Most recreational freedivers stay within about 20–60 ft (6–18 m), while elite athletes in competition regularly exceed 300–400 ft (90–120 m), and the deepest experimental “no-limits” dives have gone past 700–800 ft (200–240 m).

World‑record depths

  • In no‑limits freediving (using a weighted sled down and lift back up), Herbert Nitsch has reached around 214 m (about 702 ft) in official record dives, with other sources noting an 800+ ft experimental dive.
  • In constant weight (swimming down and up with fins), top men and women reach roughly 100–130 m (330–425 ft) in competition.
  • These record dives are extremely specialized, risky, and far beyond anything considered recreational.

Typical trained freediver depths

  • Many experienced but non‑elite freedivers train and compete in the 20–40 m (65–130 ft) range, which is often considered a “landmark” or upper recreational limit.
  • With proper training, safety protocols, and coaching, reaching 30–40 m is possible for committed athletes, but it still involves serious physiological stress.

Everyday swimmer vs. freediver

  • Most casual swimmers only ever dive to about 6–20 ft (2–6 m), usually just for fun or pool play, without formal freediving skills.
  • Even “simple” depths like 30–40 ft (9–12 m) can be dangerous without training, equalization skills, and a buddy watching for shallow‑water blackout.

Safety and forum chatter

  • Freediving forums and AMAs from athletes who dive around 90 m (295 ft) emphasize that depth comes slowly with years of training, and that safety (buddy systems, line diving, rescue practice) matters more than chasing numbers.
  • Community discussions also stress that any depth where you must equalize and manage your breath—often just 4–6 ft (1–2 m)—already “counts” as freediving, so beginners should respect the risks from the very start.

TL;DR: The answer to “how deep do free divers go” ranges from a few meters for casual swimmers, to 20–40 m for many trained recreational freedivers, up to 100+ m for elite athletes, and beyond 200 m only in highly specialized, high‑risk record attempts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.