1. During
the pressing action, angle the body very slightly forward. Keep eyes focused
on the back end of the board.
2. As arms
reach overhead, they are shoulder-width apart with palms facing forward.
3. Torso
hollows, and as legs extend, with knees straight, balls of feet push forward
and downward into the board, creating an equal and opposite reaction carrying
the body backward and upward away for the board.
4.
Shoulders round upward and slightly forward, thereby creating enough
angular momentum, when combined with the leg extension and the slight lean
forward, to be directed into a half somersault.
5. 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 in front of
the body line toward the chest and bring the arms forward and downward to
continue the forward rotation.
6. Bring
arms forward and downward, then in toward body, bending the elbows and
preparing the hands to grab the legs for the tuck.
7. 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.
8. Maintain
the tuck position until the hips are the highest point of the body relative to
the water.
9. Still
sighting the water, prepare for the kick-out.
10. Kickout
Styles
a. Straight
kick-out – extend the legs, knees first, forcefully while squeezing
midsection muscles tightly, so that the entire body, minus the arms, comes
into a straight line.
b. Pike
out -- extend the legs from the
knees, with the toes pointing at an angle that maintains control of the
rotation (too far in front of the hips causes the rotation to slow too much
and the dive to get “stuck;” too far up and behind causes the dive to
over-rotate uncontrollably.
11. Arm
Movements from the Tuck to the Entry
a. Midline
(typically combined with a straight kick)
1. During
the kicking action, move the arms to a bent position, close to the torso,
with the hands grabbing for entry.
2. Extending
the arms overhead while adjusting the hands so the flat palm is parallel
to the water.
b. Lateral
(typically combined with a pike-out)
1. During
the kicking action, extend the arms outward from the elbows to establish a
set position.
2. Keeping
the shoulders relaxed and torso hollow, move the arms laterally from
“set” position until they come overhead.
3. Flip
the wrists such that palms face the water and maneuver hands into grabbed
entry position such that the flat palm is parallel to the water.
12. The
Kickout and Arm Actions should happen in quick succession, with smooth
transitions from one position to the next.
13. Align
the body for a drop to the water that results in an entry line just short of
vertical.