Simple freediving posture fix

Your posture will affect not only your efficiency in the water but it will also affect your ability to equalise. So if we fix our bad posture habits we can make our freediving way more fun and efficient.

Bad posture is normally where the diver hyperextends through their entire body, essentially bending backwards, normally looking towards the sea floor. This is common in all divers, even the best will have moments of bad posture and whilst it cant always be remedied in all situations, it can be an easy fix when we are lone diving, or at the very least diving straight down.

Here is the fix.

Whilst you are equalising  (assuming you hold your nose when you are doing so), try to keep the elbow of the arm/hand that’s doing the equalising close to your chest. That’s it…. simple. Pinch your nose, tuck your elbow in!

Why does it work and what does it do?

If you hold your elbow out whilst you are equalising and diving you are creating an inefficient form in the water. This is an easy mistake to make, just watch your buddies next time you are in the water. It also allows you to pull your head back and arch your back to create drag there too, plus it causes problems with equalising as it causes restrictions to airflow to the middle ear and sinuses.

As soon as your tuck that elbow in, whilst still pinching your nose, it fixes all of those issues! It forces you to keep your head level with the horizon as the moment you pull your head back, you will lose your equalisation pinch.

So try it next time you are diving. It will help.