Master Hands-Free Equalization: Unlocking the Secret of BTV in Freediving
- Anthony Feoutis
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Hello, underwater explorers!
It’s here!
My brand-new book, Master Hands-Free Equalization, is now available on Amazon (softcover, hardcover, and Kindle).
Inside:
✅ 130 pages of stunning anatomical illustrations
✅ 16 targeted exercises to train the tiny muscles that open your ears
✅ A complete, day-by-day 4-week training program to take you from dry land to confident in-water application
You can take a look at the table of contents here:
If you’re ready to master BTV, the most technical equalization technique in freediving, this is your blueprint.
You can get the book HERE
This blog article ⬇⬇⬇ is your sneak peek into my new book ⬆⬆⬆, pages 37 to 44 In these pages, we break down the anatomy and the key muscles you need to train to master hands-free equalization (equalizing without pinching your nose), known in France as BTV ( béance tubaire volontaire).
At the end of the article, you’ll find a YouTube playlist with 16 exercises I use in my own training and to teach hands-free equalization to my students.
Ready to dive in?
Let’s go!
Master Hands-Free Equalization
Page 37 to 44
The Key Muscles for BTV
Hands-free equalization isn’t a magic trick. It’s muscle training and memory. But which muscles?
That’s the part no one ever really tells you. People talk about “learning BTV” like it’s something you just pick up one day, a matter of luck, talent, or maybe even mixed with genetics. But the truth is far more interesting. Behind every clean equalization is a small team of hidden muscles, working in tight coordination, deep inside your head and
throat.
So let’s take a clear look under the 3mm smoothskin hood.
Tensor Veli Palatini (TVP)
The TVP is the key muscle behind hands-free equalization. It is a thin, ribbon-like muscle located on either side of the soft palate. Its primary function is to tense the soft palate while opening the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tubes.
When the TVP contracts, it momentarily opens these tubes.
For most people, the TVP is only activated involuntarily during activities such as yawning, swallowing, or chewing. However, divers aiming to master hands-free equalization must develop voluntary control over this muscle.
The Goal: Awareness, Strength, and Control
To master BTV, you need to develop four key skills.
Develop awareness of the TVP
Learn to recognize the sensation of the TVP contracting. Notice the subtle feeling when your Eustachian tubes open. This awareness is your first milestone.
Strengthen the muscle
Like any muscle, the TVP responds to training. With regular practice, activation becomes easier, quicker, and more reliable.
Train control
The goal is to activate the TVP on command without needing to swallow or yawn.
Master the reverse packing technique
Learn to manage air at depth by refining your reverse packing technique. Precision, timing, and minimal effort are key.
Other Muscles Involved in Hands-Free Equalization
While the TVP is the primary muscle responsible for hands-free equalization, it does not work alone. Several supporting muscles of the soft palate and pharynx assist the process.
Levator Veli Palatini (LVP)
It may not be the star of the show, but the LVP plays an essential supporting role.
It elevates the soft palate during swallowing or BTV efforts. This elevation helps align the soft tissues around the Eustachian tube openings, making it easier for the TVP to do its job.
It also helps seal off the nasopharynx, preventing air from escaping through the nose.
By lifting and stabilizing the surrounding structures, the LVP allows the TVP to operate more efficiently.
Salpingopharyngeus Muscle
Think of this one as the quiet assistant working behind the scenes.
It originates near the cartilaginous opening of the Eustachian tube and inserts into the pharyngeal wall. When it contracts, it shortens and elevates the pharynx, pulling the lateral wall upward toward the tube. This helps widen and stabilize the Eustachian tube opening.
Here's the cool part. By widening and supporting the entrance of the Eustachian tubes, it:
Reduces resistance to airflow from the nasopharynx into the middle ear.
Improves how easily the tubes open, making it easier for the TVP to equalize when it activates.
It clears the path so air can flow when needed. It's not the force, it's the form. This muscle makes the road wider and smoother so the TVP can do its job.
Soft Palate and Jaw Movements
While the jaw and soft palate are not specific muscles, their positioning is critical for hands-free equalization.
Jaw position can make or break your BTV. Many divers find that slightly jutting the jaw forward, as if simulating a yawn, improves alignment.
The soft palate acts like a gatekeeper. You need air in the mouth to equalize, but if the palate is in the wrong position, air will not reach your Eustachian tubes.
With proper control, you can:
Open the passage between the mouth and the nasopharynx.
Ensure air reaches the middle ear during equalization.
Optimize pressure transfer during BTV.
Think of the jaw as the lever and the soft palate as the valve. When they work together, they create the conditions for all the other players, the TVP, LVP, and salpingopharyngeus, to shine.
To be continued…
16 Exercises from the Manual
There are specific ways to train these muscles and teach them to respond on command. You can find them in this YouTube playlist.
The book gives you everything else: the complete method, the progression, and more.
If what you’ve just read sparked your curiosity, know this, it’s just a ripple on the surface. The Depth Collector series (two books of 400 pages each) plunges deep into the world of freediving, uncovering layers of insights, lessons, and practical tools to refine your journey into the depths.
The series explores all eight foundational pillars, covering everything from CO₂ tolerance and mental strategies to sports nutrition, anatomical adaptation, breathing techniques, training plans, and more.
Read more about the other pillars on the blog or grab your copy here.
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