Hi Mers!
So my boyfriend and I said over the winter that when the weather warmed up we would take a freediving class together. Quick backstory - About a year ago I joined a local fishing forum because it has areas of the forum for freediving. Through visiting the forum I noted a member who was always answering freediving questions and letting people know he offers a class. I went to their website and I was impressed. When I checked the freediving teacher's bio on Freediving Instructors National I was also impressed:
So my excitement was growing until recently when I started 'chickening out'. I was watching freediving videos and saw real footage of a guy blacking out in the water and his buddy had to swim down and drag him to the surface where he had to then revive him. It really scared me. Then in another video they said it was one of the most dangerous sports. I hate admitting it but now I am kinda scared.Joe D'Agostino has been freedive spearfishing since 1996, the same year he began his career in public safety. His surf lifesaving professsion and desire to be in the water have taken him around the world. He is currently the Beach Safety Division Chief for the Destin Fire Department on the panhanddle of Florida, as well as the lead instructor at Benthic Ocean Sports. In 2015 he helped guide his lifeguard team to a USLA National Championship. As of 2017, he has completed freedive training with over 500 students including current spearfishing record holders and special forces team members.
Originally I wanted to learn freediving to AVOID danger. You see, I made it a goal to learn how to properly equalize and I also learned how to calm down before diving. Once I learned these two things, I was swimming deeper than I have ever been. On the last day of a weekend trip to a spring, I was swimming a lot and when I got back to dry land my friends were looking at me and I asked what they were looking at. They said my lips were a little blue. I did some research about getting blue lips when freediving and so far I couldn't find a definitive answer that it means I was pushing myself too far or not. It could have just been from being in the cold water for so long and not from oxygen deprivation. Anyways, when that happened I thought, "You know, it is probably time for me to get some proper training." Also, it was enticing to know that the final swim for the freediving certification just happens to be done at the exact same spring.
So here I am - on the fence about taking the class because of being a bit afraid and also a bit worried that I won't do so well and make a fool of myself - Especially if I say I am a mermaid then proceed to not do so well compared to others in the class. If I don't sign up soon though all of the classes could fill up.
Also - Is there a certain workout routine I could do to prepare myself for freediving training so that I have a lower chance of embarrassing myself?
Thanks!
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