1. During
the pressing action, angle the body very slightly forward. Keep eyes focused
on the anticipated entry point.
2. As arms
reach overhead, they are shoulder-width apart with palms facing forward.
3. Torso
hollows, and as legs extend, with knees straight and feet/toes pointed,
shoulders round upward and slightly forward and the hands throw forward and
downward, thereby creating enough angular momentum to be directed into a
somersault.
4. With the
torso and arms rounded slightly forward, the hips have room to ascend.
As the hips ascend (resulting from the combination of rounding upper
body forward, relaxing the abdominal and hip area, and allowing the board to
push the lower body into the air), simultaneously draw the knees slightly in
front of the body line toward the chest and bring the arms forward and
downward to continue the forward rotation.
5. Bring
arms forward and downward, then in toward body, bending the elbows and
preparing the hands to grab the legs for the tuck.
6. Establish
the tuck position with knees making contact with shoulders, heels making
contact with buttocks, and one hand clasping each shin between the knee and
the ankle.
7. Maintain
the tuck position until the hips have made a complete revolution.
8. Extend
the legs/body in one of the following manners to slow rotation and gain
control for entry into the water.
9. Kickout
Styles and Entry
a.
Straight kick-out – extend the legs, knees first, forcefully while
squeezing midsection muscles tightly, so that the entire body, minus the arms
(which move down to the sides, comes into a straight line.
Angle of entry should be slightly short of vertical.
b.
Pike out -- extend the
legs from the knees, with the toes pointing at an angle that maintains control
of the rotation (too far up causes the rotation
to slow too much and the dive to get “stuck;” too far down causes the dive
to over-rotate uncontrollably. At
the same time, pull the upper body slightly upward and backward, against the
direction of rotation. Finish
pressing the legs down so the body is straight, with arms at sides, and the
entry line is slightly short of vertical.