The 3 major benefits of freediving explained
Have you ever considered what it feels like to dive under water, become one with nature and the wildlife of the sea? This is part of what drives divers to gear up and plunge under the surface, but to get an even more unique and authentic experience, you want to remove the dependance and amor of your scuba gear and try the freedom of freediving.
First things first, what actually is freediving?
Freediving is a low-impact activity that anyone, no matter their age nor experience level can enjoy. Many free divers talk about the therapeutic benefits of the sport and even claim that sinking beneath the surface is an ultimate form of meditation. Whether you have diving experience, love to snorkel on your adventures abroad, or are a watersports fanatic, freediving offers something rather special.
1. Ultimate Freedom
Overcoming your natural limitations and pushing your boundaries will show you exactly how powerful your mind and body are! Drifting down into the blue oasis on a single breath offers an experience that is not familiar to many people. You quickly become an integral part of the underwater world and even have the opportunity to have more natural encounters with wildlife that are often not possible from above the surface or if you’re scuba diving as bubbles often scare wildlife away.
2. Full Immersion in the Moment
If you’re new to freediving, you will quickly realize that the activity requires full concentration of the mind and body. You will need full focus as you fill your lungs with a deep breath before diving down. While underwater you will need to focus your mind on your body and challenge yourself to push your personal limits beyond what you thought was possible.
There are very few moments in daily life that you feel fully immersed, but freediving takes you to that place almost immediately. All of this results in better body awareness which can have an impact on all aspects of your life. As the world champion and freediving legend Umberto Pelizzari quoted, “the scuba diver dives to look around, the free diver dives to look inside.” You’ll end your journey feeling a sense of personal growth as you overcome physical and mental challenges and experience the reality of truly being in the moment.
3. Physical and Mental Health
Like other types of physical activities, freediving enables you to strengthen your body through the development of muscles and increased endurance. You’ll also feel the immediate release of pressure on your joints as you experience less pressure underwater. One of the first lessons in freediving is how to take a full breath in. While this can be an uncomfortable process at the beginning, learning to use the full capacity of your lungs results in improved lung function, allowing the lungs to take in more useable air and be more efficient in oxygenating the body.
On the mental side of things, freediving can have a positive effect on your psychic state. Physical activity helps reduce individual’s anxiety, whereas freediving takes things one step further – helping you master a variety of methods of relaxation and concentration techniques leading to more calm, conscious, and composed states of being in everyday life. With each dive you will become better and better at relaxing and calming your nervous system. The insane benefits of freediving are not lost with you return to land but can positively impact the way you go through stressful moments each and every day.
Whether you’re looking for an active holiday adventure exploring the ocean, or want to slow things down and turn your focus inward, our Freediving Tripmates trip could be for you. In the orange box on the left side of this page we'll tell you a little bit about it - we think it's pretty cool!
Think freediving is something for you?
Seeking skill-based activities on your next holiday will offer you more than just a traditional vacation. You’ll walk away with a new hobby and skills that can apply to life back home. Living in a digital, post pandemic reality with the pressures of everyday life creates stress. But freediving can be just the moment of zen for stressed out minds and ultimately help you to improve your overall wellbeing. You’ll return home from your holiday feeling revived, balanced and connected after our Tripmates Freediving, Yoga and Breathwork program in Bali, Indonesia.
Read more about our Freediving trip in Bali to see if it's for you!