What makes a good training program (and why you need one)

Anders Ericsson his research on deliberate practice revealed that talent matters way less than structured, purposeful training with immediate feedback.

Sure, random practice keeps you busy but structured programs make you better.

Most freedivers just have a collection of sessions.

They do CO2 tables when they remember. Skip training for two weeks then wonder why their last PB feels so far out of reach.

Your body responds to progressive stress, adequate recovery, and consistent stimulus. That’s exactly what a real training program provides.

What makes something a program (vs. just doing stuff)

A freediving training program isn’t complicated. But it has specific components that random practice doesn’t:

Progressive overload built in. This means systematic increases in training stress over time. Not guessing whether to add 10 or 30 seconds to your hold. Not randomly deciding if today is a max effort day because you slept well. The progression is planned and tracked.

Periodization that makes sense. Your body can’t adapt if you’re maxing out constantly (you’d be surprised how many people do this). Good programs cycle between building phases, intensity phases, and recovery weeks. The boring base-building work happens when it should. The testing happens only occasionally when it makes sense.

Measurable targets beyond “hold breath longer.” A program defines what you’re building. CO2 tolerance this block. O2 efficiency next block. Mental stamina after that. Each phase has specific metrics and methods.

Recovery as part of the plan. Good programs protect you from yourself. They include deload weeks.

Why freedivers specifically need this

Without structure you train when motivated. Which means you push hard when you feel good and skip sessions when you don’t. Your nervous system never gets consistent stimulus. Your adaptations don’t show because the exposure is sporadic.

Then you plateau. Or worse, you get injured trying to force it.

The adaptation you’re chasing, whether it’s breath-hold time or mental strength, happens between sessions and not during them. Your body needs consistent, progressive stimulus to know what to adapt to. Random heroic efforts just confuse the system.

What a good freediving training program includes

The best programs balance dry training with pool work. You don’t need water to improve freediving performance. CO2 tables on your couch. Walking apnea. FRC holds. These all help you build different adaptations, and are often more accessible. We wrote about this before in Freediving Training at Home.

Pool sessions get structured around specific disciplines. Not “go to the pool and see how you feel.” You know whether today is dynamic work, static practice, or technique refinement before you even drive there.

The program tracks progression metrics that aren’t just PBs. Average hold times, time to first contraction, recovery times, distances, etc. These patterns tell you whether the program is working long before you hit new PBs.

And then deload weeks are scheduled, not optional. This is what separates programs that work long-term from those that burn you out in six weeks (usually sold with quick wins). You always want to think long term - see Keep Training (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It).

The mistakes that reveal you don’t have a real program

All max efforts, no base building. If every session feels like a test, you’re not training—you’re just testing over and over. Testing tells you where you are today. Training builds where you’ll be tomorrow.

Ignoring dry training entirely. Pool access shouldn’t determine whether you train or not. The freedivers making the most progress? They do structured dry work consistently, not just when they can’t get to water.

No tracking means no feedback loop. Can’t adjust what you don’t measure. Good programs include simple tracking that shows patterns over weeks and months—not just whether today felt good or bad.

The real reason programs work

You can absolutely train progressively with a notebook and a timer. People built world-class freediving capacity long before apps existed.

But here’s why structured programs in Appneist actually matter: the hard decisions are already made. You’re not guessing what protocol to run today. Not wondering if you’ve earned a deload week. Not tracking everything manually and hoping you spot patterns.

The progression is built in.

The tracking happens automatically.

You just show up and execute.

Random sessions feel productive. Structured programs actually make you better. The difference becomes obvious about six weeks in—when people winging it start plateauing and you’re still progressing.

Stop collecting sessions. Start following a program. Your body will thank you.

(Want specifics on how progressive training works? Check out Progressive Training: Why Freedivers Need to Stop Winging It. Or if you’re just starting out, Freediving Training for Beginners covers how to build your first real plan.)