Aida3 Advanced Freediver - Course Outline: 1.1 Prerequisites

1.
AIDA3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER - COURSE OUTLINE

1.1 PREREQUISITES
To enroll in the AIDA3 Advanced Freediver course, an individual must:
• Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)

• Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
• Have completed the Liability Release
• Have completed the AIDA2 Freediver course
o Or have completed the AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation if crossing over from
another freedive agency or having other adequate freediving experience
1.2 COURSE PURPOSE

The AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course builds on the skills learnt in the AIDA2 Freediver
Course. It is designed to cover the necessary skills and knowledge for a recreational
freediver to be able to safely freedive with or without a guideline. The aim of the course is to
develop the skills and knowledge necessary to independently plan and participate in
freediving activities with similarly experienced freedive buddies.
The course is designed to further develop skills from previous levels, develop new skills and
a higher knowledge of safety procedures and techniques for freediving such as Free
Falling, Frenzel Equalizing, Training Tables, the risks of increasing and decreasing
pressure and how to minimize these risks.
Students will train these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving; Static Apnea,
Dynamic Apnea, Free Immersion and Constant Weight. Competition rules for these
disciplines should not be used.
1.3 CROSSOVER EVALUATION

If a student has a comparable certification of another agency or adequate freediving
experience in knowledge, confined water and open water, the AIDA Instructor may apply
the AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation. The AIDA Instructor will assess the level of the student for
every skill as outlined on the AIDA2 Course Completion Form. The Evaluation Sessions are
not part of the AIDA3 Course and do not count towards the minimum amount of sessions
during the course. The AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation consists of
• Min. 1 Confined Water Session

• Min. 1 Open Water Session
• Written AIDA2 Exam, passing rate 75% and discussion of all missed points.
The AIDA Instructor must fill in and sign every passed skill on the AIDA2 Course
Completion Form. If the student can demonstrate satisfactory mastery of all required skills
as outlined on the form, the AIDA2 Completion Form must be completed and signed at the
bottom both by the student and the AIDA Instructor. The student has thus passed the
AIDA2 Crossover Evaluation and can:
• Be certified as AIDA2 Freediver (optional)

• Participate in the AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Course
1.4 KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT

The theory will include:
• Physiology
• Equalization
• Barotrauma
• Lungs at Depth
• Buoyancy
• Shallow Water Blackout
• Training Concepts
• The Mammalian Dive Response (MDR)
• DCS and Surface Intervals
• Freediver Code of Conduct
Option 1: Instructor-Led Classroom Sessions

The knowledge development is conducted using the AIDA3 Slide Set. Students should be
provided with an electronic copy of the AIDA3 Advanced Freediver Manual. The minimum
number of theory sessions is 3 and the minimum duration of these theory sessions should
not be less than 3 hours.
Option 2 – Student Self-Study

Students will be given an electronic copy of the AIDA3 Manual and read the manual at their
own leisure and complete the Knowledge Reviews. Knowledge Reviews must be checked
by the Instructor, who will then discuss missed information by using the AIDA3 Slide Set
and/or the AIDA3 Manual.
1.5 AIDA3 EXAM

The AIDA3 Exam must be completed by any student certified as an AIDA3. The passing
score is 75%. Any missed questions should be explained to the student, using the AIDA3
Slide Set and/or the AIDA3 Manual. The student must sign at the bottom of the exam to
indicate that this additional explanation has taken place. If the student does not pass the
exam on first sitting, he may re-sit the same exam once.
AIDA 3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER GUIDELINES - Version 3.0 (2018)

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1.6 CONFINED WATER SESSIONS
This part of the course is intended to refresh the existing rescue skills and refine the
technique of the student diver. It also introduces the student freediver to static and dynamic
training tables and the benefit of warm-ups as a preparation for a maximum performance.
The sessions should be conducted in a swimming pool or similar confined water.
Confined Water Sessions (minimum 2) Training Tables & Maximum Performances

After the sessions the student freedivers will be able to:
• Design an appropriate Static Apnea Training Table for themselves to build tolerance
to high carbon dioxide levels (CO2 table). This table can also be developed during a
previous Classroom Session and does not need to be performed by the student.
• Demonstrate how to set Neutral Buoyancy suitable for dynamic freediving (DYN) by
choosing and testing an appropriate amount of weight and adjusting if required.
• Repeat and refine bi-finning technique, with attention to relaxation before the dive
head position in body axis, good body posture, streamlined arm positioning, turns,
surfacing at the edge of the pool (or at the supporting device in confined water) and
recovery breathing
• Design and perform an appropriate Dynamic Apnea Training Table with minimum 20
laps, to fit the pool length (or available confined water site). This dynamic table can
also be designed in a previous Classroom Session.
• Repeat appropriate support technique for a buddy experiencing loss of motor control
(LMC) after surfacing from dynamic freediving
• Repeat appropriate rescue technique for a buddy experiencing a blackout (BO)
during dynamic freediving
• Plan and perform a static session warming up to a maximum breath hold of at least
2 minutes 45 seconds safely with a training buddy, including appropriate surfacing
and recovery breathing
• Repeat the appropriate rescue technique for a buddy experiencing a loss of motor
control or blackout during static freediving
• Demonstrate a Dynamic Apnea dive of at least 55m
• Demonstrate appropriate buddy-procedures for a buddy performing a dive of at least
55m
1.7 OPEN WATER SESSIONS (MINIMUM 4)

Open water sessions should be conducted in open water with a fixed line to be used as a
point of reference by the student freediver. The maximum depth of the freedives should be
set by the AIDA Instructor, limited to not more than 30m, either by choosing a site of this
depth or by setting the length of the line at a maximum of 30m.
A lanyard should be used, except when the student is buddying as a safety freediver.
The open water training component of this course includes 4 sessions. These should take
place over at least two days. All skills below must be included in the course but the order
can alter as long as the training of Frenzel Equalization and Free Falling is started in the

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first two sessions. The rescue and the self-rescue skills should be performed after the
freediving skills in each session.
Open Water Session One - Technique and Equalization Practice

After these open water session, the student freediver will be able to:
• Demonstrate the ability to operate all the quick releases on the safety lanyard
• Demonstrate how to identify the point of neutral buoyancy, adjust the weight for
deeper freedives (if needed) and start to Free Fall
• Repeat efficient Duck Dives, remaining oriented to the guide line while descending
and ascending with an efficient swimming technique, including correct finning
technique and body positioning
• Repeat appropriate surface relaxation while breathing through a snorkel, One Full
Breath and Recovery Breathing
• Practice the “Frenzel” Equalization technique
• Identify hazards and points of interest for the chosen open water dive site
• At least three times, effectively buddy for a freediver attempting a Constant Weight
dive, meeting the freediver at a depth of at least 15m, including appropriate pre-dive
procedures to make sure both the freediver and the buddy are ready. Where
possible, this should involve buddying for more than one freediver. If only one
freediver is available, target depth or dive time should be varied to assess the safety
ability of the diver to time their own dive accordingly
• Demonstrate the self-rescue technique for a leg cramp suffered at depth, ascending
from 15m using the arms only and without use of the rope (FIM) other than for
orientation
• Practice Free Falling.
• Repeat appropriate rescue technique for a freediver who arrives at the surface and
experiences black out, securing the airways of the victim, taking his/her mask off
and perform “blow, tap, talk” for 10-15 seconds.
• Demonstrate the rescue procedures for a freediver who loses consciousness at a
depth of 10-15m on ascent, to include bringing the diver to the surface and
demonstrating effective surface rescue, securing the airways of the victim, taking
his/her mask off and perform “blow, tap, talk” for 10-15 seconds.
• Warm-up for and perform Constant Weight dives to a depth of at least 24m (21m in
water temperatures lower than 12C at a depth of 10m and below) and maximum
30m, including efficient Duck Dive, good line orientation, equalizing using Frenzel
technique, using Free Fall, an appropriate turn, efficient finning technique on
descent and ascent and use of buoyancy towards the end of the ascent. Buddying
and safety procedures must be applied.
• Descend to 10m, take the mask down and ascend along the dive line by using the
fins with the mask around the neck to simulate a loss of a mask.
• Tow a conscious inert freediver to shore/boat a minimum distance of 50m or exit
point

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1.8 ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
The use of a lanyard is mandatory for dives deeper than 20m.
1.9 CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES

Students who meet all the performance requirements outlined above may be certified as
AIDA3 Advanced Freedivers. Freedivers who meet all the performance requirements other
than those listed under open water dives may be certified as AIDA3 Advanced Pool
Freediver.
1.10 KEY STANDARDS
• Prerequisite certifications: AIDA2 Freediver or successful Crossover Evaluation

AIDA2
• Minimum Age: 18 or older (16 or 17 with parent/guardian signature)
• Minimum Classroom Sessions (if teaching): 3 Minimum duration 3 hours
• Minimum Knowledge Review Session (if self-study): 1 session of min. 90min
• Minimum Confined Water Sessions: 2
• Max depth 30m
• Minimum Open Water Sessions : 4 over at least 2 days
The course should run over at least 3 days

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1.

AIDA3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER - COURSE OUTLINE

• Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)

1.2 COURSE PURPOSE

1.3 CROSSOVER EVALUATION

• Min. 1 Confined Water Session

• Be certified as AIDA2 Freediver (optional)

1.4 KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT

Option 1: Instructor-Led Classroom Sessions

Option 2 – Student Self-Study

1.5 AIDA3 EXAM

AIDA 3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER GUIDELINES - Version 3.0 (2018)

Confined Water Sessions (minimum 2) Training Tables & Maximum Performances

1.7 OPEN WATER SESSIONS (MINIMUM 4)

AIDA 3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER GUIDELINES - Version 3.0 (2018)

Open Water Session One - Technique and Equalization Practice

AIDA 3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER GUIDELINES - Version 3.0 (2018)

1.9 CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES

1.10 KEY STANDARDS

• Prerequisite certifications: AIDA2 Freediver or successful Crossover Evaluation

The course should run over at least 3 days

AIDA 3 ADVANCED FREEDIVER GUIDELINES - Version 3.0 (2018)

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