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#636
Freedive Training in TAMPA, FL??
Loren_Sangster - 8/28/2012 8:49 PM
Category: Free Diving
Replies: 10

Hey everyone,


So I’ve been training a lot and reading up on just about every website imaginable for freediving. I’m looking to get pretty serious into the sport, however for now, I’m just a beginner. I plan to hopefully attend Kirk Kracks PFI school in the not so distant future, but for the time being... I was wondering if anyone had any good tips as far as training and breathing techniques go. I bought an Expand-A-Lung last week and I’ve been using that about an hour a day which has helped a bit too. I’m looking for any helpful ideas, info, or if your in the Tampa area, maybe even a training buddy. Let me know and take care everyone! Thanks!



- Loren
#51828
Greg - 8/31/2012 11:01 AM
Not sure of training buddies near Tampa, but check out this topic on free diving tips:


http://www.divebuddy.com/forum_topic.aspx?ForumID=23078&Category=265
#636
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Loren_Sangster - 9/06/2012 5:20 AM
Thanks for the info greg. Much appreciated. Ive been training a lot recently. Ill keep you up to date on how much ground i cover and any compitions i may compete in!
#157
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JasonP - 10/23/2013 5:00 PM
Hello Loren. Where in Tampa do you live?


Take that class as soon as you can. Bill Van Deman is the local PFI instructor. He’s a great instructor and a wonderful human being. Can’t recommend him highly enough. In the meantime, if you would like some intro guidance, drop a reply or send me a direct message.



Do you have any gear yet? Doesn’t take much, but your comfort depends utterly on having the right mask, the springs are pretty cold (wetsuit) and the right fins will get you farther with less work. No wetsuit required for shore diving in summer, but the visibility is horrible.



-Jason
#157
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JasonP - 10/29/2013 9:37 PM
No need to go to Lauderdale for PFI classes, Loren.
#157
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JasonP - 10/29/2013 9:38 PM
No need to go to Lauderdale for PFI classes, Loren. Bill Van Deman is your man for PFI instruction on the Gulf Coast. You’re in luck, too, because he lives in Apollo Beach and holds Classes in St. Pete and South Tampa.


Take the initial Freediver certification course and then start saving up for the Tampa Intermediate Freediving course coming up in March. It will be taught by a freediving championeither Mandy-Rae Krack (Kirk’s wife) or Ashley Chapman with Bill as the assistant instructor. Mandy-Rae and Ashley are both world record freedivers.



Do you have a wetsuit/mask/snorkel/fins? I might be going to Lithia Springs this Saturday to introduce a friend from work to freediving. Interested in joining us?
#157
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JasonP - 10/29/2013 9:39 PM
No need to go to Lauderdale for PFI classes, Loren. Bill Van Deman is your man for PFI instruction on the Gulf Coast. You’re in luck, too, because he lives in Apollo Beach and holds Classes in St. Pete and South Tampa.


Take the initial Freediver certification course and then start saving up for the Tampa Intermediate Freediving course coming up in March. It will be taught by a freediving championeither Mandy-Rae Krack (Kirk’s wife) or Ashley Chapman with Bill as the assistant instructor. Mandy-Rae and Ashley are both world record freedivers.



Do you have a wetsuit/mask/snorkel/fins? I might be going to Lithia Springs this Saturday to introduce a friend from work to freediving. Interested in joining us?
#636
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Loren_Sangster - 10/31/2013 4:57 AM
Hey thanks! I absolutely would love to go but I unfortunately have to work this weekend. I’m a service manager at a car dealership thats open 7 days a week, so my days off dont fall on weekends too often. However, please let me know when you do head out diving and I’d love to join you at some point. Maybe even if your very serious about it, we could work out some sort of schedule and become dive buddies and train together.


- Loren
#157
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JasonP - 10/31/2013 11:16 AM
Have you found any training facilities, Loren? I haven’t seen anything with any real depth, but that’s not a requirement.
#636
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Loren_Sangster - 11/01/2013 2:01 PM
Not really around here. There are a few pools about 13 ft deep and the standard olympic legth good for dynamic training. Other than that, my girlfriends family has a 19’ deck boat ill go out in sarasota bay with and freedive but again, sarasota bay is very deep either. Its been difficult to get some actual training and experience, hence why I was on here and everything.