What to Expect During Your FII Level 1 Freediver Course

Considering getting freediving certified through FII? Here’s what you can expect during your level 1 freediver course.

This article recaps our experiences during our level 1 freediver course with FII (Freediving Instructors International). Although our time in the class may differ from yours, the general overview should be the same. We hope to give you great insight into what you can expect!

An endless expanse of blue. Undisturbed marine life curiously scanning over you. An eery, yet peaceful silence. And a moment of pure bliss. These are just a few of the reasons people get involved with freediving – the act of holding your breathe as you descend into the depths of the ocean.

It’s a magnificent sport and one that is more attainable for you than you may think. As popularity in freediving increases, as does the availability of courses to teach you the tricks of the trade.

One of these courses is through an agency called Freediving Instructors International, or FII for short.

What is FII?

Founded by world-renowned freediver, Martin Štěpánek, Freediving Instructors International (FII) is one the largest freediving education agencies in the world. Having developed two-day, interactive courses, FII has sparked popularity in freediving all across the globe. Classes are more accessible and easier to understand than ever before.

Hopeful freedivers begin their descent in “three main course levels, each building upon the next, to ensure a student’s ability to safely and effectively freedive within each course level’s depth zone” (Sourced from FII’s course catalog)

• Level 1 Freediver: Safety training and skill development in a classroom, pool and open ocean setting. Divers will aim to master the skills necessary to reach depths of 66 feet/20 meters.
• Level 2 Freediver: Students refine their skills and expand their knowledge of freediving while attempting to reach 132 feet/40 meters below the surface.
• Level 3 Freediver: The black belt of freediving; full immersion into the sport. If you’re looking to compete internationally, push the limits of human capability, or simply participate in extended spearfishing trips, this course will be for you.

Additionally, FII offers a variety of specialty courses and professional training for those seeking to become an instructor!

However, the remainder of this article specifically focuses on the Level 1 Freediver course.

Where is FII? How do you sign up?

Based in the beautiful state of Hawaii, you can actually access FII classes all over the world. Just head to their website to find a course or an instructor near you!

Instructors seem to work on a freelance basis or through a shop. Regardless of which, most FII instructors are willing to work with you directly, making whatever accommodations you may need!

Freediving Instructors International Level 1 Course: What to Expect

DISCLOSURE: This is not a substitute for actual freediver training. After reading this article, you should not go out and attempt to freedive. This article is merely a way to give you insight on what you might expect during an FII class.

By design, you should be able to complete your FII level 1 freediver course in two days. Although, you may have to extend a day or two depending on time, efficiency, and satisfactory performance.

We completed our course over three days, with 3 – 4 hour sessions in three different locations: the classroom, the pool, and the open ocean. Not to mention, Laura needed an extra boat day to complete a few more skills in the open ocean. It was an easy tag-on to the entire process!

Class Session:

Like any good course, the classroom is an integral component – particularly in a risky sport like freediving. Eager divers will meet for a 3 – 4 hour presentation which includes:

• an introduction to freediving.
• defining terms related to freediving such as hypoxia, static apnea, breathe ups, and more.
• Breathing techniques.
• Safety procedures in the pool and in the water.
• Freediving gear for optimal performance.
• What the ideal freedive looks like.

Obviously, the time it takes to cover all the material may vary from class to class and instructor to instructor. However, the general structure of your classroom session should be enough so you feel comfortable before taking the big plunge!

Pool Session:

It’s time to put those newly learned skills from the classroom to the test. Well, in the pool at least.

The pool session is the next step before the open ocean – it’s your time to truly get cozy in the water, both with your movements and your breath holds.

The general structure is almost identical to the classroom, except you’ll actually be putting what you learned into practice!

1. Your first order will likely be static apnea. In other words: seeing how long you can hold your breath underwater in a controlled environment! The pool will be calm and relaxing so your blood isn’t pumping too much!
2. From there, you’ll move into some practical skills from kicking techniques, water entry, equalization and more.
3. Finally, safety diver procedures will thoroughly be discussed so you and your buddy are well equipped to handle any sort of emergency!

Ocean Session:

Our third and final day brought us out to the open ocean just off of Fort Lauderdale Beach. This is why we recommend taking your FII class in a tropical setting like South Florida – the water was warm, crystal blue, and deep! In fact, 350+ feet kind of deep.

You start your open ocean session with breathe ups followed by freedives at progressively deeper depths. Can you hit 33 feet? 45? And finally, 66 feet? How long can you stay at these depths? It seems like a tall task but you’ll be amazed at the progress you make in just a few days.

Each dive is conducted under the close supervision of your instructor with your dive buddy acting as your safety diver. It’s as controlled and safe as it could possibly be. All the while you’re also practicing sound safety procedures and the newly learned techniques from the pool!

Written Test

Upon successful completion of all the necessary skills and benchmarks (you must dive to at least 33 feet to pass, amongst other criteria), you’ll also take a written test. All of the questions on the test are thoroughly covered in the classroom session and beyond – you should have no problem passing with flying colors!

Extra Sessions if Necessary:

If you don’t meet the criteria the first day in the open ocean, have no worries, it happens all the time. Florida Freedivers makes it easy to make it up! They offer more trips out on their charter boat in West Palm Beach for $70 so you can make up any skills you may have missed! (We imagine other FII outfitters would offer the same services nationwide).

Getting Your Certification Card!

You’ve done it! You made it down to 66 feet and your breathe hold has vastly improved. You’re now a certified freediver!

The most exciting part is yet to come…getting your certification card! Once your instructor submits your paperwork to the FII agency, your certification card should arrive via snail mail in just a few weeks! Once you get it, be sure to showcase it to your friends and bring it wherever you go in case an opportunity to get on the water comes up!

Next Steps as a Certified Freediver

It’s time to put your new skills to use! Your next steps as a newly certified freediver are:

• Explore the underwater world in a new way! Duh!
• Wade into the ocean right off the beach and see what’s below! A common activity in South Florida.
• Get into spearfishing! FII offers specialty courses or you can book a lesson on platforms like AirBNB Experience. (If you sign up through this link, you can save up to $65 on your first adventure)
• Improve your skills even more by taking the level 2 freediving course with FII. Push your limits down to 132 feet!
• Or just immerse yourself into nature and enjoy the ocean in ways you never though possible! After all, you’ve earned it!

Don’t forget about freediving gear!

One of our favorite parts about freediving is loading up on all the coolest equipment the sport has to offer. Here’s our favorite places to shop for the trendiest pieces of equipment:

• Our buddy over at SoFloSpearfishing offers some great pieces of equipment at an affordable price to get you started on your freediving journey.
• Hammerhead Spearguns makes top notch gear for freediving professionals all over the world.
• LeisurePro is a scuba diving emporium offering some fine deals on freediving equipment as well.
• House of Scuba is another scuba megastore that dabbles into the world of freediving too.