Liquidstate Freediving Blog 3rd June 2022

(Opinion piece)

On one of the first pages of every AIDA course audiovisual, it is being stated that freediving is a “social” activity.

This statement is obviously intended to encourage freedivers and prospective freedivers to form or join the freediving family and spread the gospel. AIDA as a non-profit organization has done their share to promote and advance modern freediving and I believe this statement comes from a good place in the heart of the organization.

Before joining the freediving “family”, I regarded freediving as an intensely introspective and private pursuit.

Only after traveling to the Philippines did it occur to me that likeminded freedivers love hanging out together and like in any other passion pursuit, like to bore non- freedivers to distraction with endless “finer points”.

After all blowing out our cheeks in public while you pinch your nose is more likely to make strangers cross to the other side of the road than winning you friends.

Then a few years back the deep week craze started to gain momentum. Organized group tourism for freedivers, who love to congregate in large numbers to socialize in cool party spots.

A sense of community and belonging is very important especially to the younger crowd. I venture so far as to say, some of the attraction might even be romantic potential.

Freediving is by itself a sexy sport (nubile nymphs and athletic Adonises (or is the plural Adonae) soaping themselves into a metallic neoprene suit, performing extraordinary feats … .

But can the introspectiveness and spirituality of freediving actually fall by the wayside with all the social noise.

To me the answer is yes and no.

Freediving clubs and deep weeks are a great platform for positive reinforcement and creating more opportunities for competitive and beginner freedivers alike to learn from each other.

But there is equally great value in personal training one on one coaching in a tranquil atmosphere and setting away from the crowds.

For some personality types greater advancement in performance can be more easily achieved this way.

So in the end it’s just some “different strokes for different folks” .

The main thing is to never forget what a great joy and life-enriching experience freediving can be for everyone.