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
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 somersault to be done.
Hips will move upward and forward as the legs finish their extension.
4. After
legs have been fully extended and the feet have left the board, simultaneously
round the upper body forward and bring the knees up toward the chest.
Arms either drop in front of the body line, bent at the elbows, or make
a small, bent-elbow circling movement, 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/low back are slightly shy of having completed
a full revolution.
8. Sighting
the water, 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 or water.
b.
Pike out -- extend the
legs from the knees, with the toes pointing toward the water, slightly in back
of the bodyline, at an angle that maintains control of the rotation.
Too low a kick causes a continuation of rotation that cannot be
controlled and too high a kick 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.
10. 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 water.
Finish pressing the legs down so the body is straight, with arms at
sides, and the entry line is slightly short of vertical.