Mindset

The surface is calm. The head has to be calmer.

Freediving is the only sport where trying harder makes you worse. Tension burns oxygen. Relaxation is a skill you train like any other.

breathe-up   slow exhales, 3–5 minutes
pre-dive     drop the shoulders, soften the jaw
descent      count the rope, not the depth
surface      breathe first, report second

The quiet

At thirty meters the world goes silent and your heart rate drops below forty. That's the mammalian reflex doing its job. Let it.