Core Courses
FII core courses are the foundation of our freediving training and education system. Built to develop skill progressively from one level to the next, they combine classroom learning, confined water training, and open water depth training in a structured format that supports safe, effective, and confident freediving.
Certification is earned through demonstrated mastery of the required knowledge and skills at each level. If a student is not yet ready to complete every requirement during the initial course, they have 12 months to finish at no additional tuition cost with any FII-certified instructor.
Designed by founder Martin Stepanek, FII’s core curriculum supports the full range of freediving goals, from water confidence and safety to spearfishing, line diving, competition, and long-term progression.
FII core courses are the foundation of our freediving training and education system. Built to develop skill progressively from one level to the next, they combine classroom learning, confined water training, and open water depth training in a structured format that supports safe, effective, and confident freediving.
Certification is earned through demonstrated mastery of the required knowledge and skills at each level. If a student is not yet ready to complete every requirement during the initial course, they have 12 months to finish at no additional tuition cost with any FII-certified instructor.
Designed by founder Martin Stepanek, FII’s core curriculum supports the full range of freediving goals, from water confidence and safety to spearfishing, line diving, competition, and long-term progression.
Level 1 Freediver
Level 1 Freediver
Whether new to freediving or learning informally for years, the FII Level 1 Freediver course builds the foundation for safer, more efficient, and more capable diving while helping students refine technique, correct weaknesses, and progress with confidence
Through classroom, confined water, and open water training, students learn the fundamentals of the FII training and education system in a structured, easy-to-follow format. With strong emphasis on safety, technique, and skill development, Level 1 prepares students to freedive effectively and confidently up to 66 feet / 20 meters.
Level 1 was designed for the full range of freediving goals — from building confidence in the water to pursuing depth, line diving, spearfishing, competition, fitness, and general enjoyment of the ocean.
Because FII instructors teach through a shared system, students benefit from more consistent coaching, clearer skill development, and smoother continuity when training with different instructors or continuing their progress over time.
In Level 1, students develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to begin freediving safely and effectively, including:
- Level 1 safety & problem management
- Freediving equipment
- Physics and physiology for the Level 1 freediver
- Breathing for freediving
- Breath-hold/static apnea technique development
- Freediving technique development
To earn Level 1 certification, students must attend all sessions and demonstrate mastery of the required FII Level 1 Freediver skills and knowledge.
If a student is not yet ready to complete every requirement during the initial course, they have 12 months to finish at no additional tuition cost with any FII-certified instructor.
Course Duration:
2-day program, including a minimum of 4 hours of academic instruction, 3 hours of confined water training, and 1.5 hours of open water depth training (varies by location and class).
Age Requirement:
Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Prerequisites:
Participants should have competent swimming skills and be comfortable in open water.
Level 1 Freediver POOL ONLY
Level 1 Freediver POOL ONLY
The FII Level 1 Freediver Pool Only certification course includes the academic and confined-water components of the full Level 1 program, allowing students to begin training in a structured environment before completing the open-water portion later.
Key academic concepts are introduced in the classroom and then practiced in a controlled confined-water environment. Students develop foundational knowledge in safety and problem management, equipment selection, breathing, and freediving physics and physiology while building the technique and confidence needed for safe breath-hold diving.
Course Duration:
1-day program, including a minimum of 4 hours of academic instruction and 3 hours of confined water training (varies by location and class).
Age Requirement:
Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Prerequisites:
Participants should have competent swimming skills.
- Level 1 safety and problem management
- Freediving equipment
- Physics and physiology for the Level 1 freediver
- Breathing for freediving
- Breath-Hold/Static Apnea technique development
- Confined water technique development
Level 2 Freediver
Level 2 Freediver
The FII Level 2 Freediver course builds on Level 1 by helping students understand and apply the body’s natural processes for deeper, safer, and more comfortable freediving while expanding both knowledge and capability beyond the fundamentals.
This course uses physiology, technique, and focused training methods to help students better understand their diving responses, overcome common depth-related limitations, and progress more efficiently. It also addresses key challenges such as deeper equalization and injury prevention for diving in the 66 feet / 20 meters to 132 feet / 40 meters depth range.
Level 2 is for freedivers and spearfishers who want to deepen their understanding, improve depth comfort, and continue progressing through a more advanced stage of training.
Whether your goals include greater depth, stronger equalization, improved comfort on the line, better spearfishing performance, or more structured long-term development, Level 2 helps connect deeper performance with better understanding and technique.
As part of the FII training and education system, Level 2 gives students a consistent framework for continued coaching, skill refinement, and progression with FII instructors over time.
- Safety and problem management review
- Specific techniques for triggering and developing the mammalian dive response
- Equalization
- Breathing exercises and breathing technique development
- Physics and physiology of the Level 2 freediver
- Open-water freediving technique development
- Pool training drills to enhance depth comfort
- Self-evaluation techniques
Course Duration:
3-day program, including a minimum of 7 hours of academic instruction, 2.5 hours of confined water training, and 4.5 hours of open water depth training (varies by location and class).
Age Requirement:
Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Prerequisites:
FII Level 1 Freediver, FII Junior Freediver (if applicable), Waterman Survival EXTENDED certification, or equivalent.
Level 3 Freediver
Level 3 Freediver
The FII Level 3 Freediver course is the most advanced stage of the core curriculum, preparing experienced divers to build their own training programs, troubleshoot limiting factors, and apply advanced techniques with greater purpose and independence.
Built on the technical foundation of Level 1 and the physiological understanding developed in Level 2, this course helps divers turn broad ability into focused training. Level 3 is designed for students who want to direct their development toward specific goals — whether that means advanced spearfishing trips, preparation for a freediving camp, competitive performance, deeper diving, or long-term personal progression.
Level 3 is the most advanced course in FII’s core curriculum. While it is especially valuable for divers pursuing competition, greater depth, or high-level athletic performance, it is not limited to them. It is designed for any freediver who wants to train with more autonomy, precision, and purpose.
Level 3 is not reserved for divers who have “maxed out” Level 2. It is for students who are ready to better understand their training, address limiting factors, and continue progressing with greater intention.
As part of the FII training and education system, Level 3 gives advanced students a structured framework for ongoing coaching, performance refinement, and long-term development with clear technical standards.
Course Duration:
This is 4-day program including a minimum of 4 open water sessions, 1 pool session, and 3 classroom sessions (can vary per location and class).
Age Requirement:
Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Prerequisites:
FII Level 2 Freediver certification or equivalent.
- Understanding and application of training principles
- Training techniques and skills specific to freediving fitness and performance
- Dietary needs of the freediving athlete
- Advanced breathing and stretching exercises
- Advanced freediving technique development
- Advanced safety procedures for supervision and self-rescue (including counter-ballast operations)
- Deep equalization techniques
Junior Freediver
Junior Freediver
The FII Junior Freediver course develops the same core Level 1 competencies through age-appropriate instruction designed specifically for students ages 12 to 15.
The course is designed around the way younger students learn, using age-appropriate academics and practical training to build real freediving skill, safety awareness, and responsible habits in the water. Students are trained to dive to a maximum depth of 50 feet (15 meters). Junior Freediver courses are taught by certified FII Junior Instructors and maintain a maximum student-instructor ratio of 4:1 to support a safe and effective learning environment.
For parents, this course offers a structured and safety-focused way for younger students to begin freediving with age-appropriate instruction and close supervision.
Parents are encouraged to attend with their children.
- Freediving safety and problem management
- Freediving equipment
- Physics and physiology for Junior Freediver
- Breathing for freediving
- Confined water technique development
- Open water freediving technique development
Course Duration:
2-day program, including a minimum of 4 hours of academic instruction, 3 hours of confined water training, and 1.5 hours of open-water depth training (varies by location and class).
Age Requirement:
Participants must be 12 years or older
Prerequisites:
Participants should have competent swimming skills.