If you plan to go deeper than a swimming pool, equalization is the skill that decides whether you enjoy it or quit. Two methods dominate entry-level training, and the order you learn them matters.
Valsalva, what you already know
It’s the pinch and blow most people do instinctively: close your nose, push. It works to roughly 10m for many adults, then the pressure wins. The issue isn’t technique quality. It’s that Valsalva raises chest pressure and past a point you simply can’t generate enough force. About 8 of every 10 beginners hit a wall near 8 to 12m.
Frenzel, what you should actually learn
Frenzel uses the tongue as a piston against the soft palate, glottis closed. No nasal pinch, far less effort, and it keeps working at depth because it does not fight your lungs. Most formal freediving courses teach it as the default for exactly this reason.
The numbers that decide it
- Valsalva: typically fails past 10 to 12m as mask and sinus pressure climb.
- Frenzel: functional to 30m plus for most trained divers, no extra gear needed.
- Mouthfill, advanced: layered on Frenzel for 40m plus. Not a beginner concern.
Learn Frenzel first. You’ll spend one pool session unlearning the pinch habit, then wonder why you ever fought the water. If a course offers only Valsalva, ask for the Frenzel module before you book.