Diving Drills and Exercises
Diving Drills and Exercises
All dives can be broken down into various skills . . . the hurdle, the take-off, execution of the dive, the entry, etc. The important aspect of drills and exercises is that it allows a diver to practice and perfect a particular skill without worrying about other aspects of the dive. These skills, or parts of a dive, are easier much to master when practiced by themselves. Once the skill is perfected, it can then be put together with other skills for create a successful dive.
The standing forward dive pike allows the diver to concentrate on proper balance and the execution of the dive and entry without having to worry about the hurdle and take-off.
This drill begins with the diver standing at the end of the diving board with the arms extended over the head. It can be performed on the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard, or 5-meter platform
Proper Balance and The Initial Push From the Diving Board
To initiate the dive, bend your knees with the chest centered over the toes creating a slight lean. This lean will create safe distance by moving the divers' center of gravity up and away from the diving board. The arms should bend at the elbows and the hands should be over the head.
Leaving the Diving Board
As the diver begins to push off the board, the arms should move forward and out away from the body and the diving board, and the legs should straighten and toes point.
Where Do the Hips and Arms Go as the Diver Leaves the Board?
As the diver elevates up from the board, the hips will move up toward the ceiling. The arms should move out and away from the body and the diving board in a movement that resembles drawing a pyramid or an upside down “V”.</p> <p>The arms should continue down toward the water and then move to the side of the body forming a “T”. The diver has the option of touching their toes instead of drawing a pyramid.
If this is the case, then once the toes are touched the arms will move to the side forming the "T".</p>
The Open Pike Position
The hips continue up and toward the ceiling, and the body forms the open pike position. The divers' chest should be as close to the legs as possible when in the pike position. The eyes should focus on the entry spot on the water below.
Straightening the Body
Once the body reaches the top of the dive and the upper body is in a position almost perpendicular with the surface of the water, the arms should move laterally in-line with the body toward the head and the stretching position. The eyes should still be focused on the entry spot. The legs should press upward toward ceiling in order to create a straight body position.
Leg Press and Stretching Position
The legs continued up toward the ceiling until the body forms a hollow-body position. The arms should be over the head and the hand grasping the “flat hand" position. The technique that allows the legs to move over the head is similar to the movement a body makes when performing a handstand on the ground.
Hollow-Body Stretching Position
The diver should now be concentrating on the entry into the water, focusing on a hollow-body stretching position with proper diving posture, stretching the arms toward the water, and grasping the “flat hand.”
During the entry into the water, the diver must maintain a hollow-body stretching position. The diver has the option of holding this position until completely submerged, or executing a somersault save underneath the surface.
If all goes according to plan, the diver should have a perfect rip entry!!!
All dives can be broken down into various skills . . . the hurdle, the take-off, execution of the dive, the entry, etc. The important aspect of drills and exercises is that it allows a diver to practice and perfect a particular skill without worrying about other aspects of the dive. These skills, or parts of a dive, are easier much to master when practiced by themselves. Once the skill is perfected, it can then be put together with other skills for create a successful dive.
The standing forward dive pike allows the diver to concentrate on proper balance and the execution of the dive and entry without having to worry about the hurdle and take-off.
This drill begins with the diver standing at the end of the diving board with the arms extended over the head. It can be performed on the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard, or 5-meter platform
Proper Balance and The Initial Push From the Diving Board
To initiate the dive, bend your knees with the chest centered over the toes creating a slight lean. This lean will create safe distance by moving the divers' center of gravity up and away from the diving board. The arms should bend at the elbows and the hands should be over the head.
Leaving the Diving Board
As the diver begins to push off the board, the arms should move forward and out away from the body and the diving board, and the legs should straighten and toes point.
Where Do the Hips and Arms Go as the Diver Leaves the Board?
As the diver elevates up from the board, the hips will move up toward the ceiling. The arms should move out and away from the body and the diving board in a movement that resembles drawing a pyramid or an upside down “V”.</p> <p>The arms should continue down toward the water and then move to the side of the body forming a “T”. The diver has the option of touching their toes instead of drawing a pyramid.
If this is the case, then once the toes are touched the arms will move to the side forming the "T".</p>
The Open Pike Position
The hips continue up and toward the ceiling, and the body forms the open pike position. The divers' chest should be as close to the legs as possible when in the pike position. The eyes should focus on the entry spot on the water below.
Straightening the Body
Once the body reaches the top of the dive and the upper body is in a position almost perpendicular with the surface of the water, the arms should move laterally in-line with the body toward the head and the stretching position. The eyes should still be focused on the entry spot. The legs should press upward toward ceiling in order to create a straight body position.
Leg Press and Stretching Position
The legs continued up toward the ceiling until the body forms a hollow-body position. The arms should be over the head and the hand grasping the “flat hand" position. The technique that allows the legs to move over the head is similar to the movement a body makes when performing a handstand on the ground.
Hollow-Body Stretching Position
The diver should now be concentrating on the entry into the water, focusing on a hollow-body stretching position with proper diving posture, stretching the arms toward the water, and grasping the “flat hand.”
During the entry into the water, the diver must maintain a hollow-body stretching position. The diver has the option of holding this position until completely submerged, or executing a somersault save underneath the surface.
If all goes according to plan, the diver should have a perfect rip entry!!!
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