Scuba diving vs free diving certification?

[Loveh2o]

If one get certifed in scuba diving does it apply in free diving and visa versa?

Does the epsame concept apply in both?

 

[eponym]

If one get certifed in scuba diving does it apply in free diving and visa versa?
Does the same concept apply in both?

Short answer to "vice versa" and "the same concept" is "no"

I've never encountered a scuba dive operator who required any certs at all for free diving (or snorkeling).

Are you interested in getting training in one or the other? Some agencies (SDI, for example) offer extensive freediving training as well as scuba diver training.

 

[DogDiver]

No


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[Loveh2o]

Short answer to "vice versa" and "the same concept" is "no"

I've never encountered a scuba dive operator who required any certs at all for free diving (or snorkeling).

Are you interested in getting training in one or the other? Some agencies (SDI, for example) offer extensive freediving training as well as scuba diver training.

Im interested in scuba diving and or free diving. Would like a recommendation in Orange County California.

 

[undrwater]

Lots of shops around that teach scuba diving. Free diving seems to be mostly a mentor or self taught activity. Free diving is an excellent introduction to water sports in general, and will likely make you a more confident, if not competent scuba diver.

I don't know if any good free dive instructors in SoCal, but you might wish to post that question in the SoCal forum.

 

[TMHeimer]

Snorkeling should probably be a prerequisite to OW scuba course. If you can breathe from a snorkel, clear the water from it after freediving down, and maybe practise breathing through the snorkel swimming with mask off, I would think you would find the "mask" skills in scuba not even to be skills at all. Many students have trouble with these "airway" skills. IMO the logical order is proper form swimming, snorkeling, scuba.

 

[USdiver1]

Years ago, when the YMCA was involved in diver training, they offered (and recommended) a skin diver (free or snorkel) course, as a prerequisite to their scuba course. Many of the water skills are useful to both activities, and the Y's emphasis on continual training and developing core competencies began with how to use a mask, fins, snorkel and safety vest before progressing to a tank, regulator and bcd. For those of us who went through the program, it was well worth it and made us more confident in our abilities under water before starting scuba training.

 

[Chet_Chet]

Check this out.
Fii - Freediving Instructors International

 

[TMHeimer]

Years ago, when the YMCA was involved in diver training, they offered (and recommended) a skin diver (free or snorkel) course, as a prerequisite to their scuba course. Many of the water skills are useful to both activities, and the Y's emphasis on continual training and developing core competencies began with how to use a mask, fins, snorkel and safety vest before progressing to a tank, regulator and bcd. For those of us who went through the program, it was well worth it and made us more confident in our abilities under water before starting scuba training.

My uneducated guess is that back then people interested in scuba had already learned proper swimming and done a fair bit of snorkeling. Different world now.

 

[Storker]

Since there's no diving police, no-one will prevent you from freediving without a cert.

OTOH, freediving has certain risks which scuba diving doesn't, like shallow water blackout. Which may well kill you. There's also a few procedures developed for freediving which may be a good idea to be aware of. At least CMAS offers freediving courses and cert cards. While you don't need the cert card to strap on a mask and a pair of fins, it may be a good idea to get the training that taking a freediving cert will get you.