-25% of the oxygen in the body and this amount can even increase up to 50% if we are thinking heavily or of complex matters! This is an amazing amount, so it is clear that if we can empty our mind of unnecessary thinking it is a great way to save oxygen. This brings us to meditation and mindfulness, a state where we are aware of what thoughts pop up into our mind and we can dismiss them before they take over our thinking. In fact freediving is often referred to as 'underwater meditation. Even using a Mantra (as used in yoga), which can be a word or a phrase repeated over and over to aid focus and concentration as well as positively reinforcing our state of mental relaxation.

Breathing for Relaxation:
What can we do to bridge the physical and mental aspects of relaxation? This brings us to our breathing. And the most important way we can prepare for the freediving breath-hold and prepares us both physically and mentally for the dive ahead.

Breathing is something we do automatically without thinking about, but we can over-ride and control it if desired, with the benefit of doing that with the goal of relaxation is that by slowing breathing down, we can also slow the heart rate, save oxygen and feel even greater relaxation, ready to dive. As you can see this becomes a positive, repeating cycle.

Effective breathing preparation for freediving uses tidal volume breaths (relaxed and not full, in and out), but slower and a little deeper than our usual chest breathing. We want to utilise the diaphragm (the main breathing muscle), and use pauses between inhale and exhale to emphasise the slower speed through this control and therefore an increase in relaxation.

This is what is taught on first level freediving courses and is used by recreational freedivers and competitive freedivers alike, as a way to switch into 'dive mode', effectively linking both physical and mental relaxation for successful freedives.

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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5 Ways to Prepare for Your First Freediving Course

9/3/2023

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This is one of the main questions that I get asked by potential freediving students. Before taking your first ever freediving course it is difficult to imagine exactly what to expect from it, however, by preparing a little bit before the course, it can really make a difference on how successful you will be with it and how much you will enjoy freediving and the whole course experience.
So here are the 5 best ways to prepare for your AIDA2 Freediver course (and can also be applicable to AIDA1 Introduction to Freediving too):

1). Learn to Swim / Practice Swimming:
This is the biggest one. How will you be able to be relaxed in the water and focus on learning freediving if you are scared or worried by just being in the water? There is already a lot to learn about technique in freediving without your attention being mainly on trying to stay afloat or stress from having water touching your face. So be realistic about your ability. If you go to the pool for a pool party and stand in the shallow end with a drink in your hand, this doesn't count as training or being a swimmer! You don't have to be an olympic level swimmer to freedive but being able to stay afloat without panic and swim continuously for 5-10 minutes can make a huge difference for a trainee freediver.
(AIDA1 has a swim requirement of 100m, AIDA2 has a swim requirement of 200m, both are non-stop swimming, any stroke, no time limit)

2). Practice Relaxed Breathing:
Breathing is the foundation of freediving. On the course you will learn the correct breathing for freediving, and how you can control your breath. Remember, we can control how we breath, whether it is fast or slow or deep or shallow. Start by lying down comfortably and breathing relaxed but a little deeper (always through the mouth!), so that when you breathe in, you feel the diaphragm muscle move down into the space where our stomach is (hence why we call this 'belly breathing'). Try this and feel how your heart rate will slow and you can practice relaxing all the muscles of your body at the same time, creating a calm and relaxed state (which is also great for stress relief!)

3). Feel the 'Urge to Breathe':
Doing a dry breath hold following on from the relaxed breathing, explained above, is a safe way to feel what signals our body will give us when it tells us it wants to breathe again. So take a big, full breath after a couple of minutes of the relaxed breathing and try holding until you feel the diaphragm (breathing muscle) start to contract and moving a little bit or you feel a warm sensation there. This is the urge to breathe and although we can safely hold beyond this urge, we are not used to experiencing this sensation or challenging it ever in our lives, so this will feel new. Before the course you can experience this and try holding 5-15 seconds (count down in your head) after you first feel it and see how you are still perfectly ok afterwards. This type of practice then, is great mental and physical training for the urge to breathe we feel as a freediver!

4). Practice Ear Equalisation:
Ear equalisation is the most challenging part of freediving for beginners as it is something we rarely do ever in our day to day lives! Chances are, even if you are a scuba diver you are doing it inefficiently as they only teach the very basics of it on a scuba course. On the freediving course you will learn about doing ear equalisation correctly and efficiently for freediving, but most people will benefit greatly from practicing and training this in the weeks and months leading up to the course. You will be provided with guidance on this in by your instructor in preparation for the course, but start by looking up Frenzel equalisation technique and Valsalva Maneuver (us freedivers want to do FRENZEL as it is much more efficient).

5). Read the Course Manual:
Once you are signed up for the freediving course you will receive access to the relevant AIDA freediving course manual. It goes without saying that by reading this before the course starts you will be in a better position to understand the concepts once they are explained to you by the instructor during the course. Also, you can test your knowledge of the manual by answering the test questions at the end of each chapter. Most beginners are surprised how much theory there is to know in freediving. There is a 100+ page manual for EACH level (AIDA2, AIDA3, AIDA4), introducing new concepts to help you dive deeper, although the foundation knowledge comes on the first level course (AIDA2).

IMPORTANT:
It goes without saying that these 5 tips alone do not make you a safe and competent freediver and definitely do not replace taking the freediving course! But with these 5 steps you can ensure you are prepared and ready to experience your adventure with One Breath Freediving!

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Why As an Instructor You Should Have A Teaching Philosophy

20/2/2023

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In this blog post I wanted to introduce you to the One Breath Freediving philosophy and also to look more specifically of why it is important as a teacher (instructor) to also have a teaching philosophy. Those of you that have freedived with myself will know already that I have my own beliefs on how freediving should be experienced, especially when it is introduced to beginners.

A teaching philosophy is common among professional educators, especially in a classroom setting but of course there is no reason it cannon't be successfully transferred to what we do in and out of the water in freediving. Here are some points of what might constitute a good teacher and be part of their/your philosophy. It is by no means exhaustive so feel free to add in the comments anything else that you believe is important.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops - Henry Adams

I believe a good teacher, first, has a powerful faith in the future. As Henry Adams says in the quote you see above, how and what you teach someone can be passed on and on and on and far beyond, affecting peoples lives in ways we might not imagine and will never get to see.
A good teacher must understand motivation and the effects of peer interactions on learning. That most learning occurs through social interaction but at the same time, a competitive environment is not healthy. Promoting curiosity and the broadening of knowledge for self improvement is key.
A good teacher must know their subjects and how to help students learn those subjects. How to link relevant pieces of the jigsaw together to create the bigger picture and make the subject come alive.
A good teacher cannot begin or continue to inspire learning without being a learner. The good teacher must constantly learn what is new in the discipline(s) that they teach.
A teacher is a powerful role model and should be ever aware of the awesome obligation of needing to “walk the talk” with their students. If asking them to live their values and beliefs, the teacher must do the same.

Maybe the teacher’s greatest gift to the learner is helping the learner be motivated to think, and then to want to learn more.....

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act, but a habit” - Aristotle

The One Breath Freediving Philosophy

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Why Take A First Aid & CPR Course as a Freediver

4/1/2023

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Having prior knowledge of potentially life saving first aid education is one aspect of being a freediving instructor that I often take for granted. To maintain an annual AIDA instructor status it is necessary to also maintain certification in First Aid & CPR. Additionally for me, beyond that, I enjoy teaching and sharing this vital information with others, and so became a First Aid & CPR instructor, firstly with the PADI owned Emergency First Response (EFR), and once AIDA developed it's own freediving specific Emergency Medical Responder course, teaching AIDA FEMR.

So here are my top 5 reasons why as a freediver you should take First Aid & CPR course as early as possible in your freediving journey.

1) Help Others:
It should go without saying that by becoming first aid and cpr certified you have a much greater possibility to help out buddies or other freedivers in the unlucky event of an accident. Being someone with this knowledge could make a big difference for a positive outcome from a bad situation.

2) Help Yourself:
With the right knowledge we can recognise potentially harmful situations for or of ourselves, before they arise or before they create a bigger issue. You could be in a position to recognise a medical complaint or onset of a condition in yourself, and act upon it before it escalates in to a bigger, more serious problem.

3) Awareness:
This is an important quality for freedivers, but too often we get caught up in ourselves and our own minds while diving. To be a competent buddy and to qualify as a higher level freediver an emphasis is placed on buddying, helping and rescuing. So why not start on this path early and already be thinking about others and their wellbeing as a first level freediver?

4) Family & Friends:
Away from the world of breath holding, being someone with life saving knowledge could one day save a member of your family or a close friend. Don't be that person that has to stand by because of a lack of knowledge or training. Be proactive in helping the people you care about and learn life saving skills.

5) Extra Mile:
Having a qualification such as first aid and cpr makes you stand out among your peers, whether in your current workplace or if changing career. Such a commitment displays a desire for knowledge and a desire to help others, which of course are highly admirable traits.

EXTRA:
Next level learning. The AIDA FEMR course goes above and beyond a normal first aid course. It is the first ever freediving centred first aid and cpr course on the market, and includes skills beyond traditional courses, such as; intubation of airways, advanced spinal injuries, AED & O2 as standard, DCS and other diving specific illnesses.

Click HERE for more detailed information about the AIDA FEMR Course taught by OBF