The South Torrance High surf team met at the Dive N’ Surf indoor pool recently for instruction on dealing with a surfer’s most common fear — a holddown.
Their instructor was Russian sports psychologist, actress and world champion freediver Marina Kazankova. She taught them that freediving is a form of meditation and that relaxation is the key to holding one’s breath for an extended period of time under water.
“At the start of the class, kids were holding their breaths 30 seconds and at the end of the class they could stay underwater for two minutes,” Dive N’ Surf manager Tom Tanner said.
“The class is for safety. It gives kids the confidence not to panic during holddowns. But it also helps to get kids more involved in the ocean. We’re getting more and more kids coming in for Hawaiian Slings and spearguns when the surf is flat,” Tanner said.
504 N. Broadway, Redondo Beach. (310) 372-8423. DiveNSurf.com.
