1. During
the pressing action, angle the body very slightly forward, with the chest
slightly in front of the hips/toes. Keep eyes focused on the anticipated entry
point or other desired spot.
2. As arms
reach overhead, they are shoulder-width apart with palms facing either inward
or forward. The arms extend very
slightly behind the ears.
3. Lower
torso remains hollow, while chest and shoulders open a bit, 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, forward, while
creating enough rotation for the half 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 the knees up toward the chest.
Arms drop in front of the body line, bent at the elbows, in
anticipation of grabbing the tuck.
5. As the
knees come up into the chest, rotate the hips forward/upward and pull the
buttocks underneath the torso.
6. As the
hands grab the legs for the tuck. Relax most of your muscles, except the ones
needed to squeeze your tuck and establish the smallest possible position.
7. Maintain
the tuck position until the hips and low back are approximately parallel to
the water.
8. Still
sighting the anticipated entry position or other desired spot, prepare for the
kick-out.
9. Kickout
Styles
a.
Straight kick-out – extend the legs against the direction of
rotation, knees first, forcefully while squeezing midsection muscles tightly,
so that the entire body, comes into a straight line with the arms resting flat
on the front or side of the body/legs. Eyes
should sight the toes.
b.
Pike out -- extend the
legs from the knees, with the toes pointing back toward the board at an angle
that maintains control of the rotation. Too
low a kick causes the angle of descent to be too short of vertical and too
high a kick causes a continuation of rotation that cannot be controlled.
Using the hips, abdominals, and buttocks, press the legs against the
direction of rotation, then ease the upper body back 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.
10. Continue
the rest of the dive with the movements of one of the styles discussed for a
Back Entry.