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Freediving
Freediving is about being able to explore and enjoy the underwater
world in a natural and harmonious way. Man has been diving under
water for thousands of years for the purpose of hunting and gathering
food. In modern times man has begun to enjoy diving as a recreational
activity. Maximum depth/time/distance is a specialty of ours but
not our only focus, we just enjoy being in pools in the winter,
the sea in the summer and diving in salt free slate Quarries with
no tanx all year round. Some are are absolutely crystal clear
. Apnea means breath holding, some groups we have helped with
their Apnea are:
· Snorkellers wanting to improve style and confidence for
holidays
· Techniques to assist Whale Shark tagging / photography
· SCUBA divers wanting to improve air consumption, confidence
and ability to self-rescue and look after students.
· Surfers wanting to protect against hold downs and long
duration underwater stays and increase confidence, energy and improve
safety
· Hunters / Gatherers. Spearfishing and scalloping skills
are amongst our specialties
· Underwater Hockey players
· Synchronised swimmers
Health benefits from the techniques you learn and practice from
this sport are well documented; the bravado associated with press
releases about this sport are not what we are about. As much as
we are proud of our achievements and list them in order to demonstrate
our competence, we produce a club of like-minded people who wish
to help the Freediver next to them achieve their personal goals.
Most are recreational freedivers. We instill safety values and respect
for our peers and ethical considerations when performing. We don't
put up with 'strokes' (people with dangerous attitude and mentality).
These values mean we have a 100% safety record (as does the sport
across the UK to be fair). Our instructors have decades of experience
between them! They are all qualified by internationally recognized
agencies. Course information can be found here
More recently freediving has evolved into a competitive sport
with hundreds of divers around the world constantly pushing their
limits ever deeper. On the competition scene our own members have
gone on to set 16 National free diving records across all 8 Freedive
disciplines listed below, we have been on the podium for National
competitions innumerable times including winning several times and
represented the United Kingdom in World Championships for over a
decade. Two of our members helped win silver in the World Freediving
Championships in Vancouver 2004. We have had UK squad member(s)
nearly every year since. We fulfilled the UK Freediving squad Captains
role in 2008. We have experienced Freedivers who continue to Freedive
and help the group, this is very important.
The eight Freediving disciplines are:
Constant Weight
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. Constant weight is the common sportive depth discipline
of freediving, because of the specific fins or monofins used in it.
Constant weight is one of the two disciplines considered for the international
competitions by team, with Static apnea.
Constant Weight Without Fins
The freediver descends and ascends under water using only his own
muscle strenght, without the use of propulsion equipment and without
pulling on the rope. Constant weight without fins is the most difficult
sportive depth discipline, because of absolutely no propulsing material
to go down in the water. This category needs a perfect coordination
between propulsing movments, equalization, technique and buoyancy.
Free Immersion
The freediver dives under water without the use of propulsion equipment,
but only by pulling on the rope during descent and ascent. Free immersion
is the sportive depth discipline with the purest sensations, because
of the speed of the water in the body, and the power of each pull
on the rope as only mean of propulsion. Performances could be done
the head first during the descent, or the feet first, depending equalization
facilities of each freedivers. Some of them also even use mixed solutions.
Variable Weight
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. Variable weight is the first of both depth
disciplines using a sled to go down in the water. Old sleds was
descending "head first", like presented in the famous Luc Besson's
movie "Le Grand Bleu", but new sleds descending "feet first" are
now generalized.
Static
The freediver holds his breath for as long as possible with his
respiratory tracts immerged, his body either in the water or at
the surface. Static apnea is the only discipline measuring the duration,
and one of the three disciplines considered for the international
competitions by team, with Constant weight and Dynamic with fins.
Performances could be done and recognized in both pool or open water
(sea, lake, river, etc).
Dynamic with fins
The freediver travels in a horizontal position under water attempting
to cover the greatest possible distance. Any propulsion aids other
than fins or a monofin and swimming movements with the arms are
prohibited Dynamic with fins is the most typical of both disciplines
measuring the distance in freediving, because of the specific means
of propulsion : long fins or monofin. Performances could only be
recognized in swimming-pools with a minimum length of 25 meters,
and are sometimes considered in national or indoor's 'combiné',
with the Static apnea.
Dynamic without fins
The freediver travels in a horizontal position under water attempting
to cover the greatest possible distance. Any propulsion aids are
prohibited. Dynamic without fins is the most natural of both disciplines
measuring the distance for many freedivers, because it doesn't need
any propulsing material, but a very good technique. Performances
also could only be recognized in pools with a minimum lenght of
25 meters, and are greatly appreciated from "old-swimmers".
No Limits
The freediver descends with the help of a ballast weight and ascends
via a method of his choice. No limit is the absolute depth discipline.
Going down with a sled, and going back up with a balloon, a diving
suit or a vest with inflatable compartments, or whatever other means.
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