pfi freediver
certification course
become a certified freediver with the safest school in hawaii
Freediver Level 1 is performance freediving international's flagship training course where you'll build a strong foundation as a freediver and realize some of the amazing capabilities your body has.
the course takes places over 3 days on o'ahu, where you'll discover your innate abilities underwater, as well as deepen trust and confidence in yourself while diving up to 66 feet deep and learning how to hold your breath up to four minutes.
upon completing the certification, you'll be hands-down one of the safest and most knowledgable divers in the sea.
course layout
1 day online, 2 days in the water
day 1
day 2
day 3
pfi's freediver level 1 certification course begins with a laid-back virtual session where we get to share 3 hours together learning all about freediving, understanding what happens to our bodies while we dive, how to be a great safety diver and get ourselves ready for the water sessions.
day 1
day 2
day 3
in the morning, we simulate emergency rescues and problem management for blackouts and loss of motor control, foundational freediving skills such as how to complete a buoyancy test, and complete your first static apnea session.
in the afternoon, we go through a warm-up to activate one of our mammalian dive reflexes, and introduce you to the free immersion discipline and constant weight discipline, while completing required skills toward your certification as well as providing coaching.
confined water session
line-diving session
day 1
day 2
day 3
in the morning, we continue with a few additional safety skills and emergency simulations, and you'll complete your second static apnea session, achieving a breath-hold anywhere from 2:30 to 4:00 minutes.
In the ocean, we'll start with our warm-up again before diving, then complete any skills required for certification, practice underwater safety simulations, and spend the last half of the session working on our breath up, relaxing, and improving our technique while we're underwater.
confined water session
line-diving session
super small classes
our classes are limited to just four students, which means you'll get to dive as much as you need. for those who are overwhelmed in huge groups, or just want a low-key energy, we're your people.
Book now
pre-requisites
to enroll in pfi freediver
- 16 years old and up
- comfortable in the water/ocean
- swimming and/or snorkeling experience
- moderate health in mind and body
required gear
to use during course
- mask
- snorkel
- long-blade fins
- rubber weight belt
- small number of weights
- timing device or diving computer
to ensure safety. if you don't have these things, rental
equipment is available. Let us know during the booking
process!
4k video
improve technique and mind-body awareness with your included 30-minute video review following the course
we got you!
an instructor will be right beside you on each and every dive rather than watching from the surface
What's Included?
it's seriously a lot of things
- 3 hour virtual class session
- 6 hours confined-water training
- 6 hours open-water training
- learn the best equalization technique for freediving
- learn to test your own buoyancy to stay safe wherever you're diving
- Learn to rescue a blackout and loss of motor control
- guided static apnea by a former monk – legend says his voice is very calming and can increase your breath-hold by 2 minutes (results not guaranteed)
- A SUPER SMALL CLASS SIZE, ALLOWING YOU TO GET IN AS MANY DIVES AS YOU NEED
- guided calming visualization before each ocean session
- coaching after every dive
- A FUN, ENCOURAGING AND EMPOWERING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
- underwater photos by a professional photographer
- 4k video clips of select dives to help you improve as a freediver
bonus
- each student receives a 30-minute, virtual coaching call to go over videos once the course is done
Experience the quiet of the deep
Book now
book your pfi freediver course now and discover a different kind of solitude
Frequently asked questions
Most of us struggle to equalize in the beginning, so it's pretty normal!
There's an equalization technique used specifally for freediving that we'll teach you during the pfi freediver course.
We find that our students have a 'Eureka!' moment and didn't realize it's pretty simple to do!
Say goodbye to ear pain and hello to quiet depths.
Absolutely! Because our classes are capped at 4 students, you'll get coaching and feedback after each dive, have plenty of time to complete many dives, and not feel rushed at all.
Compare this to other courses that host anywhere from 8 - 16 students, or more, and less time in the water.
well howdy why don't we jummmmppp all the way up the page
by clicking right here.
yes, freediving is safe! if you take a course (like ours), learn how to dive safely and implement safe diving practices.
For many people, freediving is one of the most relaxing and deeply calming experiences they've ever had.
In the unlikely event of an emergency, we have real-life experience, emergency protocols in place and we'll be right there with you on all of your dives.
at the end of the freediver course, you'll have 6 hours of ocean diving and 6 hours of confined-water diving to your name.
if you're interested in coaching sessions to hone in your skills and mindset after your course is completed, let us know. we offer static apnea coaching as well as freedive coaching, and they are completely customizable to your goals and experience level.
inside of you, young grasshoper. jk, stillness freediving is located on O'ahu.
we choose our course locations based on the weather and ocean conditions. in the summer months, we often dive on the north shore of o'ahu. in the winter, we typically dive off of honolulu on the south shore.
details for each freediver course, coaching session, etc. will be provided ahead of time to each student.
We specialize in private courses! These are a lot of fun because we can mold them around any schedule, and customize our dive locations and times!
Private courses are available for solo divers, as well as groups up to six. shoot us a message to check availability and book a private course.
nope! you'll be way more comfortable in your own gear, but if you let us know during the booking process, we can take care of rental gear for you.
FREEDIVER LEVEL 1 IS PERFORMANCE FREEDIVING INTERNATIONAL'S FLAGSHIP TRAINING COURSE WHERE YOU'LL BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION AS A FREEDIVER AND REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH OF AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING YOU ARE.
become a freediver
THE COURSE TAKES PLACES OVER 3 DAYS ON O'AHU, WHERE YOU'LL DISCOVER YOUR INNATE ABILITIES UNDERWATER, AS WELL AS DEEPEN TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF WHILE DIVING UP TO 66 FEET DEEP AND LEARNING HOW TO HOLD YOUR BREATH UP TO FOUR MINUTES.
UPON COMPLETING THE CERTIFICATION, YOU'LL BE HANDS-DOWN ONE OF THE SAFEST As well as MOST KNOWLEDGABLE DIVERS IN THE ocean.
dive with confidence
course layout
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
PFI'S FREEDIVER LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATION COURSE BEGINS WITH A LAID-BACK VIRTUAL SESSION WHERE WE GET TO SHARE 3 HOURS TOGETHER LEARNING ALL ABOUT FREEDIVING, UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR BODIES WHILE WE DIVE, HOW TO BE A GREAT SAFETY DIVER AND GET OURSELVES READY FOR THE WATER SESSIONS.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
IN THE MORNING, WE SIMULATE EMERGENCY RESCUES AND PROBLEM MANAGEMENT FOR BLACKOUTS AND LOSS OF MOTOR CONTROL, FOUNDATIONAL FREEDIVING SKILLS SUCH AS HOW TO COMPLETE A BUOYANCY TEST, AND COMPLETE YOUR FIRST STATIC APNEA SESSION.
IN THE AFTERNOON, WE GO THROUGH A WARM-UP TO ACTIVATE ONE OF OUR MAMMALIAN DIVE REFLEXES, AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE FREE IMMERSION DISCIPLINE AND CONSTANT WEIGHT DISCIPLINE, WHILE COMPLETING REQUIRED SKILLS TOWARD YOUR CERTIFICATION AS WELL AS PROVIDING COACHING.
Session one
Session two
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
IN THE MORNING, WE CONTINUE WITH A FEW ADDITIONAL SAFETY SKILLS AND EMERGENCY SIMULATIONS, AND YOU'LL COMPLETE YOUR SECOND STATIC APNEA SESSION, ACHIEVING A BREATH-HOLD ANYWHERE FROM 2:30 TO 4:00 MINUTES.
IN THE OCEAN, WE'LL START WITH OUR WARM-UP AGAIN BEFORE DIVING, THEN COMPLETE ANY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATION, PRACTICE UNDERWATER SAFETY SIMULATIONS, AND SPEND THE LAST HALF OF THE SESSION WORKING ON OUR BREATH UP, RELAXING, AND IMPROVING OUR TECHNIQUE WHILE WE'RE UNDERWATER.
Session one
Session two
one day online, two days in the water
Pre-requisites
TO ENROLL IN PFI FREEDIVER
A MEDICAL FORM MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR COURSE. PLEASE NOTE, ANY 'YES' ANSWERS WILL REQUIRE YOU TO GET CONSENT TO DIVE FROM A DOCTOR. YOU CAN VIEW THE WAIVER BELOW:
- 16 YEARS OLD AND UP
- COMFORTABLE IN THE WATER
- SWIMMING AND/OR SNORKELING EXPERIENCE
- MODERATE HEALTH IN MIND AND BODY
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
required
gear
to use during course
PROPER FREEDIVING GEAR MUST BE USED DURING THE COURSE
TO ENSURE SAFETY. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE THINGS, RENTAL
EQUIPMENT IS AVAILABLE. LET US KNOW DURING THE BOOKING
PROCESS.
- MASK
- SNORKEL
- LONG-BLADE FINS
- RUBBER WEIGHT BELT
- SMALL NUMBER OF WEIGHTS
- TIMING DEVICE OR DIVING COMPUTER
dive in 4k
every student receives a virtual coaching session to review 4k video clips
We got you
an instructor will be right beside you on each and every dive
what's included?
It's seriously a lot of things
- 3 HOUR VIRTUAL CLASS SESSIOn
- 6 HOURS CONFINED-WATER TRAINING
- 6 HOURS OPEN-WATER TRAINING
- LEARN THE BEST EQUALIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR FREEDIVING
- LEARN TO TEST YOUR OWN BUOYANCY TO STAY SAFE WHEREVER YOU'RE DIVING
- LEARN TO RESCUE A BLACKOUT AND LOSS OF MOTOR CONTROL
- GUIDED STATIC APNEA BY A FORMER MONK – LEGEND SAYS HIS VOICE IS VERY CALMING AND CAN INCREASE YOUR BREATH-HOLD BY 2 MINUTES (RESULTS NOT GUARANTEED)
What Else?
- GUIDED CALMING VISUALIZATION BEFORE EACH OCEAN SESSION
- A SUPER SMALL CLASS SIZE, ALLOWING YOU TO GET IN AS MANY DIVES AS YOU NEEd
- 1:1 COACHING AFTER EVERY DIVE
- A FUN, ENCOURAGING, EMPOWERING and honestly pretty badass LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
- UNDERWATER PHOTOS BY A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
- 4K VIDEO CLIPS OF SELECT DIVES TO HELP YOU IMPROVE AS A FREEDIVER
bonus, my friend
- EACH STUDENT RECEIVES A 30-MINUTE, VIRTUAL COACHING CALL TO GO OVER VIDEOS ONCE THE COURSE IS DONE
experience the quiet of the deep
BOOK YOUR PFI FREEDIVER COURSE NOW AND DISCOVER A DIFFERENT KIND OF SOLITUDE