The path is actually quite fixed. The hard part is not taking shortcuts: Check your health → Find an instructor → Take a structured course → Train with a buddy.
Four steps:
First, confirm your physical condition. Ear, nose, heart, lung, and epilepsy conditions are clear contraindications for freediving. If you have an underlying medical condition, ask a doctor first. On days when you have a cold, a blocked nose, or ear discomfort, do not get in the water.
Sign up for a structured entry-level course (AIDA 2, PADI Freediver, SSI Level 1, etc.). The content should cover: breathing preparation, equalization, finning and posture, rescue and the buddy system, and open-water practice. If a course lacks rescue training, switch to another one.
Choose an instructor based on three points: student-to-instructor ratio (only small classes can give you enough attention), whether it includes open water, and whether you are allowed to go at your own pace—if your equalization can't keep up, stop. This is not embarrassing; it is professional.
Getting certified is when the real learning begins. Schedule practice with a regular buddy, keep a dive log, increase depth by one or two meters at a time, and complete the surface protocol every time you surface.
In one sentence: How do you learn freediving? Find someone to teach you, then find someone to accompany you. The instructor is responsible for getting you started, and the buddy is responsible for keeping you alive as you keep training—online tutorials cannot replace either of these.