The Benefits of Yoga for Freedivers: Breath, Body & Mind

Fernando Driol
Jun 14
3 min read

Improve the performance and relax more

Freediving is more than a sport, it’s a journey into calmness and self-awareness beneath the waves. While you don’t need extreme strength or flexibility to hold your breath and explore the underwater world, incorporating yoga into your routine can elevate your freediving experience. With its focus on breathing with pranayama technique, relaxation, meditation and flexibility, yoga is a natural companion for freedivers looking to deepen their connection to the ocean, improve performance, and enjoy a more mindful journey.

Breathwork

Freediving is about mastering the art of holding your breath, and yoga offers a powerful set of tools to improve breath control. Through pranayama or breathwork, yoga helps freedivers to regulate heart rate, and extend their breath-hold times underwater.

When you remain calm, your body uses oxygen more efficiently. Yoga teaches techniques that allow you to control your breath, even under stress or when faced with the urge to surface. Practices like Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) enhance focus, Ujjayi (victorious breath) calms the nervous system, Kapalbhati strengthens the diaphragm, and Uddiyana Bandha works on diaphragmatic contractions, also Kumbhaka, the practice of breath retention.

These yoga techniques provide freedivers with essential breathing skills, directly contributing to safer, longer, and more enjoyable dives.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Kapalabhati Pranayama

Relaxation

Freediving requires a state of calm. Anxiety, even mild, can increase your oxygen consumption and cut dives short. Yoga’s meditative practices help divers enter a state of relaxation before and during their dives. Techniques like Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation) or body-scanning meditations train the mind to stay focused and composed underwater.

Post-dive, yoga aids recovery by easing tension and promoting calm. Gentle poses like Child’s Pose, Reclined Twist, Legs-Up-the-Wall or Paschimottanasana help release tightness in the lower back, shoulders, and hips; areas often strained by freediving movements.

Flexibility and Movement Efficiency

Efficient movement is everything in freediving. Yoga’s emphasis on flexibility enhances mobility in key areas like the diaphragm, chest, hips, and legs. For example, Fish Pose and Cobra Pose stretch the chest and ribcage, improving your body’s ability to expand with each breath. This not only makes breath-ups (the controlled breathing before a dive) more effective but also streamlines your body position underwater.

For the legs and hips, poses like Pigeon or Warrior II build strength and increase range of motion, improving your finning technique and conserving energy. Better flexibility leads to less drag and smoother movements, helping you glide effortlessly through the water while maintaining stamina for longer dives.

Mental Clarity

The mental discipline yoga cultivates is invaluable for freedivers. Visualization exercises, a staple in yoga, can help divers mentally rehearse their dives, building confidence and focus. By practicing mindfulness, freedivers learn to stay present, managing the sensations and emotions that arise during a breath-hold.

This clarity extends beyond the water, enriching your daily life. Whether you’re exploring coastal caves, relaxing on a beach, or embarking on your next underwater adventure, yoga can help you stay grounded and attuned to the moment.

Make a calm ascent to the surface

What the Experts Say about yoga for freedivers?

AIDA| Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée: Freedivers around the world use yoga as part of their training to improve flexibility, breath control, and mental focus key skills for mastering the art of apnea. While AIDA doesn’t have specific guidelines on yoga, its principles align with freediving fundamentals.

Alexey Molchanov| Champion in various freediving disciplines.: The world champion freediver credits yoga with helping him relax and stay calm during dives. Yoga postures improve his flexibility, enabling efficient movement underwater, while breathing exercises support his world-class breath-hold times.

InDepth Magazine: Articles in InDepth emphasize yoga’s ability to enhance awareness and concentration—qualities critical for freedivers navigating the challenges of the deep.

Travelers’ Insights: Many freediving destinations now include yoga classes as part of their offerings, recognizing the natural synergy between the two practices. Whether you're on the beaches of Bali, the cenotes of Mexico, or the Mediterranean’s azure waters, you’ll find yoga and freediving retreats tailored to both beginners and experts.