Ever wondered what it actually feels like to move through water on nothing but a single breath? This low-commitment, one-day taster strips freediving down to what matters most, relaxation, breathing and body awareness, taught entirely in the calm of a pool. No experience needed, just reasonable swimming fitness. Under close supervision you'll build toward static and dynamic apnea, and most students surprise themselves by reaching around ninety seconds and twenty five metres by the end of the day.

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In detail

About This Course

The PADI Basic Freediver course is the perfect low-commitment introduction to the sport of freediving, giving you a genuine taste of what it feels like to move through the water on a single breath. Taught entirely in a pool or other confined water site, it strips freediving back to its essentials: relaxation, breathing and body awareness, rather than depth or distance.

You will start with knowledge development covering the physiology of breath-holding, basic safety rules and buddy procedures, before moving into the water to put the theory into practice. Under close instructor supervision you will work through static apnea, breath-holding while floating still, and dynamic apnea, swimming underwater on a single breath, building confidence gradually with each attempt.

By the end of the course most students are comfortably working toward a 90-second static breath-hold and swimming around 25 metres underwater, figures that surprise almost everyone who thought freediving was only for elite athletes. The emphasis throughout is on calm, controlled technique rather than pushing limits, so it suits complete beginners as much as confident swimmers curious about the sport.

Because it only covers the confined water portion of the full PADI Freediver course, the Basic Freediver certificate is a genuine stepping stone: everything you learn carries directly across if you decide to continue toward open water freediving with us afterwards.

The process

How The Course Works

Step 1
Freediving Theory
Work through the fundamentals independently, covering how your body actually responds to holding your breath and how pressure changes affect you as you go deeper. Your instructor then reviews everything with you before you get in the water.
Step 2
Confined Water Session
Get in the pool and build genuine breath-hold technique, working on static and dynamic apnea under close instructor supervision. This confined water session is where Basic Freediver stops, giving you a real taste of the sport without the open water commitment.
PADI states Basic Freediver covers knowledge development plus one confined water session, capped at a maximum depth of 6 metres/20 feet, with no open water dives.

Course curriculum

What You'll Learn

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge development through independent study
Breathhold techniques in confined water
Static and dynamic apnea
Buddy procedures
Goal of 90-second static apnea and 25 metres/80 feet dynamic apnea

Getting ready

Before You Start & What's Next

What's Included

PADI Freediver Touch interactive study tool (tablet app)

Prerequisites

At least 12 years old
Adequate swimming skills
Good physical health
No prior freediving, snorkeling or skin diving experience required

Next Steps

PADI Freediver course

Upcoming training

Dates & Booking

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Quick facts

Duration

1 day of structured training

Location

Unit 4, Bellman Court, Great Knollys Street, Reading, RG1 7HD

Certification

Recognised PADI qualification on completion

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Basic Freediver

What to expect