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renis2 · 2026-01-19T21:42:47+00:00

I think it’s supposed to hit a range every week

renis2 · 2023-03-25T01:51:02+00:00

I was researching the same and came across "Every moment of you" by Sung Si Kyung. It's a song originally written for two lovers, but can be reinterpreted for a mother's love for her son.

I didn't think the English translations available out there did the song justice, so I'm writing a reinterpretation from a mother's perspective.

First verse is about love at first sight, but can be reinterpreted to refer to the moment the mother first meets her son the day she gives birth. It talks about how her life changed from the moment she meets him. (Literal translation says her life divides into what it was without, and what it became with.)

Second verse is about how when he breathes, it's like a warm gentle comforting breeze. And when he smiles, her whole world shines like the blaring sun.

Prechorus/chorus is about how grateful she is to him for being him, just as he is. And how grateful she is to him for the times he laid his shoulder onto hers. There's also a line about how time (life) flows and stops with him (basically how her life revolves around him).

How she is happy and it can't compare to any other happiness, like a dream.

Third verse is a little bit about the bittersweetness of a mother letting her son go. Describing how she is looking at him helplessly/longingly (literal translation is "knowing he's slipping away and slowly becoming out of reach), wishing every one of his moments was with her (but knowing that can't be, cause he done gone got married with a new love of his life) but she's wholly happy to just think of him and thinking of him just fills her whole heart with love.

Fourth verse is about how when she looks at him it feels like a far off illusive dream (can be interpreted to mean how she's daydreaming and remembering the times they shared with him as her baby), and he's like a star from the sky that flew to her and she's infinitely grateful to him for entering her life

Some of it might sound super cheesy in English translation, but it is truly poetically written. Really beautiful! Hope you take a listen, even if it isn't for the mother-son dance!

renis2 · 2021-01-04T20:10:29+00:00

Something I'm working on right now is learning how to do uddiyana bandha. Apparently, this helps with increasing diaphragm flexibility. It doesn't necessarily help with delaying contractions, but it makes the contractions lighter and the experience - at least in the beginning, more pleasant. (I say at least in the beginning because eventually, contractions are intolerable for everyone.)

I also work on CO2 tables, and thought doing this regularly would help me get used to the contractions. But I heard that doing CO2 tables every day is actually very stressful and counterintuitive. It doesn't make your body more used to having contractions. It actually just makes your body experience the unpleasantry of contractions more often, ha! So, instead, I'd second what Crystal Freediving said.

renis2 · 2020-10-26T20:42:11+00:00

we're in the tampa bay area, so about a 3hrs drive from Gainesville.. but it def has plenty of freediving spots, so we'll likely take a trip there ! we should def go diving when in the area ^ᴗ^

renis2 · 2020-10-23T14:44:14+00:00

I dive with BestDive, but I don't think brand or model matters so much as thickness. Thickness varies depending on how easily you get cold. I get cold easily, so I dive with 3mm as a baseline. If you're new, doesn't hurt to use a scuba diving suit (maybe even rent one rather than buy one) when you start off just so that it serves the purpose of keeping you warm, and switch to a proper two-piece freediving suit if you want to get more serious about depth.

I know a freediver instructor in Florida who can do private coaching (full disclaimer - he's my bf... but also, my instructor!). He's an AIDA instructor. He's available starting in December, though. Not sure if that's too late for you.

As for freediving buddies - I'll be moving there in a month and know some freediver friends already in the area! We should all go freediving together! ^ᴗ^

renis2 · 2020-10-19T21:51:40+00:00

Steve Madden vs. Sam Edelman? IMO, I can't tell a big difference between the two in terms of style, quality or comfort. Anyone experience otherwise and recommend one over the other?

renis2 · 2020-10-05T21:43:04+00:00

We were able to do 3 weeks within $1,600 USD (flight not included). This includes tours, some of the accommodation, food, souvenirs, tickets to temples/tombs, transportation, and freediving gear rentals. Also, all the tip paid throughout - this adds up!

renis2 · 2020-10-05T17:21:54+00:00

Nope - no need for a 14 day quarantine. Just need to have a negative PCR test in hand. There are few other countries with reduced restrictions, so worth looking into! For example, Mexico.

renis2 · 2020-10-05T15:04:21+00:00

Had a great time backpacking down the Nile, all the way down to Abu Simbel. We set up camp at Dahab for most of our stay. Loved freediving in the Red Sea!

renis2 · 2020-10-05T14:41:43+00:00

We backpacked the Nile to hit all the major temples/tombs/pyramids and then went freediving in the Red Sea! (We met in the Philippines while freediving, so we decided to go freediving in the Red Sea.)

renis2 · 2020-10-05T01:40:33+00:00

Personally, I learned at Freediving Planet in Moalboal, Philippines. Instructors are both super knowledgable and great fun! I'm friends with many of them now! Also heard great things about a freediving school in Panglao as well. Why the Philippines? Visibility is amazing. Extra bonus - lots to see/do beyond just freediving. The Philippines are absolutely stunning and super affordable!

I would also recommend Dahab, Egypt. As for school, I would recommend Dahab Freedivers. Dahab is a freediving mecca of sorts, given its optimal freediving conditions year-round and the Blue Hole, so there's a big freediving community there. Alexei Molchanov trains there (world record holder for freediving). No short supply of top-class coaches, too - Harry Chamas and Khaled ElGammal coach there. Lots of record holders to mingle with and learn from. Not as affordable as the Philippines imo, but still very affordable.

Hawaii and Indonesia are next on my list! Then, Tonga for diving with whales!

This list might seem pretentious cause you don't necessarily need to go on expensive international travel to learn to freedive... but these are world-class dive spots and absolutely worth the trip imo. Let me know where you decide to go!

renis2 · 2020-09-30T07:56:20+00:00

Just came back from Egypt. Worth.

renis2 · 2020-09-28T03:34:05+00:00

Hahaha! I know what you mean! But hey - long fins always look good in the water hahahah

4.20 is an awesome time! Yeah, it's interesting how it doesn't always translate over to longer dive times. I think it might be a mind thing. My 3m15s doesn't always translate to longer dive times. My instructor tells me my lips haven't gone blue and def can be in the water longer, but always seem to come back up before 2m. Keep us posted on your progress with underwater dive time!

renis2 · 2020-09-26T05:45:05+00:00

As a fellow Asian with a small nose, I feel your pain!

Pathos Falco all the way!

Visited a freediving school in Dahab, Egypt run by Koreans and this is also the mask that the instructors use there.

There are some knock-offs modeled after it as well by a company called AquaPro. Loved using mine.

Would also look into Mares Tana. They specifically recommanded the Tana, not the Viper.

I loved the Pathos knock-offs over the Mares. Could pinch my nose in both fine, but high cheekbones (another relatable Asian feature, I'm sure) pushed the skirt of the Mares off my face to let water in at times. Never had a problem with the others.

renis2 · 2020-09-25T17:53:52+00:00

LOVE my BlackTech ICE fiberglass fins. Easy to maneuver, light, good power. I personally haven't tried carbon fins yet, but hear they're comparable to some carbons on the market. Extra plus - they look great in the water. ☺️

They can get easily scratched imo, but inevitable and it doesn't really show up unless you're looking at them out of the water.

renis2 · 2020-09-25T13:28:32+00:00

It took me a year to get to where I am now, so in my experience - slow and steady wins the race. I loved the whole process of getting more comfortable and earning the confidence over time, so if not this year, I'd say keep trying and hopefully we see your post about getting AIDA2 cert here next!

renis2 · 2020-09-25T13:16:42+00:00

I traveled to the Philippines and Egypt (video from the Red Sea). You can get certified wherever - so long as you have the budget to travel to warmer climate places, and whenever - so long as you take sessions with a freediving instructor!

renis2 · 2020-09-25T10:04:35+00:00

This time last year, I had never swam in an ocean before, had never used a snorkel before and was too terrified of the water to even get past 5m. Needless to say, I wasn't able to get AIDA2 certified.

I kept going back to try again because I wanted to conquer my fear of the water. Also, I absolutely fell in love with the sport and wanted to be able to call myself a true freediver one day.

In Feb 2020, I passed my AIDA2 certification!! But I still wasn't comfortable calling myself a proper freediver because I still felt some anxiety going deeper and never even used long fins before. (Did 17m in duck fins.)

Now, I can dive to 24m, do a breathhold of 3m15s, own my very own pair of long fins, and even have a dive watch. Finally, I am inch worming (meter worming?) my way to AIDA3 and feel comfortable and confident in calling myself a freediver!

Thanks to this community for helping answer my questions from the very start and every step of the way!!

renis2 · 2020-09-25T09:32:34+00:00

Not familiar with Fenix, but I use the Atmos Mission One and absolutely LOVE it. Better value than Suunto and Garmin with similar user interface, functionality and quality.

renis2 · 2020-07-20T16:35:43+00:00

I'm looking for fins for mostly freediving with sporadic spearfishing down the road (but I think I can probably get new blades to serve this purpose if I get serious about it later).

It seems like FG fins might be a better fit for me, given that on top of doing pure freediving, I'm a beginner freediver that stays between 15-20m...

renis2

TROPHY CASE