1. During
the pressing action, angle the body very slightly backward.
Keep eyes focused on the back end of the board.
2. As
straightened arms reach overhead, they are shoulder-width apart with palms
facing either inward or forward. The
arms extend behind the ears.
3. Lower
torso remains hollow, while chest and shoulders open slightly, and as legs
extend, with knees straight, balls of feet push downward and slightly backward
into the board, creating an equal and opposite reaction carrying the body
upward and, combined with the arms/upper body positioning, backward, while
creating enough rotation for the somersault to be done.
4. After
legs have been fully extended and the feet have left the board, simultaneously
round the upper body forward and begin to bring tops of the feet up toward the
torso. The arms either drop in
front of the bodyline or make a circling motion behind the bodyline during the
rounding of the upper body in anticipation of grabbing the pike.
5. Establish
the pike position with body bending at the waist only, with each hand clasping
a leg at or above the calf. Squeeze
the pike such that the chest makes contact with the legs.
6. Maintain
the pike position until the hips are just shy of having made a complete
revolution.
7. Sighting
the water, prepare for the come-out.
8. Kickout
Style and Entry
a.
Extend the legs with the toes pointing toward the water, slightly in
back of the bodyline, at an angle that maintains control of the rotation.
Too low an angle causes a continuation of rotation that cannot be
controlled and too high an angle causes the angle of descent to be too short
of vertical. The arms may move
into a set position to help control the body during the movement from pike to
straight.
9. Using the
hips, abdominals, and buttocks, press the legs against the direction of
rotation, then ease the torso upward and backward until a straight/slightly
hollow body line has been established, with the arms resting flat on the front
or side of the body/legs. Eyes
should sight the toes or the board.
Finish pressing the legs down so the body is straight, with arms at
sides, and the entry line is slightly short of vertical.