Aquatic Survival International (ASI), headquartered in the Hawaiian Islands, was founded in 2021 to deepen our support for the U.S. Armed Forces. Our roots, however, go back much further. In 1999, we established Performance Freediving International (PFI) — the first freediving certification agency in the Americas and one of the earliest freediving education organizations in the world. PFI also pioneered the first Breath-Hold Surf Survival course, setting the standard for survival training in high-risk aquatic environments.
Launched in 2008, our original Breath-Hold Surf-Survival course was created to prepare elite big-wave surfers to endure the world’s most punishing wipeouts and prolonged hold-downs at locations like Jaws (Peai, Hawai‘i), and Mavericks (California), Cortes Bank, and later Nazaré (Portugal). It quickly became a vital part of professional big-wave training, and we take pride in having equipped many of the sport’s top performers with critical, life-saving skills.
As the value of this training became evident across other demanding professions, we expanded and adapted our curriculum. Over the past 16 years, we’ve delivered specialized breath-hold survival and emergency preparedness training to:
Elite units across all branches of the U.S. Military, including Special Operations Forces
United Kingdom's Special Boat Service (SBS) and Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2)
Emergency service first responders
Professional athletes in extreme water sports
Film industry professionals, including underwater cast and crew teams in the U.S., U.K., and New Zealand
Our foundation lies in competitive freediving, and we bring over 50 years of combined elite-level coaching, education, and performance expertise to every course we teach. Our flagship Ocean Survival, Safety, and Contingency Preparedness training program is designed to help students optimize breath-hold performance under stress, while improving comfort, composure, and decision-making in hazardous situations.
We place a strong emphasis on:
Panic control during unexpected breath-hold scenarios
Problem-solving under pressure—especially in the event of equipment failure or air source loss
Rescue procedures for hypoxic events
Essential safety protocols and underwater problem management
When seconds count, the ability to perform calmly on a single breath can mean the difference between life and death, or between a mission failure and seamless execution. Our training empowers students to turn potential crisis moments into minor, manageable challenges — maintaining safety, timelines, and mission success.
ASI’s training programs continue to evolve to reflect the latest techniques, scenarios, and field-tested experience. Our commitment is to deliver the most effective breath-hold survival and preparedness training in the world.
