Below are the categories of free diving:

Static Apnea - The diver holds his/her breath floating face down in a swimming pool.

Dynamic Apnea - This category is divided in two, with fins and without fins. The divers swim horizontally not more than a meter (3.28ft) under water in a swimming pool.

Free Immersion - The diver must descend and ascend by pulling on the rope. Weight may be worn, but this is simply variation of the constant weight category so the diver must return to the surface with the same amount of weight used for the descent. No fins are worn. To prove the diver has reached the appointed depth, video footage must show his/her hand touching a plate at that depth.

Constant Ballast - The diver must descend and ascend kicking and completely unassisted. The diver may wear weight, but whatever weight is taken down must be returned to the surface. Other than to stop the descent at the bottom and grab a confirmation tag, the diver must not touch the rope. This is the truest form of Freediving and the most respected category amongst freedivers (despite not being the deepest) as a result of the physical element involved.

Variable Ballast - The diver descends on a weighted sled and returns to the surface under his or her own power, either kicking and/or pulling on the rope, or a combination of both.

No Limits - The diver descends on a weighted sled and returns to the surface using a lift bag that is inflated by the diver at depth. This is the deepest category of Freediving involving very little physical exertion and an enormous amount of mental control. The ability to equalise quickly, reliably and to great depth is imperative.

I am personally interested in the Dynamic Apnea Category......easy to train.....can do it in the pool....dont have to find somewhere deep.

Hello Everybody.

Question 1:
Is there any freediver based in Malaysia,Singapore,Thailand,Indonesia and Brunei OUT THERE?

Question 2:
Do you want to learn to freedive?

Question 3:
Do you know what freediving is?
(Its definately not scuba diving for free!)

Rambling session 1.

There reason i ask the above question is to know the current freediving situation in Malaysia and its neighbours (any doing it or any intersted to learn about it).

I myself am not a freediver YET! Just  want to know is the any one out there who can give advise and also if any one want to be one......we can start together and help each other out.

In the mean time i will post some stuff on this forum to explain what is freediving, how to do it,safety, equipment, swimming, fitness,yoga...etc.

See Yaa!
 

Answer to Q1 - dont know
Answer to Q2 - maybe/unsure
Answer to Q3 - yes

Tahan napas does not keep you fit.......but to be able to tahan napas for an extended period you need to be fit......so its a matter of you have to do A to achive B.

Its all a matter of economy and efficientcy actually.
You have just 1 breath, what can you do with one breath?

Macam enjen keretalaa......Kalau 2.0L out put at 180 BHP @ 8000rpm....how can you make it more efficient? you need to increase the RPM.....to increase RPM all the components of the engine need to be balance, air and fuel mix must be at optimum etc....put it plainly....badan kita ni macam enjin laa.....kalau nak high performance kena bikin laa...heh...hope that comparison helps...

Tahan napas does not keep you fit.......but to be able to tahan napas for an extended period you need to be fit......so its a matter of you have to do A to achive B.

Its all a matter of economy and efficientcy actually.
You have just 1 breath, what can you do with one breath?

Macam enjen keretalaa......Kalau 2.0L out put at 180 BHP @ 8000rpm....how can you make it more efficient? you need to increase the RPM.....to increase RPM all the components of the engine need to be balance, air and fuel mix must be at optimum etc....put it plainly....badan kita ni macam enjin laa.....kalau nak high performance kena bikin laa...heh...hope that comparison helps...

Wow cool explanation. But freediving looks hard...CAn we turbocharged our body? :

Holding your breath once or twice I assume should be okay. I often do that while diving (it's a no-no in scuba diving) when I am maintaining one depth level, or to maintain a depth level when taking photos or videos. I used to be able to swim 25m underwater horizontally in one breath some 25 years ago and I realise I can only do 20m now..stamina going off.

The thing about holding breath while working underwater (own propulsion, unassisted) is that you burn off the oxygen in your breath fast (from aerobic to anaerobic). And once oxygen has been depleted, the auto reflex in your lungs kick in and you WILL take in a deep breath, and that is not good when done underwater and deep.

Yoga is a good way to learn to control this reflex as pointed out by Mephisto.

I have a friend in Monte Carlo (a friend of Prince Albert) who works at the Monaco Yacht Club who indulges in freediving. He does yoga daily and for long durations of the evenings.

Quote

Tahan napas does not keep you fit.......but to be able to tahan napas for an extended period you need to be fit......so its a matter of you have to do A to achive B.

Its all a matter of economy and efficientcy actually.
You have just 1 breath, what can you do with one breath?

is this the same technique that those opera singers do..? belly breathing-involving belly and diaphragm

Yesss...betulll.....but this diaphragmatic (betul ke eja ni?) breathing is also the same as the one we learn masa scuba diving......on how to breath deep and efficiently...