Freedive UK is an AIDA freediving school offering freediving courses, lessons, tours and trips. Who or what is Aida? The International Association for Development of Apnea (AIDA, from French: Association Internationale pour le AIDA freediving courses AIDA international logo Développement de l’Apnée) is the world wide rule- and record-keeping body for competitive breath holding events (freediving). It aims to set standards for safety, comparability of Official World Record attempts and freedive education. AIDA International is the parent organization for national clubs of the same name. Since 1993, AIDA International has officiated 230 Official World Records. There are several different disciplines which AIDA officially monitor. The main freediving disciplines are ; Constant weight , Free immersion, Dynamic, Static, Variable weight and No limits. Recently the ‘no fins’ approach has become more popular and can be incorporated in to dynamic and constant weight.
AIDA Master Instructor Ian Donald has been freediving for over 12 years. He started whilst on holiday in the Caribbean, diving with local spearfishermen and learning how they collected the big crayfish.
Ian has taught a huge range of people to freedive, from all walks of life, and his fun and inclusive approach to the sport means that no one will feel like they cant achieve their full potential. His training style incorporates a wide range of techniques which go far beyond what is often included in the standard course materials.
He has also been involved in developing AIDA educational materials, working alongside AIDA international to advance the sport and improve the teaching materials available to students and instructors. Ian is also the author of ‘Underwater foraging -Freediving for food’. An instructional guide to freediving, marine foraging and spearfishing.
Run Every weekend from early May to the end of September, the AIDA 1&2 star course is by far the most popular way to get in to freediving as it combines the 1st and 2nd levels of the AIDA educational ladder in a fun 2 day course. This will take you from novice to deep freediver in 2 days. Taught by Master instructor and author Ian Donald
…we go over some theory and then cover the basics of correct breathing. We then go through a couple of hours of pool training, covering static breath holding and dynamic apnea. In the afternoon (after a free lunch), we start our open water sessions. Here we can cover rescue technique and get used to equalising and diving down with perfect technique. Here at Freedive UK we put a lot of effort in to training you to achieve perfect style, concentrating on efficiency of movement and form as our primary goal.
Our kayak day. From the kayaks we will conduct the deeper dives, up to 20m max, That’s over twice the height of a two storey house . You will learn how to relax on your dive, giving you a feeling of peace and true comfort in the water. We will have a picnic lunch on an empty beach. After lunch we should be near to completion for the course and hopefully we will have time to find some interesting wildlife to dive near. Cruising around on the kayaks, exploring inaccessible coves is always a lot of fun.
Course costs £300.
…and includes everything… lunches and drinks, kayaking, pool hire, training, certification and all equipment. No hidden extras! (If you have your own wetsuit, we would recommend bringing it). You need to be over 16 and must be able to swim 200m unaided. All courses are conducted in very small groups (max 4), to ensure the highest levels of safety and teaching quality.
Taught by Ian Donald, AIDA master freediving instructor, author and spearfisherman, you will learn how to dive deeper, stay there longer and ultimately… catch more fish!
Designed for either new divers looking to get in to the sport or for more advanced spearos looking to improve their safety and bottom time.
This course lasts two very full days and teaches spearfishing/freediving safety, hunting techniques, freediving techniques, pool training (all with the spearos very specific needs in mind) and could leave you with an AIDA 1* freediving qualification (assuming you make the grade!).
You will discover how to locate and catch Lobsters and Crabs, learning the tell tale signs of their presence and how to pick them up without getting pinched. You will be taught how to operate a speargun safely and how to hunt sustainable fish choices. What shellfish and seaweeds you can eat so you always come home with something for the pot.
On the first day we concentrate on breath-hold techniques, relaxation, underwater efficiency, hand foraging and basic gun handling. On the second day we dedicate our time to spearfishing, focusing on increasing bottom time and stealth.You will be taught about tides, currents and other dangers so you can be as safe as possible whilst enjoying this rewarding activity.
During the training you will use quality equipment and will have the opportunity to practice your aim on underwater targets if the fish are not playing ball.
The course costs £275 and includes AIDA 1* freediving certification, lunches, and free use of kit if required.
The AIDA monofin specialty course will take you through all of the skills, theory and training techniques required to become an effective monofin freediver.
Monofins have become synonymous with freediving, despite their roots being in finswimming, the image of a mermaid-like freediver gliding through the water makes mono-finning pretty high on most freedivers ‘to-do’ lists.
Here at Freedive UK you can learn and get certified with the AIDA monofin specialty course.
The AIDA Monofin Freediver course is designed to be an introduction to monofin swiming and to help the student
develop the basic skills, techniques and knowledge necessary to start using the monofin efficiently.
Students will be introduced to different approaches to freediving with a monofin, exercises designed to work on
style and how to design a training program.
The course incorporates two water sessions, one in the pool and one in open water (during the summer). In these you will cover the following…
History of the monofin, origins of finswimming, crossover into freediving.
Monofin construction and design, current manufacturers and how to choose and fit your fin
How to care for and transport your monofin safely
Freediving categories which use the monofin.
Equipment for use with the monofin and how it differs from other freediving equipment.
Dry training to develop the body for monofin freediving
Physiology for monofin freediving. The physiological differences between dynamic and constant weight.
Finning technique with a monofin.
Key rules to remember for monofin freediving safely
Body positioning and dive technique.
Training drills and practice.
This course is run over one day.
The course includes pool hire, equipment (other than wetsuits) and AIDA certification.
To enrol on this course you must be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent) Have completed the AIDA ** Freediver course or equivalent.
Only £125 p/p -
Freedive UK, Newquay, Cornwall
Phone: 01637 876 294
Mobile: 07980 728 613 (Ian)
Any questions? Just ask!...
For additional information you can go to: www.freediveuk.com
Source: Freedive UK, Thanks to: Ian Donald. All images are property of Freedive UK. Video: Youtube
