What is Free-diving

Free-diving is a form of underwater diving that relies on breath-holding until resurfacing rather than the use of breathing apparatus such as scuba gear.

Examples of Free-diving activities are traditional fishing techniques, competitive and non-competitive free-diving, competitive and non-competitive spearfishing and free-diving photography, underwater football, underwater rugby, underwater hockey, underwater target shooting and snorkeling.

There are also a range of “competitive apnea” disciplines; in which competitors attempt to attain great depths, times, or distances on a single breath.

Albanian Diving Federation

Member of The World Underwater Federation CMAS

Competitive Disciplines

Free-diving disciplines, certified & endorsed by CMAS

Maximum depth following a guide line. The line to act solely as a guide and only a single hold of the rope to stop the descent and start the ascent is permitted. Dropping dive weights is not permitted. Both bi-fins and monofin are permitted and the technique is irrelevant.

As for CWT above but monofins are not permitted and the athlete is prohibited to use a dolphin kick for his / her propulsion.

As for CWT above but no swimming aids such as fins are permitted. This discipline is the most recently recognised discipline having been recognised by AIDA since 2003.

Maximum distance underwater, in a pool, no swimming aids such as fins are permitted (AIDA).

Maximum horizontal distance on one breath in a pool. Monofin or bi-fins are permitted and the technique is irrelevant.

Same as DYN above but monofins are not permitted and the athlete is prohibited to use a dolphin kick for his / her propulsion.

The only true team event in freediving. Diver 1 descends, usually assisted by a stone or marble slab attached to a rope, while Diver 2 waits on the surface. Diver 1 reaches the target depth and is hauled to the surface by Diver 2 using only muscle power. No diving mask, suit or fins are permitted, only nose clip.

Timed breathhold endurance while floating on the surface or standing on the bottom. Usually in a pool.

Shortest time over a fixed, underwater distance. An endurance sub-discipline is swum in fractions of a pool length alternating apnoea swimming with passive recovery at the intervals. Disciplines are SPE – 100m speed apnoea, END 16×50 – 800m and END 8×50 – 400m endurance apnoea.

Descent is assisted by a weighted sled sliding down a line, the ascent may be by pulling up along the line or swimming without fins.

Descent is assisted by a weighted sled sliding down a line, the ascent may be either by:
1.) pulling up along the line or swimming with or without fins under AIDA rules
2.) swimming with fins under CMAS rules.

Maximum depth following a vertical line. The line may be used to pull down to depth and back to the surface. No ballast or fins are permitted. It is known for its ease compared with the Constant Weight disciplines, while still not permitting the release of weights.