So Many Questions

[Seaspray Mermaid]

Hello! I figured here was a good place to drop this:
So I know (I think) free diving is deep water diving, maybe with fins and snorkel, and involves plenty of breath holds/distance swims.
My questions: What are the tests like? Is free diving easy to learn (I know there are classes)? Roughly how long do you train...or is it something you constantly work on? Do classes teach you how to handle aggressive fish?
Thanks (I apologize for any obvious questions)

[Slim]

The only question I can answer is that you constantly work on the breathhold training to improve your time. I however haven't figured out the correct method so I know I'm little help on this.

[Derek Broussard]

* Freediving is a personal journey, unlike scuba there is no real standard. However different organizations do have test to be considered a "basic" "intermediate" or "advanced" freediver. When I took the PFI course 11 years ago to get your "intermediate freediver" you had to hold your breath for 3 minutes and reach 60Ft (20meters) . Everybody who took the course was able to accomplish this. So...

** yes, I believe freediving is very easy to learn assuming: you know how to swim and are comfortable in the water/ocean, and you are able to equalize your ears. The breath holding is very easy to learn and teach.

*** The course is 4 days long. Beyond that you train on your own, but just swimming and playing underwater can be considered training. On my off season I roughly trained my breath holds bi monthly.

**** No, classes teach you how to freedive. I'm actually not sure what an "aggressive fish" is! Remember when your in the water with a tail or fins we are large, 9 ft long.... fish are naturally timid and it takes time in the water to gain their trust. I've even dove with sharks and it takes a lot of time to get them to come close enough I can touch them.