LIVE FREEDIVING!
COURSES AND COMPETITION
with Sebastian Näslund SWE and Hanli Prinsloo RSA

APRIL/ MAY 2007
CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA
Intermediate Freediving course - 3 days
Friday 20 – Sunday 22 APRIL
Max 6 participants/ min 4
R1500 per person
Instructor: Sebastian Näslund and Hanli Prinsloo
Competition Course 1 day
Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 APRIL
Current rules, regulations etc.
Run by AIDA Instructor and Judge
Max 6 participants
R 700 per person
Instructor: Hanli Prinsloo
More info below.
Advanced Freediving Course
Friday 27- Sunday 29 April
DR technique/ seal diving
Max 6 participants/ min 4
R1700 per person
Instructor: Sebastian Näslund
More info below.

Intermediate course - 3 days

This is a course aimed at scuba divers, swimmers, surfers, spearfishermen and other water people who want to learn to freedive. The course includes both theoretical and practical sessions:

Theory
There are two theory sessions - during which you will learn the basics of freediving physics and physiology:
- The different laws governing pressure, buoyancy and gas exchange
- How to prevent shallow water black out, effects of partial pressure
- Getting to know your limits- what is an LMC or SAMBA
- The mammalian dive reflex- the adaptations of the human body
- Preventing injury and pressure related complications- barotraumas
- How to rescue a freediver in trouble- the buddy system

Practical
There are 3-4 practical sessions, held both in pool and open water:
- Breathing and relaxation techniques - the mind of freediving
- Freediving equipment - and how to use it
- Correct warm-up, yoga and stretches
- Static Apnea session - the psychology of breath hold,
understanding your physical experiences
- Dynamic apnea session - here you will practice horizontal underwater swimming and learn how to move efficiently
- Open water depth sessions - constant weight and free immersion - technique training, safety and rescue procedures

Competition Course - 1 day

This is for experienced or beginner Freedivers who are interested in getting up to date on the AIDA competition rules, in practice.
This course offers an AIDA qualification and is ideal for divers coming to the SA Open who have not competed before, or not competed recently. The AIDA rules change often and it is very unfortunate to miss an announced competition performance due to a simple rule.

In this course is included:
• The 8 disciplines of freediving
• General rules for all the disciplines
• Announcement - What is RP and AP
• Warm up time – presence in front of judges
• Official zones
• Count down
• Surface Protocol
• Safety Diver Behaviour
• Judge's Decision Cards
• What is a BO – post BO mechanical movements
• Protests – when and how
• Special rules regarding equipment – electronic– lanyard
• General penalties -early start-late start
• Athlete behaviour
• Special rules for STA/DYN/DNF/CWT/CNF

All the above theory and more will be taught and practiced in mock competition. When you will have an opportunity to try a "personal best" under safe conditions.
You can see the rules on AIDA International website

ADVANCED COURSE
This course is aimed at experienced freedivers.

The minimum requirements are: 20m CWT, 60m DYN and 3min STA.

In this course you will learn more in-depth about the body’s mammalian dive response, the psychology of maximum diving as well as DR (dive response) diving, also called seal diving.
This course is aimed at helping you reach a safe maximum, ideal for experienced divers wanting to touch up on maxes before the competition.
- You will be able to measure your lung volume.
- You will be able to measure oxygen content in your lungs after breathholds with different preparations, thus establish which preparation not only loads the most oxygen, but which preparation set your body up for the most oxygensaving breathhold.
- There will be material so that we can build neckweights.

More info here.

Pulsedroptest

Measuring the oxygen levels in the air in the lung.