Lance is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, safe, and thorough with his training. I took his PFI intro to free diving course as a complete beginner (I surf and scuba dive and had always been interested in breath holding/free diving). After a day in the classroom learning all the safety and physiology of diving, we did a pool session. I was able to get a 4 minute breath hold which was pretty amazing considering I get freaked being held down under waves for longer than 5 seconds while surfing. His ocean sessions were even better. He's very patient and calm and makes you feel very comfortable trying new personal best depths - I went to 20m on my second time out...about 16m further than I've ever been without air! Definitely take this course if you have any remote interest in free diving! read more

Lance is the best instructor for freediving! I signed up hearing great things and it's all true. Despite having scuba training, I had trouble equalizing my ears for dives and worried I wouldn't be able to pass the checkboxes needed to get the certification. Lance let me work with him during part of the lunch break in the open ocean water and I chipped away at it under his coaching. He related to my competitive nature and helped me focus by relaxing (almost like you get better by trying less, if that makes sense in diving). In the last hour of the day, I finally passed and he gave me a high-five/hug in the water for getting it. I still have to work at getting better, but he was so tremendous in learning the skillset and I'd be rooting for him to break the next freediving records! read more

Took the freediving/spearfishing class with Lance. Great instruction and guidance out in local waters. Highly recommended for anyone thinking about getting into the sport. read more

I took Lance's intermediate freediving course and absolutely loved it. I enjoyed every minute of the four day certification. He's incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about freediving. For every question I asked he had a thorough answer and often a fascinating related story. For those looking to take their freediving to the next level, I can't recommend Lance's teaching enough! read more

Lance is probably the most informed free diver you've ever met. He doesn't just answer what you need to succeed as a Freediver, he explains why. His depth of knowledge is mind blowing. From the physics reality of being 50+ feet under the surface of the ocean, to the art/beauty that comes out of being that deep. The guy has a friggin world record. Makes it all feel safe and scientific. Highly recommend his offerings. Will be back for sure. read more

SoCal Spear-It - Pool - Free Diving Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hi Divers/Speros! I took Lance's surf survival course and then took a private lesson. Both were superb: - Lance loves teaching and does it very well. He takes time to explain technique, safety and is patient with students. - Spearfishing / diving can be nerve wracking -- he is a professional and uses the best practices to ensure safe diving - He is a master of the subject and free diving record holder. He is well known in the community. - He is very honest and friendly, his teachings are focused on enjoying the sport and it is a tremendous value. I've been a former scholarship athlete (tennis), lifelong surfer so I've had a lot of instruction and taught sports. Lance is a pro teacher and a great way to get started or refine your skills. Happy to provide references -- andrew@getfinvoice.com Thanks, Andrew read more

SoCal Spear-It - Pool training, training crew - Free Diving Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Lance is the man for freediving instruction and coaching. He's highly knowledgeable and passionate of the sport and its practice in local conditions. His explanations of freediving concepts are thorough yet easy to understand. His critique of your technique come with a why you should/should not do x (as opposed to just do/don't do it). If you're thinking of booking a course or coaching session with him, just do it. You'll learn A LOT and have a fantastic experience! read more

Lance is incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, patient, and holds safety as number one for the class! Because of the small class size, he's able to take time to cater to each individual on what they need to improve on, both in class/pool and your ocean dive sessions. He's also incredibly calm and encouraging throughout. I had little open water experience, (learned how to swim to take this class!) but with Lance's patience and thorough training, this class made me SO much more confident in the water. If you're remotely interested in freediving/spearfishing and have the perseverance to learn, I highly recommend taking Lance's class!! read more

I was very pleased with my PFI Level 1 course last weekend with Lance Davis. There was so much to think about over 2 days and Lance was always very helpful with questions and clarifications, both during class and in the water. I came to understand how some of my gear is reducing efficiency in the water (which I will be replacing) and am now inspired to drill these new skills into correct and effortless habit. Lance came came highly recommended by other divers in the area. And now I see why. read more

Lance is fantastic. An avid and enthusiastic instructor, he's well suited to teach. An exceptionally talented and learned free diver, he's especially well suited to teach free diving and spear fishing. I signed up for his level one/spear fishing combo course and had an absolute blast. He does a great job with class size and personalized attention. Both a great place to start if you're just curious, or if you're looking to go more advanced. Also clearly well connected in the local community and a wealth of information on going further in training. I'm pretty excited to carry on where I left off in his course, and can say a big part of that is thanks the experience Lance created. read more

I am hooked! Lance is an amazing teacher, thorough, patient, and passionate about what he does. I took the beginner PFI very class, and surprised myself with what I was able to do through Lance's guidance. Most important, I felt safe both in the pool for my static breath hold, and in the ocean for my line dive. If you are thinking of learning, I wouldn't go to anyone else. read more

I took the PFI Freediving Course (Level I) and could not have asked for a better instructor than Lance. I appreciate his strict safety practices, extensive knowledge and love for the ocean, patience, and engagement. Out of the group, I was the only one with very little open water experience, but he made the entire course both comfortable and enjoyable. On every dive, he's right there with you, which allows him to tailor his feedback to each individual student. This is invaluable and really helps you find ways to improve on subsequent dives. We also got to chat with him about spearfishing and seafood foraging, and you can truly see how passionate and well-versed he is about the sport and sea life, in general. After taking his class, I feel a lot more confident in the ocean and am excited to keep getting out there to practice and improve. I would recommend his class to anyone even remotely interested in freediving or spearfishing, as I truly believe he is the best of the best! You'll walk away from his class reaching some new personal records, feeling prepared with the best safety and rescue practices, and an overall awesome time. read more

I was a student in one of Lance's first classes. Being a complete beginner to freediving I was little intimidated in the beginning but Lance was understanding of my skill level and coached me to do far more than I expected without making me feel like the newb in the class. His experience and knowledge was really evident as he was teaching us. Another thing that made me much more confident in what I was learning, was that I didn't feel like he was reading from a script. That he was truly teaching from years of experience. Lance is seriously the best freediving teacher in LA! read more

I took free dive class with Lance and it was great. I am traveling a lot and I love the ocean so I wanted to learn proper technique of free diving so it's all safe and fun. He's a pro at this and teaches in small groups and he takes a lot of time for each individual student to explain how to do the drills and how to improve your skills. I can definitely recommend this class!! read more

I have known Lance since 2012. At the time I was living in Wisconsin and out here visiting. Lance volunteered to take me out spearfishing, and we had a great day with unbelievable vis on a very fishy reef. He even gave me a lobster! Fast forward 5 years and I now live and work out here, still in love with the ocean that Lance took time to show me. I was looking to take a freediving class and contact Lance who found an opening for me ASAP. The class was very informative, and Lance taught it with the same passion and open heart that he used to introduce me to Californias waters so many years ago! Thanks Lance for everything, looking forward to all the dives in the future. read more

I took Lance's PFI class over the labor day weekend. I took several other lessons from other instructors before but not as good as Lance. He is very passionate about Freedive/Spear Fishing. He couldn't stop taking about the subjects. Ocean sessions were great and I got my personal best water depth during the first session. He makes the freedive safe and easy to learn. Looking forward to take more lessons from Lance. Highly recommend his classes to all freedivers. read more

SoCal Spear-It is lead by a wonderful instructor, guide, spearo and freediver, Lance Lee Davis. There is no one else in the US that can hold a candle to Lance's experience in and out of the water for freediving and spearfishing. I started as Lance's student a few years ago and his intelligence, precise guidance and encouragement allowed me to hit new bests and pursue my passion for freediving and instruction. I am now an instructor and International Freediving Judge. Lance is extremely knowledgable, passionate and safety oriented. He is able to guide and show you new spots to forage/spearfish. My favorite thing about Lance's instruction - he explains the why. We are taught so much to avoid or just do certain actions but he explains why. This empowers you as a diver to think and work through your challenges. It allows you to observe and draw conclusions that lead to personal development and improvement. Why are the fish here? Why improve this part of your technique? Etc. He doesn't just guide or instruct, he improves you as a diver each time you take a class with him, are coached by him or hunt with him. If you are in the water with Lance, you'll become a better diver and enjoy your time doing it 10/10 Would recommend Lance. read more

Lance is very knowledgeable, professional and courteous teacher and diver. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.