August 30th, 2025

The Hardest Part of Being a Freediving Instructor
When people think about the challenges of being a freediving instructor, they imagine teaching breath-holds, equalisation, or guiding students through their first deep dive. But for me, the hardest part has always been something much simpler — persuading people to take their very first step.

The First Move: Signing Up
I’ve met countless people curious about freediving. They love the ocean, they admire the beauty of diving on a single breath, yet when it comes to signing up for their first course, hesitation kicks in.
They tell themselves: “I’m not ready. I need to train more. Maybe later.”
But the truth is, once they finally take the leap, they always finish the course. They realise that freediving isn’t about being perfect from the start — it’s about learning to trust yourself, step by step. And that’s when transformation begins.

The First Move: Traveling out !
Another common hurdle is travel. When I suggest training at better facilities — a deeper pool, a calmer ocean, a place designed to push their potential — the resistance comes fast:
“Too far. Too expensive. Too much hassle.”
Yet, the moment they make the trip, something shifts. They train better, they feel safer, they see their own progress. And more often than not, they come back again and again. What once felt like a burden becomes a part of their growth journey.

The First Move: Competing
Competition is no different. Many divers are afraid of stepping onto the stage. They worry about not being good enough, about failing, about how others might see them.
But once they compete, everything changes. They become obsessed with technique, focused on refining every detail, hungry to perform better. The fear is replaced with passion.

My Forever Challenge
And so, this remains my greatest challenge as an instructor: inspiring people to take that first step. It’s not easy. It will never be easy. But I’ve accepted it as my forever challenge — one that I’m almost obsessed with.
Because the reward is priceless. To see someone achieve something they once thought impossible, to watch them transform fear into confidence, and hesitation into achievement — that is the true joy of my work.

Building the Pathway
As instructors, we see the other side of the road. We know the beauty, the freedom, and the strength that lie ahead. Our role is not just to teach techniques — it’s to build the pathway for you to cross, to walk with you as you discover a new version of yourself.
So if you’ve been waiting for the “right time,” know this: the hardest part is just the first step. Once you take it, you’ll never look back.

— Azua Shafii, SSI Freediving Instructor Trainer, and Freedive Athletes with more than 30 AIDA National record