For our first level class ('Freeediver'), you must be able to swim 'freestyle' or 'front crawl', and comfortable with idea of swimming in the ocean, as well as entering/exiting from a sandy beach with some waves. In the class, you will be able to rest at the surface when in your wetsuit, but on our dive spot you will be unable to see the bottom and at least 300 yards from shore. You don't need to have perfect swimming technique but our recommended minimum competency is that in a pool, you must be able to tread water unassisted for 5 minutes, and--without needing to stop and rest--finish a 100 yard swim on the surface with your face in the water between breaths. This would typically be 'freestyle' or 'front crawl', using a 'flutter' or 'scissor kick.' You should be able to do this WITHOUT fins, wetsuit, or snorkel (ie test yourself wearing just swimsuit and goggles/mask). In the class you will wear a wetsuit, fins, and snorkel which all make surface swimming easier, but if a student lacks either the water fitness or technique to maneuver at the surface without helpful equipment, they will find even the first level class possibly just too advanced. If you are considering signing up for a class but are unsure of your swimming ability, you are welcome to send us a video of yourself attempting the above test and we will happily review it and make a recommendation, or you should consider booking a private class, or you should spend a few months improving your surface swimming before learning to freedive in the ocean.Ocean or competitive experience—surfing, SCUBA, spearfishing, swim/synchro, or water polo is very helpful but not required, and many strong freedivers started out in the PFI program with nothing more than a love of the water and willingness to learn. Freediving can be odd sport; much of physiology behind breath-hold is counter-intuitive, and some great athletes struggle with it while other people who are not considered particularly athletic excel at apnea. For certain pre-existing health conditions, a physician's signature is required before you can take the class. Here is a link to the medical clearance form. Students between the ages of 12 and 16 years must take the class at the same time as a parent or guardian. Class format is a mix of classroom, pool, and ocean. Classroom instruction takes about 6 hours. We will go over safety and accident prevention, proper breathing and equalization techniques, equipment, basic freediving physiology, and training tips. Pool is usually 3.5 hours. Here we begin applying skills covered in the classroom, practice static breathholds, as well as safety and rescue drills, and drill performance techniques in preparation for our ocean sessions. Ocean session are 2.5 hours long, and unlike many other schools which offer only a single ocean session, I offer two or three ocean sessions. I am always right there with you, within arms reach, ready to assist and offering constructive feedback on every single ocean dive. ​Exact schedule may vary but for the Freediver level classes, expect to be in the classroom and pool all day on the first day starting in the AM, which will be a long but not physically strenuous day. On following days we will do our ocean dives, and they will be shorter days. For the intermediate classes we will do a mix of classroom and pool for the first two days, and the last two days will be ocean diving.