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Olga Davydova

SSI instructor-trainer, Russian freediving champion and record holder, world record holder in freshwater freediving (CMAS). Founder and instructor of the FreeBalance school. Certified Hatha yoga teacher and qualified yoga therapist.

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Olga Davydova

I started practicing hatha yoga and freediving in 2010, and since then these processes have complemented each other in my life. Very quickly, freediving turned from a fascinating hobby into a way of self-discovery, shaping my life and filling it with new meaning. In 2013, I completed an instructor course with Natalia Molchanova, and since then I have been actively working as a freediving instructor, teaching people to love the water and find themselves in it. Over the years, I have trained more than 200 people — from complete beginners and those who cannot swim or have a fear of water and breath-holding, to athlete freedivers.
Thanks to my work as an instructor, I’ve had the chance to visit many places around the world — from the White Sea to the Philippine Islands — diving in both warm and cold waters, in various oceans, seas, and even mountain lakes.
Gradually, my passion for depth and desire to better understand the training process led me into competitive freediving. Since 2019, I have become the Russian champion in depth disciplines, participated in many competitions including World Cups and Championships, became a national record holder in no-fins and free immersion depth diving, and in 2020, I set three world records for depth diving in the mountain lake Cherek-Kel in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Going through the challenges of competitive activity, I realized that the main driving force in freediving is not ambition, but the love for diving itself and the curiosity to explore one’s limits — and this process is more interesting than the result. For this reason, I enjoy working with people who have different natural abilities. Seeing the process of change leading to a specific result is the greatest joy of teaching — and this result does not necessarily need to be measured in meters and seconds. Freediving teaches us to better feel and understand ourselves, which is far more important than external metrics.
That’s why in my practice and teaching I apply yoga methods, and I believe that breath-hold diving, like yoga, helps in achieving a state of inner balance and harmony. Based on this vision, I founded the freediving and yoga school FreeBalance.
Since 2022, I have been living and working mainly in Armenia, where, together with the Armdiving club, I am developing freediving by conducting courses, pool training, and open water sessions in the mountain lake Sevan. In the summer of 2023, I set a world record for no-fins depth diving in fresh water (CMAS CNF Fresh Water World Record) in Lake Sevan.
As a school instructor, I teach freediving and hatha yoga. In addition to regular classes and courses in the pool and open water, I conduct online yoga sessions, organize retreats and workshops on relaxation techniques, yoga, yoga therapy, and various aspects of freediving. I also train future freediving instructors, giving people the opportunity to acquire a challenging but truly valuable profession — to teach others to dive and make them happier.

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Reviews

Sure! Here's the translation of your text into English:
I have always loved the sea… but that day, the sea took my soul… there are no words to describe the moment when the resistance of the water becomes an embrace… A surge of emotions, euphoria of happiness — usually not combined with silence, calm, and darkness. I felt the desire to stay there, in the depths…
To the sea and to my instructor @olgitta.free:
I’m watching the film “The Big Blue”… I watch the underwater scenes and my body gets goosebumps and tears flow. Thank you!!!!! Now, whenever something tries to disturb my peace :)), I close my eyes, take a breath, clear my ears :)))), and find myself there… where the water embraces me, where silence and calm reside…

Evgeniya Demakova

@jenifer_demakova

I came to yoga classes with Olya several years ago, attending occasionally at first, but then suddenly something inside clicked, and the classes became regular. I am very grateful to Olya for such a push. The practices are always positive, in a very friendly, family-like atmosphere. Every time something new, it’s never boring.
Olga gently develops flexibility and strength. She gives unique relaxation techniques and breathing exercises. During the practice, she always corrects posture, notices tension. She answers questions with joy and gives wise advice. I am very grateful to her for my growth in yoga.
With the appearance of online classes, you can comfortably practice from anywhere in the world. I recommend yoga classes with Olya to everyone — health, good mood, and peace of mind are guaranteed!

Nataliya Baranova

@nataliabaranova1009

I am very grateful to fate for bringing us together with Olya Davydova — for myself and my 8-year-old daughter.
We were already familiar with freediving, but I had a fear of depth and concerns about my ears, and with Lyubasha, we faced a problem — she used to equalize without pinching her nose (I don’t know the exact term), but after an ENT illness, she couldn’t do it anymore. After experiencing painful sensations for the first time, she became a bit afraid, and needed to learn the “traditional” equalizing technique.
So patiently, literally day by day, calmly and without rushing, Olga explained, showed my daughter, and reviewed each dive. She found an endless number of options for the child and for me on what else we could try to make the equalizing work. I just absorbed this calmness... the love for water, and new knowledge...
With her help, Lyubashka overcame her fear of putting on the wetsuit!

I consolidated my 18 meters and am looking forward to our next meeting!

Nataliya Pozubenkova and her daughter Lubasha

We just returned from a trip to Dahab, where the goal was a freediving course.
Our coach was Olga Davydova.
I won’t talk about my own results because I decided this year isn’t about numbers for me. But my son dove to 31.7 meters — his first time in open water. That’s really amazing. The course lasted a week, and as he says, he could have gone deeper but there was no rush. Everything was very relaxed.
This style of work and the way the process is organized suits me perfectly. It’s very gentle and attentive toward me. No indifference or the attitude of “you’re not really that important” (which I’ve encountered before). You can see professionalism and an understanding of each person’s psychology and individuality. Very calm, clear, timely — no unnecessary waiting or fuss, which is priceless for freedivers.

Everything is very calm, with an individual approach for everyone and daily equalizing exercises. No stress. Even for me!

Arina Polyah

@polyakharina

For me, the personality of the coach is very important, so I was determined to train specifically with Olga. Olga is not only a coach but also an athlete with impressive achievements; watching her move underwater is a unique experience in itself.
My request was for gentle and quality preparation for diving. I have a beginner level, little experience, and a history of water phobia. Olga showed herself to be a coach with immense patience and attentive care for everyone in the group. She approaches freediving as a holistic practice, uniting body and spirit. This philosophical foundation in her method resonates deeply with me: I didn’t want to just reach new depths but to learn to enjoy the different environment and overcome my fear.

As a result, I gradually and gently reached greater depths — from a 16-meter personal best, I progressed to 21 meters. Before, I would burst out of the water like a champagne cork, or at least that’s how terrible it felt inside. Now, I calmly explore the depth, watching the fish. If I had to describe my experience with Olga in one word, it would be gentleness. Olga knows how to bring out the best in a person.

Aglaya Nabatnikova

@absurd_stratagem, Moscow

I completed a basic freediving course in a pool in Yerevan with the wonderful Olga Davydova, and here’s what I want to say — it’s such a joy to work with a coach who is so understanding, careful, and attentive!
Before this, I knew almost nothing about freediving, and it was really interesting to get introduced to a new culture for me. Honestly, when the coach talks about gently exploring your limits, paying attention to your own sensations, and not forcing anything, it warms your heart. Especially in a discipline where you can easily get hurt if not handled properly and carefully.
My first freediving experience was truly fascinating — you enter another world where movement isn’t limited by gravity and actually happens in three dimensions. Diving vertically headfirst seemed very strange at first, but by the third session, it already felt quite natural. I also learned a lot about the body’s capabilities.

Thank you for introducing me to something new and beautiful!

Dmitry Ustinin

I completed a one-week course with Olga Davydova.
Results in numbers: in 6 sessions, I went from zero to diving 30 meters headfirst.
Results beyond numbers: I learned to confidently equalize using the Frenzel technique, which I still successfully use even at greater depths after the course. I fairly well mastered the free immersion technique. I learned relaxation and headfirst diving.
Olga is an excellent instructor. She finds a unique approach to each student, motivates, and instills confidence. You feel very comfortable and safe with her in the water. The method is also very good. There are many preparatory sessions that improve results in the water: yoga (applicable in freediving), equalization exercises, and theoretical knowledge.
Overall, after the course, you gain a solid skill base from which you can continue practicing and improving in freediving.

Many thanks. I highly recommend her to everyone.

Ilya Isakov

For me, freediving started as a kind of therapy. Nothing helps relieve stress like relaxation and immersion into a new environment — water. But therapy only works if you have a good guide into this other universe, where different creatures live, where pressure and visibility are different, and where laws we haven’t recalled since school physics apply. Olga taught me not to fear the depth and to understand my body. She was patient and persistent, attentive to details, and always (always!) calm and kind. Because of that, the learning process really felt like psychotherapy sessions.
It’s also worth mentioning that freediving without yoga, in my opinion, doesn’t exist. Almost everything that needs to be worked on in freediving is done through yoga. And it’s a great fortune when the yoga instructor and the freediving instructor are the same person.

Ekaterina Ostrovskaya

I have been training with Olga Davydova for several years now. I really appreciate her comprehensive approach to the training process — it includes both the internal sensations of freediving and a thorough breakdown of diving and swimming techniques, as well as many preparatory land-based sessions that many instructors tend to neglect — yoga (Olga is also a yoga instructor), exercises for equalization and relaxation.
Olga is very open and attentive to her students, always ready to advise and help. Even before I started freediving with Olga and while struggling with equalization issues that no one else could help me with, during a yoga class Olga identified the cause of my problems and ways to fix them, for which I am very grateful!

Olga Tihonova

My training experience with Olya was truly exceptional 🤘 She completely transformed my relationship with the water!

A straight-up professional, attentive and supportive, all while keeping it real and making sure you get killer results without stressing out 🧜🏼 She is genuinely interested in your progress and incredibly considerate of your comfort level. Her ability to instill confidence and promote a sense of calmness was a game-changer for someone like me with an anxious nature🫠

But here's the real deal, she doesn’t play when it comes to safety. She got eyes like a hawk, making sure every little detail is on lock. You can’t even get a cramp without her noticing:))

In short, if you are looking for an instructor who will not only tell you the “how”s but also explain the “why”s both for theory and practice, then this is your lucky day, you have found her. Go get the best experience of your life, and thank me later:)
@olgitta.free rocks!!!

Ani