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Since Dahab is one of the world´s main spots for freediving, almost every day I see freedivers around here practicing their skills (if I actually just look to my right now, I can see three different floating devices around 30-40m offshore). I am totally astonished by their abilities of holding their breath, relaxing to a point where the heart beat slows down to less then ten beats per minute and controlling their mind. I watched dozens of videos and just cannot be anything else than fascinated.

Freediving or Apnea (the Greek word a-pnoia literally means “without breathing”) is based on a subconsciousness reflex (mammalian diving reflex): As soon as cold water encloses our face, the body shifts its bloodstream from the extremities into the brain and heart and slows the heart beat down. The body does so attempting to keep the most vital functions alive and concentrates the flow of …

Free diving is a water sport that requires an immense amount of concentration and physical prowess. Think scuba diving – but without all the equipment. No oxygen tanks, no weight belt – just you, your lungs, and the marine life. There are many physical benefits to the sport, including toning your muscles and strengthening your lungs, but some of the greatest experiences in free diving are conquering the challenges you face and the unique underwater view.

The top 10 health benefits of free diving are:

• Relieves stress– Ore-diving techniques is very much like yoga, as it puts you in a calm and relaxed mood while still working your body. For the few moments that free divers are underwater they are relieved of all other stress factors. If you’re free diving in the ocean, being surrounded by sea creatures is not only a beautiful sight to behold but

Jimmy Hex, author of Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves, tells us 11 fascinating things about the extreme sport of the moment. Read, then tell us whether you’d dare try it yourself…

1. As infants, we can comfortably hold our breath underwater for more than 40 seconds, more than many adults. We’ll instinctively start breast stroking and open our eyes. We only lose this ability when we are taught how to walk.

2. Dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals have special reflexes that allow them to dive to incredible depths without being crushed by the pressure. We also share these reflexes. Some freedivers have honed these reflexes to dive more than 700 feet beneath the surface!

3. The second you put your face in water, something amazing happens: your heart rate lowers up to 25 percent; blood starts rushing from your extremities into the …

There are a lot of myths about freediving, especially among divers. It’s insanely dangerous. Only super fit people can do it. You have to be a Yogi to do it. If you hold your breath for more than five minutes your brain cells will start dying. And by the way: isn’t it actually just the same as snorkeling?

So what is the truth? And why is it getting more and more popular?

What is freediving?

Let’s start from the beginning. What is freediving and why do people do it?

The first part is easy to answer. Freediving is diving with only a single breath of air. The second part is more complex. For some, freediving is a way to enjoy the depths of the ocean without the need of heavy, clumsy and uncomfortable SCUBA equipment. Others see freediving as an extreme sport with the uniqueness of requiring deep relaxation …

AROUND 95% of the world’s oceans remain unexplored. This is hardly surprising when you think about it: humans have evolved to live on land, and aren’t naturally equipped to reach the deepest sea depths without relying on incredibly high-tech apparatus. And yet, despite the challenges involved in underwater exploration, some brave adventurers have dedicated their lives to seeing as much of the ocean as possible.

What’s more, they do it without any of the breathing apparatus used by scuba divers.

Freedivers simply hold their breath while they dive, experiencing the vast underwater world without having to lug around oxygen tanks or other heavy equipment. According to professional freediver Christina Saenz de Santamaria, this is the purest and more exhilarating way to explore the ocean and meet its many amazing inhabitants.

Christina shares her experiences with her husband, fellow freediver Eusebio. The couple explore the world together, capturing incredible imagery and …