Freediving Courses
AIDA 1 Introduction to Freediving (CHF 200)
This course offers a basic knowledge of freediving and introductory skills such as relaxation of body and mind, finning techniques, duck dives and equalisation.
The course includes: Theory and Pool Sessions (2 sessions, one day): Includes static apnea (breath-holding) and dynamic apnea (underwater distance swimming).
The course should run over 1 day (generally about 5-6 hours)
The AIDA1 course will be taught in English or German. Once we register you on the AIDA EOS portal and you accept your invitation, you’ll have access to the AIDA1 manual (various languages to choose from). You should read the manual prior to the course date, but there is no exam to pass.
No requirements must be met to become certified.
AIDA1 and AIDA2 can be combined and for this we offer a special price.
AIDA 2 Freediver (CHF 400)
The AIDA2 Freediver Course is a freediving course in Zurich designed for beginners interested in learning the essentials of freediving and becoming certified as an AIDA2 Freediver. It provides the necessary skills and knowledge for recreational freedivers to practice the sport safely.
The course includes:
The Theory Sessions: you would learn about freediving techniques, safety procedures, and the physiology of breath-holding.
Pool Sessions (2 sessions, one day): Includes static apnea (breath-holding) and dynamic apnea (underwater distance swimming).
Open Water Sessions (3 sessions, usually over 2 days): Focuses on free immersion (pulling on a rope) and constant weight dives (using your fins). You would learn to dive to a minimum depth of 12 meters. We will be conducing our open water freediving courses in Zurich lake.
The AIDA2 freediving course will be taught in English or German. Once we register you on the AIDA EOS portal and you accept your invitation, you’ll have access to the AIDA1 and AIDA2 manual (various languages to choose from) and the AIDA2 exam (again, in various languages). You should read both AIDA1 and AIDA2 manuals, and then when ready, you’ll need to take the AIDA2 exam (self-study, various languages offered). It’s important that you learn the material, as much of it is about safety.
We offer a special discount combined package encompassing both AIDA1 and AIDA2, which includes certification and courses for AIDA1, AIDA2 and the required sessions of 2 pool sessions and 3 open water sessions. If you want to become a fully certified freediver, this is the way to go so please about the discount combined rate for AIDA1 and AIDA2 if interested.
The open water part of the course is taught at Schoggiwand in Kilchberg and Tauchplatz Grosser Parkplatz in Herrliberg. The pool requirements are usually carried out at Hallenbad Langnau.
Certification Requirements:
Requirements: 2 minutes STA, 40 meters DYNB, 12 meters CWTB, theoretical exam-passing score is 75%.
Once you successfully complete the AIDA2 exam and pass the AIDA2 pool and open water requirements you would receive AIDA2 Freediver certification, allowing you to continue to more advanced levels if you want.
If done together, the AIDA1 and AIDA2 Freediver course costs CHF 400 (for both AIDA1 and AIDA2 Freediver) and usually takes a total of 3 days (5 sessions), sometimes a little longer depending on the individual.
AIDA3 Advanced Freediver (CHF 440)
The course is designed to further develop skills from previous levels, to acquire new skills and gain a higher knowledge of safety procedures and techniques. The new techniques that are introduced are free-fall, Frenzel Equalizing, the use of training tables, the risks of increasing and decreasing pressure and also how to minimize these risks. Students will train these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Free Immersion and Constant Weight Bi fins.
The theory will include: Physiology, Equalization, Barotrauma, Lungs at Depth, Buoyancy, Shallow Water Blackout, Training Concepts, The Mammalian Dive Response, Decompression Sickness, Surface Intervals and the Freediver’s Code of Conduct.
AIDA4 Master Freediver (CHF 490)
This course familiarises students with techniques, knowledge and safety procedures for deep freediving that go beyond recreational freediving. The new techniques will include FRC diving, mouth-fill equalization and packing. The skills are developed within these categories of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Constant Weight Bi fins, Free Immersion and Variable Weight (Optional). In addition to the in-water skills this course introduces full body warm-ups and stretching, specific stretching of breathing muscles, training concepts and diet that benefits the freediver and help shape their development as a diver. You will also be, acquainted with packing and reverse packing, mainly within vital capacity as a part of the dry lessons.
An important set of skills concerns managing open water equipment. The use of appropriate knots and braiding techniques, setting the depth on the dive line, constructing a safe bottom weight from a weight belt and diving leads, safe handling of other additional equipment (bottom plate, torches, lanyards, etc.).
One of the purposes of this course is to prepare successful candidates for the role of “Assistant Instructor”. This new role will include leading an appropriate warm-up session for confined and open water freediving and supervising students of all course levels during their confined or open water sessions.
The theory sessions will include: Physics – Dalton’s Law, Boyle’s Law, Henry’s law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis, Failure Depth and how to increase VC and decrease RV, FRC Diving, Mouth-Fill, Packing, Fitness and Training, Nutrition and Diet for Freedivers.
Please contact us if you want to become a certified freediver!