Stress is something that affects us all, and if there was anything we should take away from our time spent in isolation due to the COVID pandemic, it should be the importance of self care. 

In the day-to-day world of distraction, chaos and constant stimulation, it is very difficult for us to stop, breathe and practice stillness. The more we put off these practices, the more the “garden" of our mind gets overrun with silly weeds.

When we feel chronically tired, sick, or demotivated- these feelings can often be attributed to neglecting our mental health. All that we need is to do a bit of gardening. Luckily we know two very effective gardeners, their names are Freediving and Yoga. 

A growing number of lifestyle retreats are popping up around the globe, incorporating mental sports into functional lifestyle training. And there is well deserved attention being paid to the incredible sport of freediving. While many write the sport off as an “extreme sport" meant only for the “most fit” or the “suicidal oddballs”, anyone who takes the time to understand the sport quickly realizes how accessible a tool it is on the road to mental clarity. 

There are a growing number of places that now offer freediving, with freediving schools and training programs becoming more commonplace. 

But there is a big difference in doing a freediving certification course, or fully immersing yourself in a freediving and yoga retreat. Read on for more details that may help you to decide which would be best for you. 

Time

Most beginner level freediving courses are conducted over the span of two or three days, and incorporate one or two pool sessions followed by two open water sessions. Whether you choose to do a PADI, SSI, AIDA or other beginner level freediving course, they are structured similarly. 

While many students are able to get through the course in this period of time and fulfill the requirements - with a good instructor of course- it is often the case that they only are just starting to get the hang of the sport and can increase their skill exponentially if they keep the fins on and keep training.

However, for those students who have trouble with some aspects of the beginner level course, not only is it necessary to add on extra sessions, but it is also important to ensure that the instruction is adequately patient and there is enough attention given to ensure progress. Students that are disappointed in themselves by not being able to complete the course in two days often feel humiliated or embarrassed, feelings that can be worsened by other students coming and going, and instructors losing patience. 

By setting themselves up to have more time from the beginning, students eliminate an expectation for immediate results and can enjoy the process at their own speed. 

Freediving is not about the end result, it is about the mental journey of getting there. For those who are not competitively minded, seeking out a program that prioritizes quality instruction, moderate progression and mastery understanding could be a better way to learn (and love) the sport of freediving. 

Comfort and Routine

When we jolt ourselves out of our comfort zone to learn a new skill, it can often come with overwhelming emotions, and a feeling that we have lost control. Freediving is both physically and mentally exhausting, and at the end of the day you want to ensure you are eating well, replenishing the body and the mind, and sleeping in comfort. Many students struggle through their beginner level course because there is something else awry in their trip- their accommodation is uncomfortable or stressful, they get food poisoning from not eating properly, or they are still getting over jet lag. By letting a program take care of all these things for you, you streamline the learning process. 

Taking part in a freediving and yoga retreat that provides comfortability and relaxation in both learning and accommodation is a great way to maximize value.

Nutrition

Freediving and yoga nutrition is vastly underrated, and it is hard to expect a beginner to be preparing themselves everyday to achieve the best results through their diet. When we begin to hold our breath for freediving, our body starts to adapt, slow the consumption of oxygen and conserve energy for vital areas of the body. When it does this, it tends to slow digestion which is not considered an “essential service” in times of survival. If we have not eaten properly that morning, or are unaware of the effect diet can have on our performance, we may lose confidence in our abilities instead of understanding what we should or should not have eaten before. 

By signing up for an all-inclusive freedive and yoga retreat, your instructors and teachers will ensure the food is taken care of, and appropriately planned for each individual day. Students can learn about how diet affects their performance and integrate that into their future training.

Most importantly, you will be adequately and healthily fueled without having to worry about cooking.

Instruction and Strategy 

With years of experience, good freediving instructors see problems that present themselves in patterns, and many develop tools and strategies to cope with each. By adding into the mix a series of physical (yoga) and mental routines (mediation) that can be tailored to each individual student, the learning process becomes highly adapted and incredibly efficient. 

For example, if a student had a tough day trying to focus heavily on equalization in the open water, they may be disappointed with themselves in the evening for not having accomplished what they expected to accomplish on that day. Instead of going to bed upset and frustrated, they would be given a cool-down practice meant to clear the mind of frustration and instill a sense of self worth and confidence before they fell asleep. In doing this, they would wake rejuvenated, confident and ready to take on the day. 

Good freedive and yoga instructors have a talent for tailoring programs to what each student needs, and will not stop arranging and rearranging to find the most effective solution.

Social 

One of the most rewarding parts of becoming a freediver is learning alongside other people who are like minded and have similar goals to grow as people both emotionally and physically. By surrounding themselves with others like this, they develop lasting relationships and flourish in a learning environment chalk full of unconditional support and healthy competition. When people sign up for freediving and yoga retreats, they sign up with a goal of making themselves a better, more productive person. These are the people we love to meet. 

The moral of the story; give yourself a little more time to learn a skill that could bring a greater sense of fulfillment to your life. 

Immerse yourself completely in a retreat program that takes the logistical stress away and replaces it with a carefully crafted environment tested to provide the most rewarding results. Let us do the planning, the teaching and the cooking while you focus on your own challenge- becoming a more productive human through freediving and yoga. 

Blue Corner Freedive offers highly sought after Fluid Focus Freediving Retreats. These unique retreats combine experienced freedive instruction with creative yoga and mindfulness practices to provide a modern and versatile learning environment tailored for each student. Our instructors are experienced and full of creative energy to be used on developing students who want to become better freedivers, yogis and human beings.