A Mindful, Inclusive Approach to Learning Freediving

Freediving is a journey, not a race.

At Live Free Diving, we’ve reimagined the Level 1 course to make freediving more accessible, patient, and empowering for every student.

Whether you’re a confident water person or taking your first steps into the ocean, our goal is to help you feel safe, supported, and inspired throughout your learning journey.

We believe that learning to freedive isn’t simply about going deeper or holding your breath longer. It’s about learning to relax, understand your body, trust your training, and develop a calm and confident relationship with the water.

That’s why our Level 1 course is intentionally structured to give you time to build a strong foundation before progressing into deeper open water.

Your Course Format

We’ve redesigned our Level 1 course around a progressive learning experience that allows you to build confidence step-by-step.

Day 1 — Classroom + Pool

We’ll begin on land with the foundations of freediving, including:

• Freediving safety and buddy procedures
• Breathing and relaxation
• Equalization
• Breath-hold techniques

You’ll then move into the pool to begin putting these skills into practice in a controlled environment.

Before your course, you’ll receive access to your PADI eLearning materials so you can work through the academic portion at your own pace and arrive prepared for your in-person training.

Day 2 — Open Water Session 1 at Blue Heron Bridge

Your first open-water training session takes place at the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, one of our favorite local training sites.

The shallow, protected open water environment at BHB gives you the opportunity to take the skills you’ve learned in the classroom and pool and begin applying them in the ocean.

Here, we’ll focus on:

• Relaxation and comfort under pressure
• Equalization technique
• Body position and finning technique
• Line diving fundamentals
• Safety and buddy procedures
• Building confidence in open water

This session is tide and conditions dependent.

We intentionally begin your open-water training here before moving into deeper water. We’ve found that when students have the opportunity to build the right foundation, refine their technique, and gain confidence at BHB, they are much better prepared to continue progressing into deeper water.

Day 3- Optional Monday — Open Water Session 2 from the Boat

Want to continue your training and work toward completing your full Level 1 certification during the same long weekend?

Join us on the following Monday aboard Apnea, our private freediving boat, for your second open-water training session.

With the foundation you’ve developed at BHB, you’ll be ready to continue working on your depth, technique, equalization, and certification requirements in deeper open water.

Boat Session: Additional $150 per person

Monday boat spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This option is especially recommended for students traveling from out of town who would like to have the opportunity complete their full certification before heading home.

Can’t join us on the following Monday? No worries! Schedule your boat session at a different time, when you’re ready. We offer sessions every Friday-Monday during spring and summer months (based on weather conditions).

Please note: Completing the full certification requires successfully meeting all course requirements. Progression and certification are based on individual performance and instructor assessment.

Why We Teach This Way

We believe in meeting students where they’re at, rather than forcing everyone into a one-size-fits-all course.

Freediving should feel safe, empowering, and enjoyable, not intimidating.

We also believe that more quality training is always a good thing. Instead of rushing students into deeper water, we give them the opportunity to build a strong foundation first.

We’ve found that once students have developed proper technique, equalization skills, relaxation, and confidence in a controlled environment, such as Blue Heron Bridge, they are often much more prepared to continue into their second open-water session and work toward their depth goals.

The boat session isn’t simply “another dive.” It’s an opportunity to take the skills you’ve already developed and apply them in deeper water, with the support of your instructor and safety team.

Every student progresses differently. Some may be ready to move deeper quickly, while others benefit from more time practicing the fundamentals. Both are completely normal.

Our goal isn’t to rush you to a number on the depth gauge. It’s to help you build the skills and confidence that allow you to comfortably and safely progress toward your own potential.

By tailoring each student’s journey, we ensure that everyone can experience the mental clarity, focus, and confidence that come from mastering the breath and the mind.

What’s Included

Your Level 1 Freediver Course includes:

• Freediver eLearning materials
• Classroom instruction
• Pool training
• Open Water Session 1 at Blue Heron Bridge
• Professional freediving instruction
• In-water safety supervision
• Certification upon successful completion of all course requirements
• Temporary DAN dive accident insurance during the course
• Access to our Live Free Diving community

Optional Boat Training

$150 per person

Join us Monday aboard Apnea for Open Water Session 2 and continue progressing toward your full Level 1 certification.

Boat spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Can’t join us on the following Monday? No worries! Schedule your boat session at a different time, when you’re ready. We offer sessions every Friday-Monday during spring and summer months (based on weather conditions).

Pricing

$500 per person

Includes:

• Day 1 classroom + pool
• Day 2 Open Water Session 1 at Blue Heron Bridge

Optional Boat Session

+$150 per person

Monday Open Water Session 2 for students who want to continue their training and work toward completing their full Level 1 certification.

Who Is This Course For?

Our Level 1 Freediver Course is designed for people who are already comfortable in the water and want to take their underwater experience to the next level.

You don’t need to be an experienced freediver to join us, but you should already have a solid foundation in swimming and snorkeling and feel comfortable spending time in the water.

This course is a great fit for:

• Experienced snorkelers who want to learn how to make a proper water entry, equalize, and explore beneath the surface with more confidence
• Aspiring freedivers who want to learn proper breath-hold technique, relaxation, equalization, and freediving safety from the beginning
• Spearfishers and aspiring spearos who want to develop the breath-hold, depth, and underwater skills that support responsible spearfishing
• Existing freedivers who want to refine their technique, improve their equalization, increase their breath-hold, and learn how to progress safely toward greater depths
• Scuba divers who want to develop their breath-hold skills and experience the freedom of moving underwater without a tank
• Ocean lovers and underwater explorers who want to become more comfortable, capable, and confident beneath the surface

New to Freediving?

That’s okay! You don’t need previous freediving experience.

However, you should already be a comfortable swimmer and snorkeler before taking this course. If you’ve never snorkeled before or aren’t yet comfortable swimming and exploring on the surface, we recommend starting with snorkeling first and building that foundation before moving into freediving.

Freediving builds on the skills you already have in the water, so the more comfortable you are in the ocean, the more you’ll be able to focus on learning, relaxing, and enjoying the experience.

Already comfortable in the water? You’re ready to take the next breath.

What Can I Expect to Achieve?

Everyone progresses differently in freediving.

Rather than focusing solely on depth or breath-hold numbers, we focus on helping you develop the skills, relaxation, equalization, and safety awareness needed to become a confident freediver.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a solid foundation in freediving and, if you’ve successfully completed all required skills, your PADI Freediver certification.

Your instructor will work with you throughout the course to determine appropriate progression based on your comfort level, technique, and performance.

Start Your Freediving Journey

Freediving isn’t about how deep you go.

It’s about learning to slow down, trust yourself, and connect with the ocean on a single breath.

Start with us in Palm Beach and discover what it means to Live Free beneath the surface.