Freedivers need to go deep quickly. They do not use Valsalva, their preferred method is called Frenzel equalization:
Frenzel maneuver - Wikipedia
However, the original Frenzel method requires that the mouth is closed: this is not a problem for freedivers, who know very well that it is not safe to keep the snorkel in their mouth during the dive. Of course it can be a problem for a scuba diver.
So a modified version of Frenzel has been developed here in Italy, known as the Marcante-Odaglia method, which is basically the same as Frenzel, but done with the mouth open (and the reg in your mouth).
All that said, for myself instead I use a technique developed in France and called BTV. It has the additional advantages that you do NOT need to close your nose with fingers (it is "hands free"), and that you simultaneously equalize the ears AND the mask.
It is perfect for the type of dive you make at Maldives in channels, where all the divers need to jump in water simultaneously and immediately go down to, say, 30 meters, before the strong current of the channel bring you away from the good spot.
As we are not all "built" the same, you should experiment various equalization techniques and find the one which works better for you.
Frenzel maneuver - Wikipedia
However, the original Frenzel method requires that the mouth is closed: this is not a problem for freedivers, who know very well that it is not safe to keep the snorkel in their mouth during the dive. Of course it can be a problem for a scuba diver.
So a modified version of Frenzel has been developed here in Italy, known as the Marcante-Odaglia method, which is basically the same as Frenzel, but done with the mouth open (and the reg in your mouth).
All that said, for myself instead I use a technique developed in France and called BTV. It has the additional advantages that you do NOT need to close your nose with fingers (it is "hands free"), and that you simultaneously equalize the ears AND the mask.
It is perfect for the type of dive you make at Maldives in channels, where all the divers need to jump in water simultaneously and immediately go down to, say, 30 meters, before the strong current of the channel bring you away from the good spot.
As we are not all "built" the same, you should experiment various equalization techniques and find the one which works better for you.