How to Dive

Diving can be a little stressful if you have never done it before. Just like any other sport, diving takes practice and a little bit of skill. You must take what you learn each time and improve upon it. The more you practice the less scary it becomes and then eventually you are doing it without even thinking about it. If you are looking to compete at a competitive level you are going to need to being gymnastics training.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Pool with a deep end
• Diving Board
• Diver

Diving Basics

1. Climb up the ladder and stand at the edge of your diving board.
2. Pretend you need to have good posture and keep your legs and back straight. Make sure you legs aren't apart, but close together.
3. Move your hands and arms up above your head with your palms touching each other. Start to point them toward the water.
4. Make sure your arms are tight around your head and that your neck stays straight like you are trying to make sure you have good posture.
5. Bend your knees and get a little bounce from the diving board. Lean forward and kick off making sure your hands are going to enter the water first.
6. While in the air unbend your knees and resume your good posture position. Enter the water hands first and feet last. Point your toes for a smoother entrance in to the water.
7. Complete your dive and then swim to the edge of the pool and climb out. Do it again and again until you get it just right.

Competitive Diving

8. Enroll in a gymnastics course. This will improve your muscle tone and teach you how to have more control over your body. You will also be able to learn how to do twists, flips, and other competitive moves on the ground before you attempt it safely in the air.
9. Exercise regularly. Anyone who is in competitive sports needs to exercise each and every day. This keeps up your endurance as well as keeping your body in it's top physical condition.
10. Practice stretching your body as part of your regular exercise routine. You want to make sure you don't end up pulling a muscle or getting a cramp in the middle of your dive.
11. Train with a coach. This is of the utmost importance if you want to make it in the competitive circle. The coach is trained to recognize your weak spots and help you to improve upon them. He will also be able to tell you whether you can make it competitively or not.

Tips & Warnings

• For new beginners get started with a coach or swimming instructor.
• Always know how to swim before attempting to dive.
• Children should always be supervised. Too many diving accidents result in catastrophic injury.
• Never dive in shallow water. That is a sure fire way to end up paralyzed or even dead.