Three techniques every freediver needs to know. Start with Valsalva, progress to Frenzel, and eventually master Mouthfill. Click each technique below to explore step by step instructions.
Take a full, relaxed breath at the surface before your dive.
Pinch your nose closed through your mask nose pocket. Seal both nostrils completely with your thumb and index finger.
Close your mouth and gently push air from your diaphragm toward your pinched nose. Think of it like trying to blow your nose very softly.
You should feel a gentle pop or pressure release in both ears. If one side does not clear, tilt your head so the problem ear faces the surface and try again.
Equalize early and often. Start at the surface and repeat every meter or two as you descend. Never wait until you feel pain.
Valsalva works well for your first few dives and at shallow depths up to about 10 to 15 meters. It is the most intuitive technique and the one most beginners learn first. You probably already do this on airplane flights without thinking about it. If you are new to freediving, start here and move to Frenzel once you want to go deeper.
Pinch your nose closed, just like with Valsalva.
Close the back of your throat (your glottis). Think of the position your throat is in right before you say the letter "T" or "K." Hold that position so no air can pass between your mouth and lungs.
Use the back of your tongue as a piston. Push it upward and backward toward the roof of your mouth. Only your tongue should be moving.
This tongue movement compresses the air trapped in your mouth and nasal cavity, pushing it through your Eustachian tubes into your middle ear.
Practice on dry land first. Try saying "kuh" or "tuh" with your nose pinched. You should feel a small pop in your ears each time.
Once comfortable on land, practice in shallow water at 2 to 3 meters and gradually take it deeper as the technique becomes automatic.
Frenzel is the standard technique for freediving beyond 10 meters. It uses far less air and energy than Valsalva because you only move a small pocket of air with your tongue instead of compressing air from your lungs. Most serious freedivers use Frenzel as their primary method from 10 to 30 meters. If you plan to dive deeper than 10 meters regularly, this is the technique to learn.
At the surface, take a full breath and start your descent using Frenzel equalization as normal.
At around 15 to 20 meters (or wherever Frenzel starts to feel difficult), perform one final Frenzel to push as much air as possible from your lungs into your mouth and cheeks.
Close your glottis completely. Your mouth should now feel full of air, almost like chipmunk cheeks. This is your air reserve for the rest of the dive.
Use your cheeks and jaw muscles to gently compress this air pocket in small amounts, pushing it into your Eustachian tubes with each equalization.
You can perform multiple small equalizations from this single mouthfill charge as you continue descending deeper.
Practice the charge and release on dry land first. Fill your mouth with air, close your throat, then use your cheek muscles to push air toward your ears with your nose pinched.
Mouthfill is essential for depths beyond 25 to 30 meters. At these depths, lung volume is so compressed that standard Frenzel can no longer generate enough pressure. By loading your mouth with air at a shallower depth, you carry an air reserve that allows you to equalize well beyond the limits of Frenzel alone. Competitive freedivers rely on this technique for deep dives. Only attempt this after you have a solid Frenzel foundation.
This is the most common problem. Your Eustachian tubes are not identical, so one side often opens more easily than the other.
Solution: Tilt your head so the problem ear faces the surface. This can help the Eustachian tube on that side open more easily. Also try wiggling your jaw gently while equalizing.
As you go deeper, the air in your body compresses. At 10 meters your lungs hold half the volume they did at the surface, leaving less air available for equalization.
Solution: Equalize more frequently as you descend. Once standard Frenzel becomes difficult, it is time to learn Mouthfill. Also make sure you start each dive with a full, relaxed breath.
Pain means you have descended too far without equalizing. The pressure differential is now too large for a gentle equalization to work.
Solution: Stop immediately. Ascend one or two meters until the pain goes away. Try equalizing again gently. If it still will not clear, return to the surface. Never push through ear pain.
If you pinch your nose and blow but feel nothing, your Eustachian tubes may be blocked or you are not generating enough pressure.
Solution: Practice on dry land first until you reliably feel a pop or click. Swallowing, yawning, or wiggling your jaw can help open the tubes. Nasal congestion from a cold or allergies makes equalization very difficult, so avoid diving when congested.
Stress and tension underwater can make your body tighten up, which blocks the technique that works perfectly when you are relaxed on the couch.
Solution: Build your comfort level gradually. Start in shallow water where there is no real pressure to equalize deep. Practice Frenzel at 2 to 3 meters until it becomes automatic, then slowly increase your depth.
A feeling of fullness after diving usually means mild barotrauma from either equalizing too hard or too late during the dive.
Solution: Do not dive again until the feeling clears completely. Gentle Valsalva on the surface can help. If the fullness or hearing change persists for more than a few hours, see a doctor. Prevention is always better: equalize early, equalize gently, equalize often.
Equalization should never hurt. If you feel pain at any point, stop descending and go back up. Learning proper technique takes time, and the best way to progress is with a qualified instructor by your side. On every BADA trip, Minseo (PADI Master Freediver) personally guides you through equalization at a pace that matches your ability.
Book a freediving trip with BADA and get hands on equalization coaching from a PADI Master Freediver in the crystal clear waters around Koh Samui.
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