Freediving Courses
AIDA FREEDIVING MALTA
Enjoy freediving in Malta in crystal clear sea right on top of shipwrecks! We are running AIDA freediving courses of all levels. Choose your course and learn to freedive safe and efficient with AIDA Master Instructor.
If you are coming from another apnea organization you can cross over to AIDA and continue your freediving journey.
Have fun while diving on a single breath of air in the lovely and sunny island of Malta – one of the best and most popular diving destination in Europe.
AIDA is the first, biggest and most recognized freediving association in the World.
AIDA1 / Freediving Course / AIDA2
As a beginner you can choose to learn to freedive with either of these three courses. Let’s see what is the difference.
In the AIDA education system AIDA1 is “Introduction to Freediving”. It’s a basic freediving course for those who want to experience being underwater on one breath but they are not very comfortable in the sea.
AIDA2 is equivalent to Level 1 in other freediving apnea organizations, such as CMAS, Molchanovs, SSI, PADI, Apnea Academy, etc.
Freediving Course is our own specialty midway sweetspot between the AIDA1 and AIDA2 apnea freediving courses.
Check out short descriptions and course outlines below to help you decide what is the best option for you.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE ?
Duration : 1 day
Certification : AIDA 1
- 1 theory session
- 1 static apnea session
- 1 open water session
For absolute beginners who are not very confident swimmers but they want to give it a try and experience how it feels to get immersed under the surface on a single breath of air.
There are no requirements to meet. You will learn to hold your breath longer, enjoy the sea using mask, snorkel and fins and make dives under the surface. Discover the magnificent world of freediving in a safe and completely relaxed way.
Duration : 2 days
Certification :
AIDA 1 ( guaranteed )
or AIDA 2 Depth ( possible )
- 2 theory sessions (full AIDA2)
- 1 static apnea session
- 3 open water sessions
You are already comfortable in the sea and you want to learn some practical apnea freediving knowledge and skills to be able to freedive in the open water.
However, you might be in a laid back holiday mood and you don’t want to bother with the challenge of passing the requirements. In addition, you have no current ambition to progress towards advanced levels. And finally, one day less makes a difference for you.
This course, following the highest freediving standards, provides enough practice and learning experience to lay strong foundations for safe and efficient freediving – all that at a bargain price.
As a result you will get a guaranteed AIDA1 certification. But, if you are doing well and meet the AIDA2 open water requirements along the way, and later want to pass the online theory exam – then you can be certified as AIDA2 Depth.
Duration : 3 days
Certification : AIDA 2
- 2 theory sessions
- 1 static apnea session
- 1 dynamics session
- 5 open water sessions
Folks that know what they are coming for. They already made a decision to take their freediving more seriously.
They want to become freedivers.
This is a full freediving Level 1 program. Just like in any other freediving organization, there are minimum requirements to meet. However, numbers should never be the main focus. What’s important is that you are going to learn to freedive in a very safe, efficient and relaxed way.
AIDA2 Freediver Course all the way.
WHY DO A FREEDIVING COURSE?
If you want to freedive or spearfish you must know the basics of freediving. Primarily, this is very important for safety reasons.
You are also going to learn the essential freediving knowledge & skills that are going to optimize your performance and allow you to enjoy diving on a single breath of air in a safe, efficient and relaxed way.
This is why it’s highly recommended to do a freediving course with a qualified and experienced freediving instructor.
WHY FREEDIVING COURSE IN MALTA?
Malta has ideal conditions for beginners, advanced and Master level freedivers all year round.
It’s an island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea with beautiful coastline, stunning landscapes, crystal clear waters and rich marine wildlife.
Dive sites are easily accessible from shore and whenever the weather permits we like to conduct our sessions right on top of the ship wrecks, which makes it a truly unforgettable experience.
Dive safe with AIDA Master Instructor
In-depth knowledge of marine life and local terrain
Small teaching groups, no minimum number of students
Great prices
Professional feedback & advice for self-growth
DISCOVER FREEDIVING
CERTIFICATION : AIDA 1
If you are a complete beginner and you want to discover the world of apnea freediving then this course is for you.
CONTENT :
- Theory – Equipment, Safety
- Breathing for freediving – Breathing exercises, Relaxation
- Equalisation – The need to equalise and basic equalisation techniques
- Safety for freediving – Avoiding and reacting to blackout and loss of motor control, Buddying
- Technique – Finning / Duck diving
AIDA 1 - DISCOVER FREEDIVING
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Introduction to apnea freediving course offers a basic knowledge of freediving and introductory skills such as relaxation of body and mind, finning techniques, duck dives and equalisation.
No matter what your background in diving is, the AIDA1 freediver course will open your mind to a whole new underwater experience. You will learn the basic theory of Freediving and how to prepare yourself for a breath-hold dive.
This course is designed to be an introduction to apnea freediving for the complete beginner. It aims to help the student to develop basic skills, knowledge and safety procedures necessary to enjoy freediving safely within the limits of their experience.
AIDA 1 - FREEDIVING COURSE OUTLINES
DURATION : 1 day
PRE-REQUISITES :
- 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 100m non-stop
REQUIREMENTS : none
MAX DEPTH : 10 meters
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Manual & certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €130
FREEDIVING COURSE
CERTIFICATION :
AIDA1 or AIDA2 Depth
You are already comfortable in the sea and you want to get some practical apnea freediving knowledge and skills – to be safe and efficient in the open water.
However, you are not interested in doing dynamics – horizontal dives at pool depth. In addition, maybe you are on a chilling vacation where you don’t want to stress out about meeting the overall requirements. On top of that you don’t have 3 days to do the full AIDA2 course.
This is where our specialty, the Freediving Course comes in as a lifesaver for people that match this description.
It’s a sweetspot between the AIDA1 and AIDA2. There are NO mandatory requirements to pass. However, if you do meet the AIDA2 open water requirements as we go along then you will have the option to complete the online theory exam and get certified as AIDA2 Depth.
This means that if you decide to continue your apnea freediving journey then you only need to complete the AIDA2 Pool part of the course. You can do it with any AIDA instructor around the globe and it will result in a full AIDA2 certification.
CONTENT :
- Theory – Physiology, Depth & Pressure, Equipment, Disciplines, Safety, The Environment
- Breathing for Freediving – Breathing Exercises, Relaxation
- Equalisation – Depth & Pressure
- Safety – Buddying, Black out and LMC (pool and open water)
- Technique – Duck dive, Finning (pool and open water)
- Pool – Static and Dynamic pool trainin
- Open Water – Free Immersion, Constant Weight
FREEDIVING COURSE
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
In terms of theory we are going to cover the full program of the AIDA2 freediver course.
As for the water sessions, we will do one static session where you will learn the apnea breathing techniques and experience holding your breath while floating motionlessly on the surface. It also includes buddying as well as LMC and blackout rescues.
There will be NO dynamics – horizontal dives at pool depth with the use of fins. This is mandatory in the full AIDA2 course.
In the 3 open water sessions we will focus on learning and performing the AIDA2 open water skills. This includes equalization techniques, buoyancy control, use of fins and snorkel, duck dives, vertical dives following the dive line, finning techniques, body positioning, buddy system and rescue procedures.
FREEDIVING COURSE OUTLINES
DURATION : 2 days
PRE-REQUISITES :
- 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 100m non-stop
REQUIREMENTS :
- AIDA1 : none
- AIDA2 Depth (optional) : 12m CWT, online theory exam
MAX DEPTH : 20 meters
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Manual & certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €250
FREEDIVER COURSE
CERTIFICATION : AIDA 2
You decided to become a freediver.
This is probably the most challenging and rewarding AIDA course. If you are already confident in the open water and want to take your apnea freediving more seriously – this course is your starting point.
CONTENT :
- Theory – Physiology, Depth & Pressure, Equipment, Disciplines, Safety, The Environment
- Breathing for Freediving – Breathing Exercises, Relaxation
- Equalisation – Depth & Pressure
- Safety – Buddying, Black out and LMC (pool and open water)
- Technique – Duck dive, Finning (pool and open water)
- Pool – Static and Dynamic pool trainin
- Open Water – Free Immersion, Constant Weight
AIDA 2 - FREEDIVER COURSE
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
The course builds a foundation of good technique and safety so that you can buddy with other AIDA2 apnea freedivers. It consists of two theory sessions, static and dynamics in pool / confined water, and five open water sessions.
Static and dynamic sessions in pool / confined water are used to teach relaxation, breathing, finning and safety techniques. In the open water sessions students will apply the skills they have learned in the confined water sessions and combine them with the basic skills of open water freediving such as equalizing, duck diving, vertical swimming, body positioning, turns and use of buoyancy.
AIDA 2 - FREEDIVING COURSE OUTLINES
DURATION : 3 days
PRE-REQUISITES :
- 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)
- Can swim at least 200m non-stop without fins or at least 300m non-stop with mask, fins and snorkel
REQUIREMENTS : 2 minutes STA; 40 meters DYN, 12 meters CWT, online theory exam
MAX DEPTH : 20 meters
(Certification as AIDA2 freediver is dependent upon reaching the target performances required by AIDA)
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Manual & certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €370
ADVANCED FREEDIVER
CERTIFICATION : AIDA 3
If you are an AIDA2 freediver or equivalent then you can continue your apnea development by enrolling in the AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course.
If you are a Level 1 freediver certified by another apnea freediving organization then you can complete an AIDA Crossover Evaluation and get certified as AIDA2.
To be more clear, AIDA2 is equivalent to what Level 1 is in other freediving organizations.
CONTENT :
- Theory – Physics, Physiology, Mammalian Diving Reflex, Ethics, Training Concepts, Planning Dive Sessions, Lung Volume Measurments
- Equalization – Deeper equalisation using Frenzel Technique
- Techniques – Freefall & Buoyancy, Warm Up’s, CO2 Training Tables
- Safety – Advanced Safety and Rescue Training
- Pool – Static & Dynamic Pool Training
- Open Water – Free Immersion, Constant Weight
AIDA 3 - ADVANCED FREEDIVER COURSE
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Interested in going deeper and improving your technique? This apnea course goes into the theory of Freediving in more depth which will allow you to understand the physiology and techniques behind diving deeper. It will help you improve your apnea freediving performance whilst advancing your safety and rescue skills. It consists of three theory sessions, two pool sessions and six open water dives.
The aim of the course is to develop the apnea skills and knowledge necessary to independently plan and participate in freediving activities with similarly experienced freedive buddies.
AIDA3 advanced freediver course is also designed to develop new apnea skills and techniques for freediving. The new techniques that are introduced are free-fall, Frenzel Equalizing, the use of training tables, the risks of increasing and decreasing pressure and also how to minimize these risks. We will be training these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving; Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea and Constant Weight.
AIDA 3 - FREEDIVING COURSE OUTLINES
DURATION : 4 days
PRE-REQUISITES :
- 18 years of age or older (16 or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent)
- Can swim at least 200m non-stop without fins or at least 300m non-stop with mask, fins and snorkel
- Have completed the AIDA2 course or have completed the AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency
REQUIREMENTS : 2:45 minutes STA; 55 meters DYN, 24 meters CWT, online theory exam
MAX DEPTH : 30 meters
(Certification as an AIDA3 freediver is dependent upon reaching the target performances required by AIDA)
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Manual & certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €480
MASTER FREEDIVER
CERTIFICATION : AIDA 4
If you are an AIDA3 freediver or equivalent then you can complete your development by enrolling in the AIDA4 Master Freediver Course.
In case you are a Level 2 freediver certified by another freediving organization then you can complete an AIDA Crossover Evaluation and get certified as AIDA3.
To be more clear, AIDA3 is equivalent to what Level 2 is in other freediving organizations. And AIDA4 is LEVEL 3.
One of the key benefits of doing the AIDA4 freediving course in Malta are its warm sea temperatures. Even at depth they will range between 20°C – 30°C from June to November!
CONTENT :
- Theory – Physics (Dalton’s Law, Boyle’s law, Henry’s law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis), Failure depth (what does it mean, how to increase VC and decrease RV), Exhale diving (FRC, how and when to use it, dangers of exhale diving) Mouth-fill Technique (how and when to use it and benefits), Diet, Rigging Equipment
- Equalization – Deep Equalization techniques: Frenzel Mouth-fill
- Safety – Advanced Rescue Techniques
- Training – Lung Stretching, Body Stretching, Exhale Diving, Coaching Others
- Pool – Static & Dynamic (With & Without Fins)
- Open Water – Free Immersion, Constant Weight, Variable Weight
AIDA 4 - MASTER FREEDIVER COURSE
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
This course familiarises students with techniques, knowledge and safety procedures for deep freediving that go beyond recreational freediving. The new techniques will include FRC diving, mouth-fill equalization and packing. The skills are developed within these categories of freediving: Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea, Constant Weight, Free Immersion and Variable Weight. In addition to the in-water skills this course introduces full body warm-ups and stretching, specific stretching of breathing muscles, training concepts and diet that benefits the freediver and help shape their development as a diver. You will also be, acquainted with packing and reverse packing, mainly within vital capacity as a part of the dry lessons.
An important set of skills concerns managing open water equipment. The use of appropriate knots and braiding techniques, setting the depth on the dive line, constructing a safe bottom weight from a weight belt and diving leads, safe handling of other additional equipment (bottom plate, torches, lanyards, etc.).
One of the purposes of this course is to prepare successful candidates for the role of “Assistant Instructor”. This new role will include leading an appropriate warm-up session for confined and open water freediving and supervising students of all course levels during their confined or open water sessions.
The theory sessions will include: Physics – Dalton’s Law, Boyle’s Law, Henry’s law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis, Failure Depth and how to increase VC and decrease RV, FRC Diving, Mouth-Fill, Packing, Fitness and Training, Nutrition and Diet for Freedivers
AIDA 4 - FREEDIVING COURSE OUTLINES
DURATION : 5 days
PRE-REQUISITES :
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Can swim at least 200m non-stop without fins or at least 300m non-stop with mask, fins and snorkel
- Have completed the AIDA3 Advanced Freediver course OR have completed the AIDA3 Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from another freediving agency
- Medical form
- Liability Release
- Have a qualification in First Aid including CPR, passed within the last 2 years
REQUIREMENTS : 3:30 minutes STA; 70 meters DYN, 32 meters CWT, online theory exam
MAX DEPTH : 38 meters
(Certification as an AIDA4 freediver is dependent upon reaching the target performances required by AIDA)
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Manual & certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €570
CROSSOVER EVALUATION
If you are a freediver certified by another freediving organization you can complete an AIDA Crossover Evaluation and get certified as an AIDA freediver of the equivalent level.
AIDA CROSSOVER EVALUATION
HOW IT WORKS?
Freedivers who already completed some training with another freedive agency (such as Molchanovs, SSI, Apnea Academy, PADI, PFI, etc) can crossover to the AIDA Education system. The AIDA Instructor will conduct a Crossover Evaluation session with a student wishing to enroll on a course of the next level.
To participate in an AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course, the crossover candidate will be evaluated on all skills of AIDA2. To participate in an AIDA4 Master Freediver Course, the crossover candidate will be evaluated on all skills of AIDA3.
AIDA CROSSOVER OUTLINES
EVALUATION CONSISTS OF :
- Knowledge assessment by a written/online theory exam with passing rate of 75%
- Assessment of all Confined Water and Open Water Skills
DURATION : 1 day
PRE-REQUISITES : Be 18 years of age or older
(A certification may be issued on the assessed course level, but it is not a prerequisite to join a course of the next level)
INCLUDED :
- Full equipment
- Certification costs
- Pick up in St Paul’s & St Julian’s
- Transportation
- Snacks & drinks
- Photos
PRICE : €130
TESTIMONIALS
"Highly recommending the AIDA freediving courses to anyone who is interested in learning to freedive, improve their freediving skills or take their underwater skills to the next level. I was very fortunate to have Denis to be my instructor representing AIDA as a first class ambassador. After successfully completing the AIDA2 and AIDA3 courses I am now confident in my skills and have learned the signals my body gives and how to safely prolong my dive time and enjoy the amazing underwater world. I can never thank you enough Denis for making this a fun learning experience and am greatful for the friendship I have gained."
Joseph
(Malta)
"Learning to dive using only my breath was amazing experience!! I felt very safe and confident with Denis. He is a really nice person and I loved the way he explains everything, doing things I never did before was easy. I enjoyed a lot! Thank you Denis! Five stars from me!!!"
Serena
(Italy)
"Being a solid swimmer and an experienced SCUBA diver I went for the AIDA2 and AIDA3 combo. While AIDA2 was not physically demanding I learned loads of new stuff, especially about safety, which is SUPER important for anyone who wants to freedive. AIDA3 was a bit challenging in the beginning but we made steady progress and in the end I managed to hit 90 feet! (28m). The instructor is poised and does a great job. You can tell that he really wants you to learn and master the skills and not just to get it over with. High quality stuff. Highly recommended."
Peter
(USA)
