The F.I.I. specialty courses have been designed to increase the proficiency and safety in the diverse range of freediving and breath-hold related activities. By working with experts, from top educators to elite world-record-holding spearfisherman, big wave surfers, and competitive freedivers, these courses build upon the core course foundation and have been proven to have exceptional results in the field.
The F.I.I. specialty courses have been designed to increase the proficiency and safety in the diverse range of freediving and breath-hold related activities. By working with experts, from top educators to elite world-record-holding spearfisherman, big wave surfers, and competitive freedivers, these courses build upon the core course foundation and have been proven to have exceptional results in the field.
Spearfishing
The FII Spearfishing Course is a fully standardized spearfishing program developed by world-renowned spearfishermen and freedivers Cameron Kirkconnell, John Dornellas and Martin Stepanek.
This innovative course was developed to fulfill the need for spearfishing safety education in the community, with an emphasis on nurturing this craft as the most sustainable and selective method of fishing. Whether a seasoned underwater hunter or just starting out, participants leave this course with the skills necessary to be a well-rounded, safe and successful hunters.
The course manual is one of the most extensive references ever written on the craft of spearfishing.
Throughout this course participants learn the knowledge and proven techniques used by world record spearfishermen and women, all delivered in a comprehensive and easy-to-learn format. The curriculum includes:
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Course Duration:
Five hours of classroom instruction, three hours of confined water training and an optional add-on spearfishing day to refine new techniques in the local environment.
Age Requirement:
16 years old or older
Prerequisites:
FII Level 1 Freediver or Junior Freediver Certification or equivalent
Freediving Photography
The FII Freediving Photography Course is a comprehensive guide in applying strong photography fundamentals to the unique aspects of freediving for capturing beautiful and unique photos.
This course introduces the fundamental features that make freediving photography unique and guides students in taking advantage of them to capture beautiful photos. It also covers the fundamental technical skills of photography and guides attendees in applying them in the aquatic environment. It includes a practical on editing and color correction as well, and eight unique composition exercises.
The course manual is a beautiful exposé of photos taken by students and a wonderful resource to use and return to for technical and artistic guidance.
This course brings together all the aspects needed to capture beautiful photos as a freediving photographer and teaches a system to practice and improve over time.
1. Fundamental features of freediving photography
2. Safety for freediving photography
3. Photography fundamentals
4. Color correction and editing
5. Composition exercises
6. Approaches and techniques
7. Equipment and editing software
Course Duration:
Minimum of four hours of classroom instruction, three hours of open water photography, and two hours of practical instruction in editing.
Age Requirement:
12 years of age or older
Prerequisites:
FII Level 1 Freediver or Junior Freediver Certificate or equivalent
Basic Freediving Safety
The Basic Freediving Safety Course introduces students to proper freediving supervision and basic safety and rescue procedures used in recreational freediving and spearfishing.
Whether you’re a spearfisher without any formal free-diving education or a spouse, parent, or newbie interested in getting into breath-hold activities, this essential safety information is paramount knowledge for everyone involved in spearfishing and free-diving activities.
This course is popular with spearfishing clubs around the United States and is used as a minimum certification for club membership.
The Basic Freediving Safety Course has a lowered minimum age requirement of 12, making it accessible to the younger generations developing a keen interest in spearfishing or freediving.
This course should be viewed as a minimum requirement for everyone participating in any form of freediving.
Course Duration:
1-day course. Minimum of 3 hours of academics and 2 hours of confined water training.
Age Requirement:
12 years or older
Prerequisites:
Competent swimming skills
Advanced Freediving Safety
The Advanced Freediving Safety Course provides attendees with advanced safety training required for instructors, leaders, event safety staff, or where discipline-specific safety protocols are required.
This course lasts one day, starting with a classroom session and moving into the open water for rescue-specific drill training.
FII Advanced Freediving Safety course is for any responsible freediver and/or spearo whom is interested to bring their freediving safety & rescue skills to the next level. Besides incrasing proficiency in basic safety procedures studens will learn additional protocols used for advanced training techniques, challengin environment or various freediving styles, including competitive freediving.
This course is mandatory for all candidates wishing to enter the Freediving Instructors International (FII) professional programs.
Course Duration:
1-day course. Minimum 4 hours academics and 2 hours open water training.
Age Requirement:
Participants must be 16 years or older
Prerequisites:
Minimum FII Level 1 Freediver or FII Junior Freediver (if applicable) or Waterman Survival EXTENDED certification or equivalent
Introduction to Monofin
The Introduction to Monofin Course provides the core foundational techniques for mastering the correct monofin movement.
Beginning with equipment selection, this course takes you through the biomechanics of the monofin technique and targeted stretching before you hit the pool for in-water technique development. With a unique combination of dry land exercises, pool development skills, and video technique review, this rewarding program is recommended for everyone interested in learning the correct techniques for using a monofin for free diving, fitness, or recreation.
Course Duration:
Minimum 1.5 hours combined confined water training, dryland exercises and academics
Age Requirement:
Minimum 12 years or older
Prerequisites:
Competent swimming skills
Waterman Survival
This specialized course reveals the training methods to handle unexpected breath-hold related situations. The acquired skills will exponentially increase in-water breath-hold confidence and safety as well as management in extreme situations.
Any experienced waterman will easily recall at least one moment in their lives when the power of Mother Nature's ultimate force has pushed them to their limits. Gasping for breath, they reached the surface feeling there was nothing else to give or was there? During this groundbreaking course, your certified F.I.I. Waterman Survival instructor will dispel common misconceptions and get to the bottom of the true urge to breathe. Participants will learn how to retrain their urge to breathe, increasing their CO2 tolerance and breath-hold abilities while also mastering key specialized safety protocols to ensure effective victim management for breath-hold-related incidents in extreme conditions.
Course Duration:
1-day course. Minimum 3 hours academics and 2 hours confined water training.
Age Requirement:
Minimum 12 years or older
Prerequisites:
The WMC is designed for all ocean sports enthusiasts with a medium to high level of in-water comfort and at least average swimming skills.
Waterman Survival Extended
The Waterman Survival Extended takes you through the Waterman Survival and beyond. The course expands upon various exercises applied in an open water setting where students tackle more realistic scenarios to greatly increase their comfort and confidence.
The training utilized by US Navy Seals, "Green Berets" Combat Divers, pro surfers Garrett McNamara, Andrew Cotton, Freedy Patachhia, Carlos Burle, Jamie O'Brien, Adriano De Souza, and many more. This course has set a new standard of waterman safety training and conditioning worldwide.
The extended version of the Waterman Survival Extended Course also incorporates the F.I.I. Level 1 Freediver certification course, thus allowing students to add-on a series of advanced open water depth drills. When the F.I.I. Level 1 certification is completed, the Waterman Survival training advances a few notches and moves into a more serious and realistic open-water environment where students are taken through drills that simulate high-stress underwater disorientation training and safety scenarios. Waterman Survival training is the ultimate waterman safety training and not for the faint of heart. This makes it the No.1 course for all watermen/women.
On completion, participants are eligible to receive the FII Waterman Survival and F.I.I. Level 1 Freediver certification.
Course Duration:
3-day course. Minimum 5 hours academics, 3 hours confined water training, 3 hours open water training.
Age Requirement:
16 years or older
Prerequisites:
The WME course is designed for experienced waterman of excellent health and fitness who have a medium-high/high level of in-water comfort.