Level 1

Freediving course

Q: Can I upgrade from Pool FD to a full Freediver certification after?

Yes. If you decide to continue to the next level during or after your basic course, you will only need to pay the remaining balance for the full course and schedule your boat training day.Please ask your instructor for guidance on how to complete this process or contact us. There is no time limit!

Certifications

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Level 1 Freediving Course Overview

If you want to explore the open ocean on a single breath, our 1-day and 2-day Level 1 Freediving course are the perfect way to begin your breath-hold journey. We run courses across Queensland and New South Wales, including Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and the Whitsundays from Airlie Beach.

Whether you are completely new to freediving or looking to refine your skills, our experienced instructors will guide you with proven techniques, safety-focused training, and personalized coaching to help you reach your potential underwater.

We specialize exclusively in freediving and offer certified courses through PADI Freediver, SSI Freediving or Molchanovs (Find the difference between each freediving agency in the FAQ area below).

Choose between a 1-day pool course or a complete 2-day pool and ocean freediving course, both certified. Requirements may vary depending on the selected agency:

1-Day Level 1 Freediving (Pool)
An ideal introduction to freediving fundamentals in a controlled environment. Includes:

Breathing techniques
Static breath hold of 1:30 minutes
Dynamic apnea of 25m to 30m
Pool safety buddying and rescue skills
Essential self-rescue techniques

2-Day Level 1 Freediving (Pool + Ocean)
The complete Level 1 experience. This option includes everything from the 1-day course, plus open water training. Includes:

All 1-day course components
Constant weight dives to 10m to 20m depth
Duck dive and frenzel equalization techniques.
Self-rescue and rescue skills
Open water buddying and line awareness

Book now to learn how to hold your breath and extend you underwater time with us.

FAQs

What abilities does this freediving course suit?

This course is suitable for people completely new to freediving, as well as for more experienced divers. It is also ideal for snorkelers, scuba divers who want better breathing control, surfers who want to stay underwater longer, and spearfishing enthusiasts who want to learn how to hold their breath properly and safely.

What certifications will I get?

The certification you receive depends on the course option you choose.

If you choose the 1 Day course, and upon completion of all requirements, this course can be used to certify you under PADI Basic Freediver, SSI Pool Freediver, or Molchanovs Lap 1, in some locations.

If you choose the 2 Day course, or upgrade from the 1 Day course, and upon completion of all requirements, this course can be used to certify you under PADI Freediver, SSI Freediving Level 1, or Molchanovs Wave 1, in some locations.

Please contact us for more info.

What locations is this course offered?

This freediving course is available in Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Airlie Beach.

What is the difference between PADI, SSI and Molchanovs?

PADI, SSI and Molchanovs are freediving certification agencies. Their role is to provide the standards, structure and requirements for each certification.

Every instructor and school must follow the educational and professional standards of the agency they teach under.

That said, the real difference in your freediving experience usually comes down to the instructor. Their knowledge, experience and teaching approach have a much bigger impact than the agency itself.

👉 For a deeper breakdown, read the full article here.

Can I upgrade from Pool FD to a full Freediver certification after?

Yes. If you decide to continue to the next level during or after your basic course, you will only need to pay the remaining balance for the full course and schedule your boat training day.

Please ask your instructor for guidance on how to complete this process or contact us. There is no time limit!

Gallery

Freediving Course Outline

Prior to the course you will receive an e-learning program that will take approx 1 hour to complete prior to the course.

Day 1

9 am - 4 pm (approximately)

Classroom learning:

Theory of freediving
Breathwork and Meditation workshop

Pool skills session:

Static breath hold
Dynamic apnea
Dynamic duck dives, turns and other skills
Buddy procedures, pool rescue drills

Day 2

7 am - 1 pm (approximately)

Ocean skills & exploration:

Enjoy a half-day expedition in the open ocean where we will aim to dive to a minimum depth of 10m, explore the natural wildlife and practice your new found skills including:

Multiple free immersion and constant weight freedives
CWT duck dives, line turns and freediving rescue drills
Buddy procedures
Open water rescue and self-rescue drills
Recreational wildlife exploration of the area (weather dependant)

Prerequisites

To enroll in a Freediver course you must:

Be 12 years old or older
Be able to swim 200 metres
Have no medical conditions related to this activity (Download the Medical Questionnaire here.)

No prior experience with snorkeling or freediving is required.

Book Now

SYDNEY

From

$349

Sunshine Coast

From

$349

Gold Coast

From

$349

Brisbane

From

$349

Boat departures:
– Runaway Bay
– Mooloolaba

Airlie Beach

From

$349

OceanSense Freediving Reviews

Excellent

OceanSense Freediving - Airlie Beach5.0

Based on 397 reviews

See all reviews

Terry W.

1 week ago

Had a great time freediving today with the OceanSense team. Everyone was courteous and professional and did an excellent job of managing varying competency levels. I was impressed with the way they balanced covering important safety items while keeping things lighthearted and fun. I also enjoyed learning about the history of the sites we dove. I’d recommend them to anyone looking to get their freediving certifications or, if already qualified, as a great way to get some depth practice in. Definitely will book again.

Jorgee J.

1 week ago

I couldn’t recommend OceanSense enough! I recently completed my freediving course with OceanSense & honestly had the most amazing experience. The course taught me so much about freediving, breathwork, equalisation, safety & building confidence in the water. I feel like I’ve come away with a much better understanding of my body, the ocean & how to freedive safely. A huge thank you to Renee, Maria & Gonzalo for being such incredible instructors. You were all so patient, encouraging & supportive throughout the whole course, & made me feel comfortable every step of the way. I really appreciated how much time you took to explain things, answer all my questions & help me work through anything I found challenging. You can genuinely tell how passionate the whole OceanSense team is about freediving & the ocean, & that made the experience even more special. I’m leaving the course feeling so much more confident in the water & absolutely hooked on freediving! I’m so grateful I got to learn from such an amazing team & I can’t wait to keep progressing. Thank you OceanSense, Renee, Maria & Gonzalo!

Tiffany H.

3 months ago

I Recently returned from a freediving retreat in Amed with OceanSense completing my Level 1. What a fantastic week, and an even better group of people! Loved every second of it. Jenna, Gonzalo and Renee were incredible instructors, calm, kind and patient. Between them they have so much knowledge and have an amazing set of skills. Highly recommend whatever level you are diving at, to check out OceanSense. This is just the start, I will be back :) Thanks Guys

Annie C.

3 months ago

I joined one of the Oceansense retreats in Bali. It was really well run, super professional and fun! Great instructors who were really encouraging and patient, and they also held some great masterclasses in lung stretching, relaxation, form and techniques. We had a good variety of organised line diving sessions, pool sessions and a fun trip in the middle. Sadly I got sick halfway through the retreat and it stopped me from finishing my course but they have the option to finish your course with them within a year which is great, it really took the pressure off. Highly recommend!!

Bianca

3 months ago

This was my second trip away with OceanSense and it didn’t disappoint. If you’re thinking of doing one of their retreats I would highly recommend you do it!! The trip to Amed was well organised and the instructors Jenna and Gonzalo are highly approachable and knowledgeable. See you on the next one!

Tegan B.

3 months ago

It’s honestly hard to put into words how incredible the Amed Retreat with OceanSense was. Their passion for what they do is infectious, and the huge effort they put into making the entire experience possible does not go unnoticed. This retreat was the perfect mix of fun, adventure, and being pushed outside my comfort zone! What truly made this experience so special was how supported and encouraged I felt every step of the way. The OceanSense team created such a genuine, welcoming environment where everyone was celebrated, no matter their freediving experience or confidence level. I left incredibly grateful for the friendships and connections I made along the way. It’s an experience that will stay with me for a very long time.

Christie L.

3 months ago

excellent blend of professionalism, friendliness and encouragement - bought the best out in all divers in a relaxed informative environment.

Myriam R.

3 months ago

I’ve just come back from my second Amed retreat with the OceanSense fam and I once again loved every minute of it! The instructors Jenna, Matt and Patrick are incredibly attentive and have an amazing skillset to share and learn from. They cater to all levels of diving and do everything in their power to ensure you have the best time along your diving progression journey. Thank you for helping me live my best mermaid life, for creating a friendly and supportive environment and for the amazing memories created along the way! If you’re new to Freediving or are wanting to learn new skills and reach new PB’s – OceanSense are the crew for you :) Thanks so much Jenna, Matt and Patrick!

Matthew-Gemma H.

4 months ago

Matt, Lexi and the whole team were just incredible, what an experience! Thanks guys.. Can't wait to head to Airlie again for more courses and more dives :D

Larnee N.

4 months ago

Just finished a level 2 course with Matt and his team in Airlie Beach. If you want to learn some free diving skills in a relaxed environment with some great and friendly teachers oceansense is the go!

Andys F.

4 months ago

After years of wanting to increase my breath hold and to feel more comfortable while free-diving, I joined the team at OceanSense. The crew was very friendly, committed, helpful and knowledgable. I highly recommend them if you want to build your skills.

Jasmine

5 months ago

Just finished my 2-day Freediving Level 1 course in Airlie Beach and I’m beyond happy with the experience! 🌊 Huge thanks to the incredible instructors Matt, Celina, and Alexis for their patience, support, and constant encouragement every step of the way. The course was super professional, well structured, and made me feel safe and confident from start to finish. I learned so much and achieved results. This is only the beginning — thank you OceanSense! 🤍!

Vicky B.

5 months ago

What a great retreat with this amazing team! Safety is secured every dive, photos are taken beautifully, travel tips are provided, each dive spot is amazing. Couldn’t be better. Professional!

Amanda S.

6 months ago

A great ocean dive experience, excellent tuition from instructor Mike and a fantastic team

Paul-Emile C.

6 months ago

We did the Breath hold and equalisation technique with Gonzalo. We had a great time, Gonzalo is a very experienced diver as well as a great teacher. Would highly recommend.

Emma A.

6 months ago

Gonzalo is such a great coach! very hands on and informative, im looking forward to learn more from him in future training sessions!

Manuel R.

6 months ago

I had a great time and learned a lot with Gonzalo at the breathhold and equalization workshop, thanks!

Alex A.

6 months ago

It was a blast doing the course with Gonzalo, super informative and such a great person to hype you up and learn more about equalisation and breathing techniques, can’t wait to do more classe with him!

Jerrold C.

9 months ago

Fantastic experience getting our Wave 1 with OceanSense! The entire team is so helpful and supportive. We did our pool day in Mooloolaba with Matt, and eventually our ocean day with Gonzalo, Carla, and Renee in the Gold Coast. The coaches really listen to what you need, and make everything feel very relaxed with no pressure to perform, which was really important to us.

charl G.

9 months ago

A massive thank you to Gonzalo and Rene who helped me through my level 1 freediving course this weekend. What a great way to start the new year. Its going to be hard to find a more knowledgeable crew than this.