The Art of Freefalling
- Anthony Feoutis
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 11 minutes ago
Hello, underwater lovers!
What you’re about to read is a doorway—a glimpse into the ocean of thoughts, lessons, and wild experiences that make up The Depth Collector series.
This isn’t a polished pitch or a neatly packaged summary. It’s straight from the pages of The Depth Collector Book One, raw and real—just like freediving. Here’s a glimpse into pages 181 to 186.
So, grab your noseclip, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into Mastering the CO2 Tolerance Training Zones.
The Depth Collector Book One
Page 181 to 186
The Art of Freefalling
During the freefall phase, you sink effortlessly toward the bottom of the line, surrendering to the power of the ocean and the force of gravity. I often tell my students that the sea gives them a ride.
For me, freefalling is the ultimate expression of freediving–the feeling of being entirely in the moment. It's why I'm drawn to the ocean, not the pool.
Freefalling is like a condensed version of everything about freediving–the sense of control and mastery, surrendering to the unknown, and the profound connection with yourself. As you fall deeper and deeper into the abyss, you must simultaneously control your body position to reduce the drag and maximize speed while letting go of everything else–your doubts, fears, and expectations.
At this moment, nothing else matters but the present–the sensations you're experiencing and the profound freedom that comes with being weightless. It's an experience that's genuinely indescribable and unforgettable, and it's the reason why so many of us are in love with freediving.
Embracing the Almighty Tube of Minimal Drag
To master the art of freefalling, you must understand the concept of the 'tube.'
We've already discussed hydrodynamic drag, so you understand that you need to be as streamlined as possible to minimize it.
A few years ago, French FIM record holder Thibault Guignes introduced the brilliant concept of the 'tube.' Imagine a tube with a diameter the size of your shoulders, positioned just a few centimeters next to the line, running from the surface to the bottom. Inside is the minimum drag zone. Stay within, and you'll achieve a perfect freefall position.
It's easy on paper but much more challenging in the water!
Perfecting the Shift from Pulling or Kicking to Freefall
Many freedivers overlook the transition into the freefall phase. However, it's a critical aspect that requires attention—the 'how to enter' the freefall phase sets the foundation for a successful dive. A smooth and progressive transition will lead to the perfect body position and freefall speed, which we aim to maintain at 1 meter per second.
Free Immersion
When it comes to FIM, it's true that freefall is prepared for a long time before it happens. A significant part of the descent is done using negative buoyancy, and the glides between each pull can be considered mini freefalls.
Depending on how deep you plan to dive, the freefall will occur more or less deep. When the last pull comes, the one that will launch you into freefall, you need to maintain the momentum you've gained during the glide phases of your dive. It's like launching an arrow: draw your bow, with yourself as the arrow, the line as the bow, and your arm as the string. Another helpful image is to think of yourself running to perform a long jump. The running phase gives you the momentum to jump as far as possible. The pulling phase and glides serve as preparatory steps to build up the necessary speed and momentum to start your freefall. A smooth and progressive transition into freefall is essential to achieve speed, efficiency and prepare your mind.
Although it's helpful to think in terms of phases, the dive itself is a whole experience. As you descend, your mind gradually melts with the environment, falling into a calm and confident state. A smooth transition contributes to keeping your mental state peaceful and still, allowing you to slow down your metabolism.
Constant Weight with Bifins and Monofin
To enter the freefall phase, start by slowing down your kicking in the negative buoyancy zone. Remember, slowing down the kicking doesn't mean kicking with a bigger amplitude. Instead, keep the same amplitude but adjust the frequency. As you reach the freefall point, don't stop the kicking abruptly; let it fade gradually until it completely stops.
Constant Weight without Fins
When it comes to CNF, the transition into freefall is even more critical than in other diving disciplines.
The initial struggle with buoyancy can cause significant fatigue, especially if your technique, full-body flexibility, or strength are lacking. To ease the dive's initial part, slow down your heart rate and metabolism, and enter freefall smoothly, you must use the negative buoyancy. As you descend deeper, longer glides can help. You can launch into the freefall with an arm stroke, with your hands resting at your sides afterward, followed by a few leg kicks. These kicks will increase your speed without breaking the hydrodynamics induced by the reload of your arms.
Depending on the duration and depth of your freefall, it's common to use additional kicks to maintain speed.
To be continued…
If what you’ve just read sparked your curiosity, know this—it’s just a ripple on the surface. The Depth Collector series plunges deep into this pillar, uncovering layers of insights, lessons, and practical tools to refine your freediving journey.
And it doesn’t stop here. The series explores all eight foundational pillars, packed with everything from mental hacks to sport nutrition, breathing techniques, training plans, and more.
Read more about the other pillars on the blog or grab your copy here.
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