A review from Kent.
I took Sam Blount's Front Line Freediving course last weekend and I can't recommend
it highly enough to anyone who is interested in freediving or spearfishing. As a
long time scuba diver and fisherman I became intrigued by the idea of spearfishing
on one breath while freediving. The only experience I had with breath hold was
taking pictures with an underwater camera while snorkeling in heavy current with no
weights, so needless to say I wasn't sure I could be comfortable holding my breath
for 2 or 3 minutes while hunting for fish.
Sam taught me the science behind the mammalian dive response, where and why
blackouts happen, what to do in the event that I am diving with someone who has loss
of motor control or a blackout, as well as breathing techniques leading up to a dive
and the ones to use after a dive. That's only a small sample of what we learned in
the class which was totally comprehensive, but here is the bottom line - although
freediving is complicated, with training from a knowledgeable mentor like Sam you
can learn to dive safely and access a whole new world to yourself free of scuba
tanks.
During Sam's course I was able to hold my breath for over 3 minutes as a rookie and
Sam taught me a number of exercises that I can use to train myself to be more
comfortable holding my breath . Thanks to Front Line Freediving I am ready to take
on spearfishing and I couldn't be more psyched!
If you are serious about learning how to freedive and you haven't taken a course,
you should sign up for a spot in the next Frontline Freediving class. It's totally
worth it!
- Kent Braud