AIDA 1 Star Freediver Course

No matter what your background in diving is, the AIDA 1 Star Freediver Course will open your mind to a entirely new underwater experience. In this course you can discover freediving at your own pace as a beginner or advancing your current freediving skills.

In the AIDA 1 Freediver Course, you will learn the basic theory about freediving. What is freediving? What kind of equipment is needed? How do you prepare yourself for a breath-hold dive – the breathing, duck-dive, finning, buddying and safety techniques? What are the main risks and dangers and how to counter them?

You will also get to practice freediving in confined water (usually in a pool or bay) as well as open water. Think of the AIDA 1 Freediver Course as a foundation course for freediving.

Note: the AIDA 1 Star Freediver Course is the first half of the AIDA 2 Star Course! And you do not need an AIDA 1 Star certification to go into the 2 Star course. You can see the details of the 2 Star course here.

To gain knowledge (and practice!) on the following:

• Equipment for freediving
• Breathing for freediving (the breathe-up and recovery breathing)
• Equalization
• Safety for freediving
• Freediving and Scuba Diving
• Key rules to remember for freediving safely
• Breath-hold practice (static apnea)
• Freediving and practicing duck diving, body positioning, finning style and buddying

Practical application: A considerable amount of time is spent pool-side, beach, stretching, breathing, briefings, diving etc.

• Anyone who wants to learn how to freedive
• Anyone who doesn’t have any previous freediving experience
• Anyone who would like to try freediving over one day and still get a qualification.
• Self taught freedivers who want to learn some of the important theory and some of the proper techniques for freediving
• Anyone who wants to learn freediving but only has one day available

Course will be taught by Renee Blundon, an American freediver, AIDA Freediving Instructor, PADI Master Freediving Instructor, Apnea Academy Freediving Instructor and EFR Instructor. She has taught / coached over 70 freedivers in the last two years.

You can find out more about Renee on her bio page.

English. (The course is mostly practical so perfect English is not necessary)

Courses are held in Dahab, Egypt (the mecca for freediving!)

• Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
• Be able to swim at least 100m non stop
• Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
• Have completed the Liability Release

While it is recommended that you have a full diving medical examination, which is good practice, it is not essential to participate in the course. You will, however, be required to fill in a medical questionnaire on the first day of the course.

To successfully complete the  AIDA 1 Star Freediver Course you will have to perform:

• A 1:15 breathold
• A 25 meter underwater swim with fins
• There is no minimum depth requirement for this course