Fantastic News!

As an English literature graduate, my response when faced with a problem is invariably to think that the solution must be in a book somewhere, if only I can find it.

I realise that this is a little bit silly when applied to freediving. However, true to form, I have scoured the internet for the authoritative texts on freediving and have found disappointingly few. If you have any suggestions, please do post them in the comments box below :).

I eventually ordered the Manual of Freediving, by Umberto Pelizzari and Stefano Tovaglieri and then spent two days in child-like over-excitement waiting for it to drop onto the doormat!

Since it has arrived I have found it difficult to concentrate on anything else. It's amazingly comprehensive, encompassing the history of freediving, detailed explanations of physiology, instructions for breathing and relaxation techniques, equipment function, dealing with an emergency, training suggestions for each discipline...

I've also been spending some time hanging out on the forums at Deeper Blue, an online community of divers of every kind: freedivers, SCUBA Divers, spearos. Seriously, if you think I'm crazy, imagine freediving with a speargun and chasing after fish! Once again, I've been given a really friendly welcome by the freedivers! I've also received some excellent advice from Dutch national-record-holder (and newbie guardian angel) Kars van Kouwen, which emphasises relaxation and enjoyment but will also result in material improvements to my performance.

Both the Manual of Freediving and what I've read on the Deeper Blue forums emphasise the need for good instruction, which brings me to some fantastic news...

Mark Harris, who holds the UK records for Free Immersion and Variable Weight, and is a brilliant instructor, has kindly invited me to join his Freediving Introductory Course! Completing this course will provide the perfect foundation for my ongoing training with London Freediving. I also hope that getting comfortable with static and dynamic now will allow me to maximise the benefits of my AIDA** course with SaltFree in Chepstow in May. Needless to say, I'm extremely excited and very much looking forward to both courses!

The enthusiasm and generosity of the freediving community as a whole has blown me away. Moreover, the willingness of top-level freedivers in the UK and elsewhere to encourage and mentor a newbie like myself is nothing short of inspiring. Just imagine being a gymnast and having Beth Tweddle offer to coach you. Or being a cyclist and having Victoria Pendleton reply by email to your most basic questions. I'm getting the feeling that what makes freediving special is not just the sport itself, but the people involved in it.