Stay calmer underwater. Recover faster. Feel more confident when things get heavy.
 
You don’t need to surf giant waves to benefit from better breath control.
 
Whether it’s getting caught inside, taking a few waves on the head, a longer hold-down than expected, or simply feeling your heart rate spike after a wipeout, learning how to stay calm can make a huge difference.
 
Our Surf Apnea Course takes proven techniques from freediving, breathwork and professional water safety and makes them practical for surfers.
 
No huge breath-hold required. No freediving experience needed.
 
What you’ll learn
We’ll teach you how to:
Stay calmer during wipeouts and hold-downs
Understand the urge to breathe and why it can feel so intense
Reduce panic and unnecessary oxygen use
Recover faster between waves and sets
Control your breathing before paddling back out
Lower your heart rate after exertion
Become more comfortable with rising CO₂
Build your breath-hold safely
Use simple relaxation techniques under pressure
 
Built for surfers
 
A lot of surfers assume better breath-holding means trying to hold your breath for as long as possible.
 
It doesn’t.
 
In the surf, the bigger skill is being able to control your response when you’re uncomfortable, tired and don’t know exactly when you’re coming up.
 
We’ll work on drills designed to make that feeling more familiar, while teaching you how to stay relaxed and conserve energy.
 
Theory + Pool Training
The course runs for approximately 3-4 hours and includes both theory and practical pool training.
 
We’ll cover:
Breath-hold physiology
Oxygen vs CO₂
Why panic burns oxygen quickly
Surf-specific recovery breathing
Relaxation and nervous-system control
Breath-hold mistakes surfers commonly make
Progressive underwater drills
CO₂ tolerance training
Recovery between repeated efforts
Buddy safety
 
Everything is coached progressively and adapted to your current ability.
 
Who is it for?
Perfect for:
Surfers wanting more confidence in heavier conditions
Beginners who get anxious during wipeouts
Surfers stepping up into bigger waves
People returning after a scary hold-down
Bodyboarders and ocean swimmers
Anyone who simply wants to feel more comfortable underwater
 
You do not need previous freediving experience or an impressive breath-hold.
 
Your Coach
The course is run by Curtis Tredway, Master Freediving Instructor, breathwork facilitator and professional safety diver.
 
Curtis has trained more than 2,000 divers and has worked across freediving competitions, surf and ocean safety, film and TV water safety and Helicopter Underwater Emergency Training.
 
The focus is simple: practical skills that actually transfer to the ocean.
Course Details
 
Location: University of Wollongong
Duration: Approximately 3.5 hours
Format: Theory + supervised pool training
Experience: No freediving experience required
Important: The 24 October session is exclusively for Feral Femme members.
 
Build your confidence, improve your recovery and become more comfortable when things get uncomfortable.
 
Book your Surf Apnea Course below.