Hands-free equalization is one of those techniques that sits somewhere between physiology, patience, and obsession. It is not a trick you learn in a weekend course. It is a long conversation between your anatomy and your awareness.
World record holder Carlos Coste describes it as a mix of gift and skill. Gift, because anatomy matters. Skill, because training matters just as much.
What follows is his personal path into hands-free equalization, and the exercises he recommends for anyone who wants to explore the possibility.
A Discovery, Not a Shortcut
Carlos did not learn hands-free equalization from a manual. When he started diving in 1997, there were no tutorials, no social media, no structured roadmap. He discovered it by accident while training in a 4.5 meter pool, repeating dives and experimenting.
He noticed that when he pushed a small amount of air into his mask, the pressure helped equalize his ears. At first it was just a curiosity. Then he kept repeating it. Pool sessions turned into months of experimentation. Ocean dives confirmed it was not a coincidence.
That early phase resembled what is known as mask-assisted equalization. Over time, he began combining that pressure with subtle muscle tension around the jaw and soft palate. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it did not. Gradually, the transition happened. He no longer needed mask pressure. He could open the tubes voluntarily.
This is the key idea. Hands-free equalization is not a switch you flip. It is a gradual refinement of muscle awareness that develops over weeks and months.
And for some divers, anatomy will always set limits. Not everyone will achieve pure hands-free equalization. But almost everyone can improve control and efficiency by training the same muscles.
The Muscles That Matter
Years later, after studying modern freediving literature, Carlos learned the anatomical explanation behind what he had discovered. The muscles involved are linked to the soft palate and the area surrounding the Eustachian tubes. When you learn to lift the soft palate intentionally, you can influence how easily those tubes open.
Training these muscles does not only serve hands-free equalization. It improves Frenzel technique and general equalization control. Even divers who never go hands-free benefit from better awareness and mobility in this region.
Carlos practiced constantly. In the subway. In traffic. Watching television. Small repetitions, every day, for months. That consistency is what built precision.
Why It Matters at Depth
Hands-free equalization gave Carlos a huge advantage in deep diving, spearfishing, and camera work. On dives past 100 meters, he would perform a final nose-pinch equalization around 70 meters to saturate the middle ear with positive pressure. From there, the rest of the descent was hands-free.
This allowed him to dive with a mask well past depths where many divers would switch technique. One of his deepest mask dives reached 116 meters head-down.
The takeaway is not that everyone should chase extreme depth. It is that efficiency and relaxation become more important the deeper you go. Hands-free equalization removes extra movement and frees attention for body position, line control, and mental calm.
The Core Exercises
These exercises are designed to build awareness around the muscles that lift the soft palate and influence the Eustachian tubes. They look simple. They are not. Subtle control is the goal.
Exercise 1: Move Your Ears
Try to move your ears without moving your whole head. Many people cannot do this at first. That is normal.
Stand in front of a mirror. Attempt small ear movements. Focus on isolating the area around the ears and temples. Keep your jaw relaxed and slightly open. Watch for even the smallest motion and pay attention to internal sensations.
You are training awareness as much as movement.
Exercise 2: Move the Jaw
Slowly move your jaw forward and backward. Do not snap to extremes. Warm into the range gently.
As you repeat the motion, listen for faint internal sounds. Some divers describe a crinkling or paper-like noise inside the ear. That sensation suggests activity around the middle ear and tube area. It may not appear on day one. Patience is part of the process.
Exercise 3: Combine Both
Extend the jaw forward and, at the same time, attempt to activate the ear muscles from Exercise 1.
You may not see visible ear movement during this combination. That is fine. The objective is internal tension and lift around the soft palate. With consistent practice, mobility increases and sensations become clearer.
How to Practice Safely
Carlos recommends at least two weeks of daily dry practice before attempting to apply any of this in the water. Use a mirror. Learn the sensations. Confirm that you can voluntarily lift the soft palate and create pressure changes without strain.
Do not rush to test it at depth. Equalization techniques should always be stable and repeatable on land before becoming part of a dive routine.
This is not a miracle method. It is slow skill building. Some divers will reach full hands-free control. Others will simply gain smoother, more reliable equalization. Both outcomes are wins.
The goal is awareness. Once you can feel and isolate these muscles, you unlock new options in how you equalize.
How To Equalize Hands-Free
Author: Nick Pelios
Hands-free equalization is one of those techniques that sits somewhere between physiology, patience, and obsession. It is not a trick you learn in a weekend course. It is a long conversation between your anatomy and your awareness.
World record holder Carlos Coste describes it as a mix of gift and skill. Gift, because anatomy matters. Skill, because training matters just as much.
What follows is his personal path into hands-free equalization, and the exercises he recommends for anyone who wants to explore the possibility.
A Discovery, Not a Shortcut
Carlos did not learn hands-free equalization from a manual. When he started diving in 1997, there were no tutorials, no social media, no structured roadmap. He discovered it by accident while training in a 4.5 meter pool, repeating dives and experimenting.
He noticed that when he pushed a small amount of air into his mask, the pressure helped equalize his ears. At first it was just a curiosity. Then he kept repeating it. Pool sessions turned into months of experimentation. Ocean dives confirmed it was not a coincidence.
That early phase resembled what is known as mask-assisted equalization. Over time, he began combining that pressure with subtle muscle tension around the jaw and soft palate. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it did not. Gradually, the transition happened. He no longer needed mask pressure. He could open the tubes voluntarily.
This is the key idea. Hands-free equalization is not a switch you flip. It is a gradual refinement of muscle awareness that develops over weeks and months.
And for some divers, anatomy will always set limits. Not everyone will achieve pure hands-free equalization. But almost everyone can improve control and efficiency by training the same muscles.
The Muscles That Matter
Years later, after studying modern freediving literature, Carlos learned the anatomical explanation behind what he had discovered. The muscles involved are linked to the soft palate and the area surrounding the Eustachian tubes. When you learn to lift the soft palate intentionally, you can influence how easily those tubes open.
Training these muscles does not only serve hands-free equalization. It improves Frenzel technique and general equalization control. Even divers who never go hands-free benefit from better awareness and mobility in this region.
Carlos practiced constantly. In the subway. In traffic. Watching television. Small repetitions, every day, for months. That consistency is what built precision.
Why It Matters at Depth
Hands-free equalization gave Carlos a huge advantage in deep diving, spearfishing, and camera work. On dives past 100 meters, he would perform a final nose-pinch equalization around 70 meters to saturate the middle ear with positive pressure. From there, the rest of the descent was hands-free.
This allowed him to dive with a mask well past depths where many divers would switch technique. One of his deepest mask dives reached 116 meters head-down.
The takeaway is not that everyone should chase extreme depth. It is that efficiency and relaxation become more important the deeper you go. Hands-free equalization removes extra movement and frees attention for body position, line control, and mental calm.
The Core Exercises
These exercises are designed to build awareness around the muscles that lift the soft palate and influence the Eustachian tubes. They look simple. They are not. Subtle control is the goal.
Exercise 1: Move Your Ears
Try to move your ears without moving your whole head. Many people cannot do this at first. That is normal.
Stand in front of a mirror. Attempt small ear movements. Focus on isolating the area around the ears and temples. Keep your jaw relaxed and slightly open. Watch for even the smallest motion and pay attention to internal sensations.
You are training awareness as much as movement.
Exercise 2: Move the Jaw
Slowly move your jaw forward and backward. Do not snap to extremes. Warm into the range gently.
As you repeat the motion, listen for faint internal sounds. Some divers describe a crinkling or paper-like noise inside the ear. That sensation suggests activity around the middle ear and tube area. It may not appear on day one. Patience is part of the process.
Exercise 3: Combine Both
Extend the jaw forward and, at the same time, attempt to activate the ear muscles from Exercise 1.
You may not see visible ear movement during this combination. That is fine. The objective is internal tension and lift around the soft palate. With consistent practice, mobility increases and sensations become clearer.
How to Practice Safely
Carlos recommends at least two weeks of daily dry practice before attempting to apply any of this in the water. Use a mirror. Learn the sensations. Confirm that you can voluntarily lift the soft palate and create pressure changes without strain.
Do not rush to test it at depth. Equalization techniques should always be stable and repeatable on land before becoming part of a dive routine.
This is not a miracle method. It is slow skill building. Some divers will reach full hands-free control. Others will simply gain smoother, more reliable equalization. Both outcomes are wins.
The goal is awareness. Once you can feel and isolate these muscles, you unlock new options in how you equalize.