Exploring the Cutting Edge of Freediving Science: Frederic Lemaitre in Bali

An Innovative Freediving Workshop in Amed, Bali

It’s been a very long time since we’ve posted a blog, but this freediving workshop really deserves a blog.

It’s something special, a very unique mix of cutting edge apnea research, tailored coaching, freediving focused yoga and meditation, all in beautiful Amed, Bali. This course is aimed at freedivers with an understanding of the basics of Freediving Physiology and Physics, with a desire to deepen and expand perspectives, seeing where the latest research in apnea is taking us.

Frederic Lemaitre: An Expert Guide in Freediving Science

Frederic Lemaitre will be our guide for most of the daily coaching and freediving workshops. He’s one of the world's leading experts on freediving science and is at the forefront of apnea research. Frederic is also a top freediving coach, working with the first generation of the 1990s French elite up to today, with the likes of Guillaume Nery.

Daily Activities: A Mix of Freediving and Yoga

Each day is a mix of freediving, workshops, yoga, and meditation workshops with the focus very much on deepening knowledge and changing perspectives.

Day 1: Stretching, Safety, and Freediving Physiology

The first day’s stretching will be whole-body basic stretching; Freediving will be focused on the safety protocol as developed in his research with AIDA and Free immersion diving.

The first day’s topic will be on advanced freediving physiology where Frederic Lemaitre will be drawing on the insights gained from over 2 decades as a top apnea researcher. Related to this topic he’ll draw from over 40 different papers published between 2000 and 2017. The most recent paper was in 2015 comparing the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) with the Mammalian dive response. Like all the workshops, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers with Frederic. In the evening there will be a workshop on equalization for freedivers, focusing on the various techniques available to freedivers, Frenzel, forms of mouthfill, etc.

Day 2: Equalization and Freediving Training Effects

In the morning we’ll have some basic stretching and a yoga sequence designed for freedivers.

The Freediving training will focus on various exercises for equalization and free immersion diving. The theory workshop will focus on ‘effects of freedive training’ drawing on research from at least 8 separate papers by Frederic, from the effects of apnea training on swimming coordination to the effects of packing, with a general review of freediving physiology.

The evening session will focus on 2 categories of meditation- concentration and mindfulness.

There will be some theory and some reference to the science behind these practices, as well as an introduction to one or two practices in each category.

We’ll also look at how these practices can affect our freediving training.

Day 3: Breathing, Stretching, and Freediving Principles

Breathing and stretching. The morning stretching session will focus on the primary and secondary breathing muscles. CWT and FI. Principles of freedive training; This workshop will focus on training principles and primarily reference three papers, including one that deals with freediver training as a complement to other athletic training. Meditation workshop- contemplation and creative visualization; This workshop will investigate 2 other categories of meditation in regards to freediving.

Day 4: Freediving Risks and Advanced Meditation

Day 4 features acro-stretching and workshops on freediving risks, including blackout, decompression sickness, and squeeze. This is one of the most fascinating workshops as it draws on very interesting new research and introduces solid science-based protocols for Decompression sickness, Blackouts, and Squeeze. Frederic is one of the people writing the guidelines for what is safe in freediving, based on science and not speculation. He is one of the lucky few who has done extensive research with the Ama divers of Japan. Meditation - this final day will look at slightly more esoteric aspects of meditation, most specifically heart-based practices.

Day 5: Comparative Physiology and Final Stretching

Stretching- routine. Homo Delphinus- comparative physiology.

A comparison between marine mammals and human mammals. In this workshop Frederic explores what apnea training and apnea research can tell us about the human being and ways it can be used to improve our development.

Contact info@apneista.com.