Performance Freediving Clinic
Posted By Cliff Etzel on 23 October 2001
During Oct 19 - 22, I was fortunate enough to attend the Performance Freedive Clinic in Long Beach, California that was conducted by Kirk Krack and Brett LeMaster. The following are my personal notes, thoughts and some information regarding what I learned and experienced during the four day clinic
Day 1
After an uneventful plane ride down and a good nights sleep, the first day of the clinic began at 8am sharp. Needless to say, I was disappointed when the night before my departure, the venue for the pool had been changed. I was looking forward to seeing the Belmont Olympic Pool, but due to an unfortunate incident involving a lifeguard at that pool trying to practice static apnea without a buddy and had to be fished off the bottom, Kirk had to change the facility we would be doing our first two days of pool training and classroom at.
Personally, it was a disappointment. We ended up in a section of Long Beach that was not the best in terms of personal safety, but hey, I was there to learn how to freedive safely and more confidently, so I dealt with it.
Kirk greeted each of us as we arrived (Brett would fly in that evening) at the Silverado Pool and Community center. After arriving, we went to a loft that overlooked the pool and began by introducing ourselves to the rest of the 7 participants for the clinic. It never ceases to amaze me the diversity of people who participate in this sport - My roommate, Andrew Schultz, was the youngest at 22 years of age, and the only one there for the pure sport of performance freediving. My going was, of course, for the journalistic point of view, but also to develop my skills to expand my photographic skills while freediving. The rest of the class were Spearfishing freedivers - A Doctor and founder of a Fortune 200 company, an attorney, and three successful businessmen. Yes - we were a diverse group, but we were there to learn - and learn we did.
After introductions, we then went into one of the most important aspects of the clinic - Emergency Procedures.
Having been in the sport long enough now has allowed me to observe the lack of good information regarding the proper methods of safety and rescue when freediving. Every scuba certification agency teaches a Rescue Diver type of class to better prepare those who tank dive to manage an emergency situation should it arise. Nothing has been written or taught on this topic for freediving - until now.
Kirk went into great detail regarding the proper procedures for virtually every major scenario that might occur when freediving. The number one rule that he continuously emphasized again and again was the need for diving with a buddy. And I was to see later, I have totally changed my perspective on solo diving and training.
Taking one of the clinic participants as a helper, Kirk began to show proper techniques for bring someone to the surface in the event of blackout underwater. Then he began to explain the physiological processes involved when this occurs and how to revive a diver who has gone into a samba or has lost consciousness. And although he did touch on the topic of CPR, he stressed the importance of getting proper training from a your local Red Cross or dive shop that teaches dive rescue and first aid. Having been certified as a PADI Rescue Diver, I found the refresher on this topic of great value, since the proper way for rescuing a Freediver did deviate from the norm of what is taught in traditional scuba classes.
After a short break, we were then taken into the pool where we applied what we had learned in the classroom about rescue skills and then evaluated on our techniques. The Spearfishing attendees were glued to Kirk as he explained this portion of the clinic, and many times, they were amazed at how they had been freediving in a less than safe manner - many times diving alone, or with a buddy who had gone the opposite direction purposely. There was a sense of dread on some of their faces at the prospect of what they had been doing up to this point. Simulating the various levels of distressed diver scenario's gave us all a chance to practice what we had learned and be closely scrutinized by Kirk regarding our technique when finishing the rescue scenario. But when he corrected us, he always made a point of stating what we had done correctly as well as what we needed to work on.
It was an awakening for all of us.
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