Diving (sport)

I

Introduction

Diving (sport), act of plunging into water headfirst or feetfirst from diving boards, poolsides, the shore, docks, or cliffs. People dive as a way to enter the water, but they also dive for fun and in competition, attempting to perform airborne acrobatics before entering the water gracefully. This article addresses the sport of competitive diving from diving springboards and platforms. For information on scuba diving, Diving (underwater).

Water depth is usually well marked in pools, but in natural bodies of water the depth is usually not indicated. To decide whether or not a location is safe for diving, anyone planning to dive should first check the depth of the water and make sure it is free from underwater obstructions. At an unfamiliar location, divers should ease into the water slowly and feetfirst.

In competitive diving, divers perform basic dives, somersaults, and twists, which they complete with an entry into the water. Separate events are held for platform divers, who dive from a fixed, rigid platform, and springboard divers, who dive from a narrower, springy board that flexes under weight and movement. Event heights range from 1-m (3.2-ft) low springboards to 10-m (32.8-ft) high platforms. Judges evaluate each dive and assign a score.

II

Diving Techniques

A basic dive has four distinct phases: the starting position, the take-off, the in-flight maneuvers, and the entry into the water. Divers learn each of these components by repeating the dive or skill over and over. Divers also use skill progressions to learn more difficult dives. They first master simple skills such as feetfirst jumps before learning body positions, alignment, somersaults, and twists. These complex skills are often taught on dry land using special equipment such as trampolines combined with safety harnesses that can suspend the diver in the air with ropes. Foam pits that cushion landings from low springboards are also used.

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A

Starting Position

Each dive begins from a starting position, and there are two basic types of starts: standing and running. For standing dives the diver stands on the edge of the platform or springboard with the body held straight, the head erect, and the arms straight. In front and reverse dives from the standing position, the diver looks forward out over the pool. In back and inward dives, the diver turns around to face the platform or springboard. For so called running dives, the diver takes the starting position far enough back from the edge of the platform or tip of the springboard to take a few steps and build up forward momentum before take-off.

While in the starting position, divers relax, think about the movements they will do, and visualize themselves completing the dive perfectly. A referee signals for the dive to begin, usually by blowing a whistle. In a standing dive, the diver moves straight into the take-off without a bounce. In a running dive, the diver first moves into the approach, which must be at least four steps long. The approach should be smooth, straight, and without hesitation.

B

Take-Off

The take-off is the portion of the dive prior to flight when the diver prepares to jump up and away from the platform or springboard. Because the take-off determines the diver’s path through the air, divers at all levels must respond quickly to mistakes at take-off to make corrections and complete the dive as intended.

Platform divers begin the take-off with a squat, then jump high and away from the platform. Springboard divers make an initial hop before taking off, then land on the board with both feet while it flexes down and back up. This allows them to capture the force in the board’s recoil and launch themselves high in the air.

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