What is an AIDA freediving course?

An AIDA freediving course is an internationally recognised certification covering breath-hold diving technique, safety, equalisation, and the mental game. AIDA (Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée) certifications are accepted at dive sites and liveaboards worldwide. Freediving Brain offers AIDA 1 through AIDA 4 and the Instructor Course, all taught across Barcelona's indoor pool and the Mediterranean.

Do I need experience to join an AIDA 1 freediving course?

No experience is required for AIDA 1. The only requirement is basic comfort in water — no prior swimming qualifications needed. AIDA 1 is designed for complete beginners and runs for one full day of theory and pool sessions. All equipment is provided. Maximum 8 students per course.

How deep do you dive in AIDA 2?

The AIDA 2 certification requires a constant weight dive to 20 metres. The course runs over 2.5 days, combining pool sessions with open water dives in the Mediterranean. No prior certification is required — AIDA 2 is suitable for beginners. Maximum 6 students per course.

How deep do you dive in AIDA 3?

AIDA 3 targets constant weight to 40 metres open water, plus static apnea of 2 minutes 45 seconds and dynamic apnea of 55 metres in the pool. The course runs over 3 intensive days. Prerequisite: AIDA 2 certification. Maximum 4 students.

How long does each AIDA freediving course take?

AIDA 1 is 1 day (pool only). AIDA 2 is 2.5 days (pool and Mediterranean open water). AIDA 3 is 3 days intensive. AIDA 4 is 4 days of intensive personal coaching. The AIDA Instructor Course runs 10 to 21 days as a full programme. All include equipment and AIDA certification on completion.

What is the Freediving Brain mental game methodology?

The Freediving Brain methodology applies the mammalian dive reflex — the body's built-in physiological response to immersion — alongside structured breath and nervous system regulation techniques. The core principle is that depth and breath-hold time are byproducts of mental calm, not willpower. Every course includes the protocol from AIDA 1 onwards.

How much do AIDA freediving courses cost in Barcelona?

AIDA 1 — €120. AIDA 2 — €300. AIDA 3 — €360. AIDA 4 — €480. AIDA Instructor Course — €1,200. All equipment is included in the course price. No payment is required to reserve your place.

Are AIDA freediving certifications internationally recognised?

Yes. AIDA certifications are internationally recognised and accepted at dive sites, liveaboards, and freediving schools worldwide. Freediving Brain is an AIDA certified school; all certifications are issued directly through AIDA International on completion of the course assessment.

Freediving Brain, AIDA Certified Freediving School Barcelona

Entry

AIDA 1, Introduction to Freediving

Pool only · 1 day · No experience required

€120

The gateway into freediving, and into a different relationship with your own mind. Designed for complete beginners. No swimming ability requirements beyond basic comfort in water. By the end of this day, you will hold your breath longer than you believed possible, not because we taught you a trick, but because we showed you what was always there.

1 full day, theory and pool

Small group, personal attention throughout

Indoor pool, Barcelona

AIDA 1 certificate included

All equipment provided

English instruction

What you learn

The Mammalian Dive Response, your biology's built-in reset
Breathwork and pre-dive relaxation protocol
Safe static apnea in the pool
Buddy system and safety fundamentals
Why the mind is the limit, and how to change that

Reserve AIDA 1, €120

Foundational

AIDA 2, Freediver

Pool + Mediterranean · 2.5 days · No prior cert needed

€300

Your first full certification. Your first time in the Mediterranean. Your first time watching the surface disappear above you and discovering that the silence below is not frightening, it's the quietest your mind has ever been. AIDA 2 is where the identity shift happens. You become a freediver.

2.5 days, pool and open water

Maximum 6 students

Mediterranean open water dives

AIDA 2 certificate, 20m depth

What you learn

Static and dynamic apnea pool disciplines
Constant weight freediving to 20m
Equalization technique and freefall
Rescue breathing and buddy procedures
The mental game at depth, first contact

Reserve AIDA 2, €300

Advanced

AIDA 3, Advanced Freediver

Pool + Mediterranean · 3 days · AIDA 2 certified

€360

This is where the mental game becomes the dominant variable. As you push toward 30m and feel true freefall for the first time, technique is solid and equipment works, but the mind still wants to interrupt. AIDA 3 is where the Freediving Brain methodology delivers its most visible results. Students don't just reach depth. They reach it with calm.

3 days, intensive

Maximum 4 students

20–30m depth · first freefall

AIDA 3 certificate

What you learn

CO₂ & O₂ tables · static 2:45 & dynamic 55m
Constant weight to 20–30m with freefall
Mouthfill equalization introduction
Complete Freediving Brain mental protocol system
Nervous system regulation at depth

Reserve AIDA 3, €360

Performance

AIDA 4, Master Freediver

Pool + Mediterranean · 4 days · AIDA 3 + valid EFR certification

€480

Elite level. Small cohort. Deeply personal. At AIDA 4, every dive is a conversation between your nervous system and the ocean. You master mouthfill equalization, FRC dives, and lung packing, the technical apex of recreational freediving. The prerequisites are real: AIDA 3 and a valid EFR certification. Not everyone arrives here. Those who do leave changed.

4 days, intensive personal coaching

Maximum 3 students

38m depth · 3:30 static · 75m dynamic

AIDA 4 certificate

What you learn

Full mouthfill equalization mastery
FRC dives and lung packing techniques
Deep rescue and emergency protocols
Decompression and narcosis awareness
Personalised depth and performance coaching

Reserve AIDA 4, €480

Professional

AIDA Instructor Course

10–21 days · Max 3 candidates · STA 4–5min · CWT/FIM 40–50m

€1,200

Taught personally by Shebl, AIDA Instructor Trainer. The Instructor Course assesses rather than trains, you arrive already meeting the performance standards, and we shape you into a teacher: the mental methodology, the nervous-system protocols, and the philosophy that changes how students relate to depth. It begins with a mandatory pre-course assessment and runs 10 to 21 days. Maximum three candidates. This is not a production line. It is a transmission.

10–21 days, flexible, assessment-based

Maximum 3 candidates

AIDA Instructor certification

Internationally recognised

What you gain