Equalisation Sensitivity: How To Equalise more Efficiently for Freediving

Curtis Tredway
2 days ago
5 min read

This is something I don’t hear many instructors or coaches talking about-but once I heard the phrase "EQ Sensitivity," (shoutout to my coach, Matt Hill, UK National Record Holder and 114m diver) It gave a new perspective in how to approach EQ training for both myself and my students.

EQ sensitivity is all about your awareness of pressure changes in your ears. It's about recognising when you really need to equalise, and knowing how much pressure is actually needed to do it properly-without overdoing it.

Now, this might sound like basic stuff you'd learn in a beginner or advanced course. But in truth, I’ve seen a lot of deep divers (40m+) struggle with it. Have you ever been near PB depths and start panic pumping those equalisations? Doesn’t matter if you’re new or experienced-this applies to everyone.

Before we dive into the exercises, I want to give a big shoutout to my EQ and Mouthfill Coach, Matt Hill from Bali Spearfishing. He helped me break through a 12-month roadblock in my deep diving. If you’re ever in Bali, go train with him. He's second to none.

Are Your Ears Getting "Tired"? EQ Sensitivity Helps You Dive Deeper, Longer, and with More Ease

Ever feel like your ears get sore or more difficult to equalise the longer you're diving? Or maybe after a few days in the water, they just feel a bit off? Like there’s water stuck inside even though you've tried everything to get it out?

That’s not water. That’s likely a mild barotrauma called barotitis media, and it's your body's way of telling you that your equalisation technique needs some love.

It usually comes down to over-pressurising your ears or waiting too long to equalise. Either way, if you can improve your EQ sensitivity, you’ll save your ears a lot of grief. I’ve gone weeks or months of training without any ear issues just by getting more in tune with when and how I equalise.

But that’s not the only benefit. With better EQ sensitivity, you’ll also conserve more air for equalising deeper into your dive. That means your mouthfill lasts longer, your body stays more relaxed, and you’ll be able to dive deeper, more comfortably, and with more control.

Here’s the thing: many instructors will tell you to listen for a loud 'pop' when you equalise. But that pop? That’s way too much pressure.

What you actually want is to equalise using the least amount of pressure possible. That helps you stay relaxed, conserve air, and reduce the chance of EQ issues.

Here’s the thing: many instructors will tell you to listen for a loud 'pop' when you equalise. But that pop? That’s way too much pressure.

What you actually want is to equalise using the least amount of pressure possible. That helps you stay relaxed, conserve air, and reduce the chance of EQ issues.

Beginner Exercise: Light Frenzels (0-25m)

Do some regular P, T, or K Frenzels.
Then, do them again-but using the lightest possible pressure.
Slow it all down. Move your tongue and larynx gently and deliberately.
Do 10 of these light Frenzels.
Try to hold one for 10 seconds, keeping the Eustachian tubes open the whole time.

Advanced Exercise: Deep EQ Sensitivity (26-40m+)

For Deep Frenzel Divers

Larynx Pumps - Practice gently lifting your larynx. Make it smooth and subtle. You can try making the grouper call quietly.
Larynx Drops - Practice gently lowering the larynx. Keep it controlled.
Full Range Movement - Combine a slow drop and a gentle pump. Work on making it fluid and calm.
Reverse Packing + Light Frenzel - Do a subtle reverse pack, followed by a gentle T-Frenzel. Repeat 10 times.

For Mouthfill Divers

Use your EQ tool and a balloon for feedback.

P-Lock, T-Lock, K-Lock - Charge your mouthfill, then use the smallest movement you can to keep pressure in the balloon. This builds finesse and helps you equalise with minimal effort.

Stop Panic Pumping: Know When to Equalise

This one’s big. Whether you're diving to 10m or 100m, it's easy to fall into the trap of panic-pumping your EQ as you approach your personal best.

What happens is we get anxious. We think equalisation is about to fail, so we start equalising more frequently, hoping it’ll help. But that usually backfires.

As we cover in our courses, Boyle’s Law tells us that as you go deeper, the effect on lung volume becomes smaller and smaller.

Check this out:

0 to 10m: a 6L lung shrinks to 3L (a 3L change)
40 to 50m: it goes from 1.2L to 1.0L (just 0.2L difference)
90 to 100m: it drops from 0.6L to 0.55L (only 0.05L difference)

That last 10m shift is just 1.67% of the change you experience in the first 10m. So even though pressure still increases, its effect on volume gets smaller the deeper you go.

This is why deeper dives feel more stable-and why your equalisation should be more spaced out, not more frequent.

EQ Sensitivity Training (Dry)

Exercise 1: Visualisation

Record a dive audio for yourself. I’ve got recordings for 70 and 80m dives.

Add in:

Gratitude and breath cues
Final breath and packing
Duck dive
Mouthfill and belly relax cues
Timed EQ prompts like:
- Equalise... wait 3 seconds... Equalise... wait 4 seconds... Equalise...

Just listen and visualise. Don’t hold your breath. This is all mental training.

Exercise 2: Noseclip or Mask Simulation

Put on your noseclip or mask. Let a bit of air leak and mimic your dive from 20m onwards. Slowly equalise with longer pauses. Visualise your glide. Focus on the timing.

Exercise 3: Affirmations (Do's, not Don'ts)

I've learned from some of the best-Thibault Guignés (125m), Matt Malina (114m), Matt Yang (119m)-and every single one of them talks about the power of the mind.

Thibault ran a Mental Prep workshop where he explained how to do affirmations properly. And here's the key: they need to be positive.

Say things like:

"My equalisation is calm and gentle"
"I manage my mouthfill effortlessly"
"I'm strong and relaxed in the water"

Don’t (Ha!) say:

"I won’t force my equalisation"
"I won’t swallow my mouthfill"

Your brain hears the negative word and holds onto it. So always frame it positively.

A study published in BMC Psychology looked at young athletes using mental imagery and positive self-talk. They performed better, built more confidence, and had better motor control. More recent research on adult athletes has shown similar results-including improved performance in tennis players using these exact strategies.

In-Water EQ Sensitivity Drills

Exercise 4: Slow Descent Freefall

Do five relaxed FIM pulls. Then, slowly kick into a descent until you’re slightly negative (around 15m). Begin your freefall gently. The goal isn’t depth-it’s to feel when you actually need to equalise. Relax your belly, shoulders, and neck. Equalise only as needed.

Exercise 5: Overweighted Freefall

Overweight yourself and begin a freefall from 10m to about 80% of your PB. Use a shallow charge if you’re doing mouthfill. The goal is to manage your volume gently, with subtle, spaced-out EQs. Reverse packers can do the same.

Getting your EQ sensitivity dialled in won’t just save your ears-it’ll make your dives smoother, more efficient, and more enjoyable. It’s one of the most underrated skills in freediving, and one of the most powerful tools you can train.

Keep it light. Keep it slow. Stay relaxed, and listen to your body.