I love my training with London Freediving. However, since it only runs once a week, I have been looking around for another training session - training once a week just isn't enough for me right now!
Having conducted a quick internet search, I discovered that NoTanx run a session on Tuesday night at the Kensington Leisure Centre, which is just around the corner from Goldhawk Road, where I currently work.
I emailed Sam Still, who runs the Tuesday session, and he replied inviting me to attend the session and find out more about the NoTanx approach.
In the pool cafe, I was spotted by another NoTanx newbie, Boris, and we had a good chat about how we both got into freediving - he's from Croatia and got into freediving through spearfishing. The NoTanx regulars started arriving shortly after and I was struck both by the friendly welcome they gave us newbies and how well they all seemed to know each other. To my surprise and delight, I was introduced to Simos, a member of NoTanx who has given me a lot of great advice on Deeper Blue!
Sam gave us a safety briefing, a short introduction to the NoTanx approach and informed us of the structure of the club. We were also given some information about the courses offered and learned that the club had organised some incredible holidays, including to Egypt and Iceland! Sam explained that the session was split up into dry exercises, stretching, and then an hour of training in the pool. The emphasis was firmly on relaxation and having fun in the water. Sam told me that I might notice some differences from my training with London Freediving but that I should feel free ask him as many questions as I liked and reassured me that I should do whatever felt best for me.
Sam kindly expressed his support for the 100ft Freedive Challenge and, like many other people I've spoken to, told me that knows someone whose life has been affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
Having changed into my swimsuit (and feeling rather envious of the snazzy NoTanx rash vests sported by the members) I headed to the pool. Us newbies were taken through some basic stretches of the chest and shoulders, and I was deemed “very bendy”, which I can only assume is a good thing!
We all jumped into the pool and began a warm up, which consisted of underwater lengths of the pool in relay. Simos took me under his wing, making sure I understood what I had to do for each exercise and occasionally giving me hints and tips to improve my enjoyment and performance.
The hour simply flew by! Sam’s exercises were really fun and were as challenging as you wanted them to be. He provided lots of encouragement and advice to us newbies. The exercises involved plenty of interaction with your buddies; I particularly liked being towed on a rope while doing static – it was surprisingly relaxing! There was a collaborative, rather than competitive atmosphere, especially considering that there was such a wide ability range within the group. At the end we all did a length of the pool together – and I came up grinning!
To finish the session, we headed to the pub, where I was given perhaps the most memorable piece of advice of the evening… Sipping my diet coke, I looked incredulously over at Simos who was rapidly dispatching a pint of Guinness and ordering a sausage roll and chips. “Didn’t you know?”, he said, raising one eyebrow, “Guinness is excellent for freediving – and you can quote me on that”!
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