Free Diving

Free diving refers to any aquatic activity that requires the practice of breath-hold diving. Some free diving activities include spear fishing, free dive photography, snorkeling, and apnea competitions. Competitive apnea is considered to be an extreme sport. During these competitions, divers attempt to reach great depths on a single breath without using breathing devices. This activity garners more attention than other competitive free diving or apnea activities. Apnea falls into three categories: static, dynamic, and depth. Static apnea refers to timed breath holding, which normally takes place in pools; dynamic apnea is simply underwater swimming for distance and is also held in pools; depth apnea is further sub-categorized but mainly focuses on attempting to reach the farthest dept in a single breath.

Humans are equipped with several ways of adapting to underwater diving conditions. This is from the mammalian diving reflex, which enables humans to endure depth, pressure, and lack of oxygen at unexpected levels. The body adapts to pressure, depth, and lack of oxygen, which is manifested by a drop in the heart pulse rate; the shrinkage of blood vessels directing the blood stream away from the limbs to support the heart, lungs, and brain; release of oxygen-carrying red blood cells; reduction of the residual volume of the lungs because blood fills up the blood vessels in the lungs. The last body adaptation is very important since diving at depths more than 30 feet results in the lung shrinking and wrapping itself into its walls causing permanent damage.

Proper training is needed to enable one's body to cope with the demands brought about by free diving. Simpler free diving activities may only require constant practice and safe adherence to dive limits while competitive free diving requires scientific training methods and practices. Training for free diving may take place in and out of the water and is a way of preparing the muscles to work even in extreme conditions ,such as lack of oxygen or intense pressure.