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Old 06-02-2015, 10:01 AM   #76
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Re: Immersion freediving review

I recently had the good fortune to take Ted Harty’s Intermediate Freediver class in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ted owns and operates Immersion Freediving, which is affiliated with Performance Freediving International. I chose this class after reading prior testimonials, and I feel like I would be remiss in not passing along my experience to those who might be searching for the same information.

When you take a class with Ted, you will quickly realize a few things. First, Ted is a very talented freediver. And if you are like me, you will find this fact comforting, because clearly this would be important to anyone hoping to learn how to freedive. Yet, this was not the characteristic that stood out the most to me when I took this class. Above all else, Ted is a phenomenal teacher. He is not simply some freediving drone, reciting the requisite class materials day in and day out. Rather, he possesses an unmistakable passion for not only the sport itself, but for sharing that sport with others. He wants to make you a better diver. And he is exceptionally good at that. There are plenty of talented freedivers like Ted in the world. But Ted possesses an innate ability to take significantly less talented freedivers, much like myself, and unlock something in us, turning us into something far more evolved under that water.

When you take a class with Ted, you are undoubtedly going to leave that class a better, safer, and more competent freediver. Most importantly, you are going to know exactly WHY you are better, safer, and more competent. Ted is going to ensure that you have a deeper understanding of your body, the physiology and psychology behind each dive, and the imperatives of diving safely. I was honestly amazed at the depth of the knowledge Ted possesses regarding the physiology and psychology behind freediving. Not till the end of class did I realize that this knowledge is the key that unlocks the door to becoming a better diver.

Immersion Freediving is more than just a name. It is a brand. And behind that brand is Ted Harty. Rest assured, when you take a class with Immersion Freediving, you will be trained by Ted Harty. This is a badge you will carry with you, as it means something in the freediving world. Most importantly, it means something to Ted. It means that each and every student is going to be a representative of that brand, and that fact seems to inspire his passion to educate.

Ted is not simply going to relay information to you in the hopes that you will someday use it. No, Ted is going to take those few days and transform you into something you probably never thought you could be. That may sound a little fluffy, but ask any former student if he EXPECTED the results he or she obtained, and I would wager that most students found the class to far exceed expectations. I know it did for me. Thanks Ted.
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Old 06-02-2015, 06:01 PM   #77
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Re: Immersion freediving review

Glad you enjoyed the course so much Chris! I've got one spot left for Saturday, would enjoying diving with you again.

Here are some of the photos from the course, hopefully I"ll have the course video by the end of the week.







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Old 06-25-2015, 12:35 PM   #78
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Re: Immersion freediving review

My name is Matteo, I'm 45, and even though I've been spearfishing since I was a little kid, this was the first freediving course I've ever taken. I was very happy with the course: this is an intense course where you get a lot of information and learn a lot. In fact, it would be difficult for me to summarize all the things that I have learned in just a few lines, but here are some of the major points:

If, like me, you're mainly a spearfisherman, you'll learn a lot of things that also apply to spearfishing. In fact, everything you'll learn applies to spearfishing as well. More than anything, if like for me this is your first freediving course, you need to approach it with an open mind: not only most (if not all) of what you learn will directly translate into spearfishing, but the approach Ted teaches is likely radically different from anything you've known or done so far.

The size of the class is small, just 5 students. This allows every student to learn, practice, and be followed by Ted directly, one-on-one. For example, Ted will follow each student in every single dive in the ocean sessions. Let me repeat that: the instructor dives with each student in every single dive.

There is a lot of emphasis on safety. Throughout the class you will learn the various emergency situations you may found yourself into while diving and spearfishing, and how to respond to them. For example, you will learn about loss of motor control and blackout (just to mention two of the major emergency situations that commonly happen while spearfishing), and how to respond to each situation first on the surface, then under water, and finally at various depths, and you will practice it over and over again, first in the pool and then in the ocean.

Even though safety is paramount, the course is a lot of fun. I never cared for stating apnea, but I actually enjoyed the pool sessions a lot more than I expected. I ended up doing a 6:02 breath hold, which I absolutely never expected I would be able to do. Also, both pools were really nice; some of the nicest ones I've ever had the opportunity to swim or dive in.

Another point Ted likes to stress is technique. Freediving is a sport where technique is more important than being an amazing athlete. You don't need to be an incredible athlete to reach incredible results; all you need it good technique, and the willingness to change what you think you know, learn, and improve. For example, I often experience cramping in my calves when ascending from the bottom. I always thought it was an issue with my calf muscles, but I learned that it was mainly a kicking technique issue. I learned to rely more on the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles rather than the calves, and to do wider, more powerful kicks, and that helped a lot with cramping.

As a scientist, I really enjoyed the scientific approach that Ted gives to the course. First you learn how to ventilate, how to recover after a static breath hold, and how that is different from recovering after a dive. Or you will learn how, quite often, blackout near the surface presents no discernible symptoms to the diver. Then, Ted will explain the physiology behind it, and that's where everything suddenly starts to make sense: from the ventilation technique, to the different recovery techniques, to the physiology behind blacking out, etc...

Even though you are given a lot of information, everything happens gradually. The first ocean session was a difficult one for me, since you need to put into practice a lot of new things, and to do that correctly and in the correct order. Also, diving along a cable was something I've never done before. However, the second session everything started to click, and on the third day in the ocean I did some of the most enjoyable dives I've ever done. Even without a speargun!

Finally, Ted is not only an amazing freediver, he's also an excellent teacher. You can tell he actually enjoys teaching and interacting with the student. He puts as much passion in his teaching as he does in his dives. It's too bad that, at the moment, Ted can't offer the advanced freediving course in FL, otherwise I would enroll immediately. I would definitely recommend this course to anybody.
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Old 07-03-2015, 04:09 PM   #79
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Re: Immersion freediving review

I have been free diving and spearfishing for about 3 years and I would say in the last year I really have had the desire to start diving deeper. I made it my New Years resolution to freedive 100 feet and thanks to Ted Harty’s class I was able to check that goal off my list! Before my class my max depth was 60 feet and I was limited by my equalization technique and comfort level and after his course I hit 115 feet! I was truly impressed with Ted’s teaching technique and everything was a gradual increase slowly building technique and comfort. This class exceeded my expectations! Ted has not only made me a much safer diver but a much deeper diver. I would recommend novice to experienced divers to take his course. It will forever change the way you dive.
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Old 07-05-2015, 02:57 PM   #80
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Re: Immersion freediving review

What can I say about Ted Harty and Immersion Freediving? First of all,hands down he is the best instructor I have ever had the pleasure of doing a class with. He instilled tremendous amounts of safety into his courses and goes above and beyond with his students. I just recently went through his Intermediate course and came out of the course a better Freediver and a much safer Freediver and dive buddy. I was a 60' diver with a static of 3:47 and at the end of the course I was hitting 115' comfortable and doing 4:19 statics safely and clean. I have done other courses with different organizations and Ted's course by far is the best. Not only do you get more classroom and pool time but also 3 Open Water sessions to make sure everything he has gave you as a tool to use is instinct. I chose Immersion Freediving because of the testimonials I've read on his Facebook Page and from fellow divers. If I was going to recommend a Freediving course, it would be with Ted Harty and Immersion Freediving. Thank you for the knowledge and skills to become a safer and more comfortable Freediver Ted!

Chad Sawyer
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Old 08-23-2015, 06:42 PM   #81
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Re: Immersion freediving review

Immersion Freediving Testimonial - August 7, 2015:

I’ve been a certified scuba diver since 1994, but in the last couple years I became very interested in freediving and spearfishing. On my last scuba trip I attended an introductory "resort style" freediving class and got hooked! After coming back home I started researching everything I could on the sport, including reading articles, magazines, books and watching countless YouTube videos. All the information I came across started to become confusing as everyone had a different suggestion or technique and it was getting difficult to decide on who or what to follow. The one consistent that kept popping during my searches was Immersion Freediving - So I made the decision to contact Ted and sign up for his intermediate class, I can’t be more happier that I did! Ted is a highly experienced freediver and outstanding instructor. He eliminated all the confusion I had come across and taught techniques that made sense and are proven to work - He truly cares about each student and puts a tremendous emphasis on safety. The best advice I can give to anyone considering taking Ted’s class is DO IT! Regardless if you’re brand new to the sport or an experienced spearfisher you owe it to yourself and fellow divers to sign up - I’m positive that once you’re done with the training you’ll be just like every other student telling yourself I should have signed up with Immersion Freediving sooner and will be wanting to get your friends to do the same!

Dale G. Pekel

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Old 08-24-2015, 09:55 AM   #82
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Re: Immersion freediving review

My name is Chris Duperreault and I have recently gone through the PFI’s intermediate course with Ted Harty at Immersion Freediving. I am a Bermudian spear-fisherman I have been spearing for just over 3 years. My hunting depth was around 50-60 feet but most comfortable in the 40’s. Soon after my start in spearing I wanted to be able to go deeper, stay longer, and be safer. I decided that when I finished culinary school I would go to Ted’s class where I would learn how to free-dive properly and safely.

I enrolled in the intermediate class, I had no idea what the course would consist of since I had not taken any previous free-diving classes. I had done a lot of research on free-diving and thought I was doing it somewhat right but after the first day in Ted’s classroom I quickly realized I was basically doing it all wrong. The main reason I took the class was for the safety aspect and it was humbling to find out the way I was diving I was very close to black outs.

I still cannot believe the transformation I made as a free-diver during the class. I had in my mind that I was going to have to make small changes and adjustments to my style but in reality Ted changed every aspect of my diving from where to position my accessories, my entry, my kicking, equalizing, breathing, and even the way I think in the water. My bad habits were a little tough to break at first but how Ted teaches the changes stuck relatively easy and felt natural by the end of it. We also covered how to deal with loss of motor control and blackouts. We spent a good amount of time practicing and role playing rescues until we could all do it with our eyes closed. I hope I won’t have to use that training but I am confident now that I can rescue friends if needed. Going into this I had a three minute and 30 second max static and at the end of it I had a massive increase to five minute and 15 seconds and it felt very comfortable. My max depth was 70 feet going in and with no surprise I had a huge increase in my max depth I finished up with a PB of 115 feet in just four days!

I had an absolute blast during the time at immersion. I met some awesome people and made new friends that I know I will be safe in the water when diving with. The course was so much more than I expected it taught me my limits and made me a completely different diver. Ted was an amazing teacher he was able to figure out how each person learned in a short amount of time. Ted made sure that every question asked was answered in great detail and that no one left the class uncertain about anything. What I learned at Immersion I will be using forever now. You cannot put a price on your life and taking this course dramatically decreases your risk of dying while free-diving. If you haven’t already signed up for a class you need to, it will change your life.
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Old 10-20-2015, 09:42 PM   #83
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Re: Immersion freediving review

Ted,
Thanks again for a great class and being a great instructor.
Your class was great and completely worth my time and money. Even though I've been freediving and learning tricks and tips the last 6 years, it was your class that finally taught me how to do so many things correctly, and I finally know exactly what to do to keep my dive buddies safe if/when a problem ever happens. There are so many concepts and techniques and you did a tremendous job teaching them and incrementally building on them. I found it especially valuable (and fun) to be in the water each day of class and dive from the boat two days - that really helped cement things in my mind, and I felt extremely safe with your instruction and supervision.
I hope to be able to do the intermediate class with you.
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Old 11-23-2015, 08:23 PM   #84
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Re: Immersion freediving review

I took Ted's course a few months ago and am just now getting around to posting this.

I wouldn't describe myself as a cynic. However, it would be fair to say that I can be a bit skeptical when it comes to products or services offering dramatic results in a short amount of time.

I grew up scuba diving, and am very confident as a swimmer. I have spent a lot of time on and in the water, either running to and from the Bahamas, fishing, or lobstering/spearing. Because of my comfort level on the water, I didn't think there was going to be anything revolutionary in the freediving course. I felt confident that I could simply spend more time in the water, continue to practice holding my breath, and eventually I would reach deeper depths and more bottom time.

I came into the course with a static apnea of 2:30 and could dive to about 40 feet. However, those 40 foot dives were a strain. My "training" simply involved more static apnea session on the couch trying to get a longer breath hold. I changed nothing about the actual dive itself. I thought the key to this whole sport was being able to hold your breath the longest. I had no idea that the initial entry, kicking form, and pace played such a critical role. I also had no idea how close I was to blacking out, or having a loss of motor control when surfacing from those straining dives.

At the end of the day, this course is not a magic trick, or quick tip/secret. In Ted's own words, if you want 10 more seconds on the bottom, swim straight down rather than at an angle (something I had never done before). However, if you want to completely break down, and subsequently rebuild, the way you dive, breath, and prepare, then this course is for you. It seems like a short amount of time, but there is a lot of work to put in over those three days. The results you achieve are going to be solely dependent on how hard your work in the course, and your willingness to listen and change everything about your diving. If you put in the effort you will be rewarded with the results.

In the pool session I maxed out the course with a static apnea of 3:30. By the end of the second ocean session Ted had gotten all of us to 66 feet (max for the course), and those dives were a breeze. Coming in, I expected the breath hold on a 66 foot dive to be an issue. I was surprised by how calm and easy those dives became. Ted provides his students with all the tools needed to enter the dive in a relaxed state, and take down much more oxygen than you have ever been able to before.

One of the greatest benefits to this course may seem obvious, but is still worth noting. It is invaluable to be surrounded by a group of like minded individuals who are interested in the sport, and also want to dive safely. I can't tell you how many times my friends, family, or co-workers would say, "Oh, you mean like snorkeling," when I tell them about freediving. It was awesome to share the experience of this course with the group. The ups, downs, struggles, and successes were all collaborative, and it was just as exciting when the entire group hit 66 feet, as when I hit it personally. I also now feel plugged in to a new community of like-minded freedivers, which I did not have access to prior to the course.

Consider this to be my long-winded, and emphatic endorsement of Immersion Freediving. I will absolutely be harassing friends and family members involved in the sport to take the course, and hope to take the intermediate course in the next few years. I did a lot of research on various courses around Florida, and am very glad I decided to work with Ted Harty and Immersion Freediving. I would recommend this course to anyone who asks. It was an incredible experience, and Ted is an awesome instructor.
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Old 05-28-2016, 05:35 AM   #85
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Re: Immersion freediving review

Ted Harty is a record holding competitive freediver who is eager to share the “secrets” to successful diving to depth-safely. While he continues to seek out new information about the sport’s techniques from top professionals that he is acquainted with, he willing shares this information in the training course.

His Immersion Freediving course combines topics on safety in water with breath-hold and diving techniques that enabled me to overcome my limitations with getting to depth with relative comfort. The course is procedural in that Ted presents a process during class session (whether in water or classroom) and then patiently coaches students of knowledge learned to achieve success with that process. Then the processes are combined for successful safe deep diving in relative comfort.

Ted’s Immersion Freediving course has absolutely improved my breath-hold, safety, and the way I dive. He will recognize any inefficiencies you have with your dive and with corrections enable you to perform better, safer, and with greater comfort deeper. I highly recommend this course for everyone, especially those “highly experienced” spearfishermen.

Noel Skwiot, May 2016 student, intermediate class, Immersion Freediving

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Old 06-09-2016, 02:16 PM   #86
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Re: Immersion freediving review

My name is Ralph and I have been freediving and Spearfishing for about 36 years in the Miami/Florida Keys area. In addition, I have been a certified scuba diver since 1980. Like many, I enrolled in Immersion’s three day PFI freediver course to acquire the knowledge and techniques to increase my bottom time and dive deeper in order to spear larger fish.

After many years of researching freediving courses and instructors, I chose Immersion freediving over the others because; Ted is a full-time instructor – and that’s his chosen career, and he has been an instructor since 2005. He owns the boat used for the ocean sessions – a big plus. His classes are limited to 5 students which create an intimate and personal experience. Besides, he’s an accomplished freediver and competitor!

Before taking Ted’s class, my spearfishing depth was between 15 to 35 feet with the occasional dive to around 45 feet. My best static apnea was a 3:32 minute breath hold. My personal best dive was a 60 foot dive at one of Florida’s natural springs, and, of course, that dive was done under duress. When Spearfishing with my buddies, what I consider to be safe practice was being able to see them from 15, 20 and 30 yards away and communicating by whistling/calling out to check on each other. "That's what we called being safe". I know now, after completing the course, that spearfishing that way is not safe!

During the course, I performed a static apnea breath hold of 3:30 which is the maximum allowed for this course and a personal BEST DIVE TO 66ft, with a total dive time of around 1min 23 sec. That dive was not under duress and thanks to Ted, it was calm, relaxing and under my control! What an awesome feeling!

After taking Ted's freediver course, I realized that it's not just about learning the techniques to dive deeper and staying longer but how to do it safely. In his course, Ted's curriculum revolves around the safety aspects of freediving and the practice of those safety protocols and techniques throughout the three days. I have to say, that the course is intense and not just physically demanding but mentally challenging as well. That being said, Ted’s passion, devotion and teaching style helps overcome those obstacles and amount of material covered.

Ted, It was a pleasure meeting you. You made me feel as though we’ve been friends for years, and in the near future, I will be enrolling in the intermediate class.

All the best,

Ralph/Spearone
66 foot safe freediver!!!!
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Old 07-06-2016, 05:16 PM   #87
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Re: Immersion freediving review

Glad you enjoyed the course, and looking forward to working with you in the Intermediate course.

Remember past Immersion students get $125 off the Intermediate course.

Dive safe out there,
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US Men's Freediving Record Holder
2012 Captain for USA Freediving Team
See courses in action on my youtube channel
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