TROPIC LIGHTNING DIVING TEAM 

DIVING TERMINOLOGY

This is a work in progress -- if you think something should be added, e mail me at twisterj@tmail.com and let me know!

Ankle Snap – a quick extension of the foot from flat to pointed that accompanies the takeoff on a dive, particularly on forward and inward dives.

Approach – the movements you make in order to jump from the board, including preparatory steps, hurdles, and presses.

Armstand – a dive that starts from a handstand position – performed from platform only.

Armswing – 1.  the pendulum-like movement of the arms during the preparatory steps of a forward approach; 2.  the part of a press that involves circumscribing a circle with the fingertips

Back -- a dive which takes off from the board facing backward and rotates in the backward direction.

Backswing – the backward movement of the arms on the penultimate preparatory step of a forward approach that allows the arms to accelerate quickly during the lift.

Back Entry, also Blind Entry – an entry in which divers cannot see the water until they finish rotating and tilt their heads back.

Balk – a failed attempt to start a dive.  One balk incurs a penalty of 2 points taken off each judge’s score; a double balk incurs a penalty of a failed dive.

Belts – refers to a diver getting into a spotting belt and a coach using a rope-and-pulley system to lift and spot divers into various actions.

Board – usually refers to a springboard, from which people dive.  Sometimes includes platform, as when one refers to the individual events in which one competes (i.e., “I made it to nationals on all three boards.”).

Call – a verbal command from a coach alerting a diver that it is time to perform a cessation action, such as kicking out of a dive or squaring out of a twist.

Call Tower – to direct divers when diving on tower so as to minimize the chances of divers hitting each other.

Catch the Board – to perform a good hurdle such that you land on the board at the proper time during its oscillations to get a balanced and powerful press.

Chamois – a synthetic drying towel which can be squeezed out when saturated.  Used to dry one’s self for spinning dives to reduce chances of slipping out of position.  Also used to dry one’s self between turns to help keep warm, or to have something to do.  Most divers have one of their own and cherish it dearly.

Choke – to bring the arms from an over head position to an on-the-body position in back and reverse layout spinners.

Close – verb, usually referring to the arms coming together for an entry, sometimes referring to the body moving from an extended position into a compact position for spinning.

Crowhop – a lifting of one or both feet from the board during the performance of a back approach.

Degree of Difficulty, also D.D. – a decimal representation of how hard a dive is.  The D.D. is multiplied by the judges’ awards to determine the final score for a given dive.

Dive – a head first entry that includes a jump from a board.  Sometimes refers only to actions involving half a somersault.

Dive List – the accounting of the dives you will do in a meet.  This term is used formally for competitions, but also informally as in “What’s your list?” meaning “What dives do you do?”

Dive Number/Letter System – a way to represent all dives using numerals and letters instead of words, helping the international diving community communicate efficiently.

Dryland – the realm of non-water diving related activity.  Includes conditioning exercises, modeling mechanics and dives, flexibility work, trampoline and dryboard work, and tumbling.

Entry – 1.  the entry of a diver into the water; 2.  a skill that consists of falling from a board to the water.

Failed Dive, also Incorrect Dive – when the diver performs a dive other than that described by the number and letter on the official diving sheet.

Flat-hand – the proper position of the hands upon entry, so that the palms are parallel to the water.

Forward – a dive which takes off from the board facing forward and rotates in the forward direction.

Forward Entry – an entry in which divers can see the water as they finish rotating and approach it.

Free – a combination of two other diving positions used for twisting dives.

Fulcrum – the cylinder upon which the board rests which can be adjusted to make the board springier or less springy.

Head-Check – a forward nod of the head during the performance of a back entry, during which the head should not move; causes dives to accelerate rotation through the entry.

Heavy – a splashy entry.

Highboard – three meter diving board.

Hit, also Nail – 1.  to perform a dive well.

Hollow, also Round and C-Curve – the most important body position to master in diving, for safety and for proper execution.  Hollow means that the back is rounded, ribs are “crunched” together, the hips turned under, the shoulders relaxed, the knees straight, and the head held so that the chin is parallel to the ground.  Whew!  Try it!

Hurdle – in a forward approach, the “hop” from the board that allows a diver to land on the board with more force when pressing.

Inward -- a dive which takes off from the board facing backward and rotates in the forward direction.

Jump – to gain altitude from pushing against a board, often refers to actions that involve no somersaulting rotation whatsoever.

Knee Save, also Back Save – the typical save for backward entries, in which the diver opens the hips, arches the back, pulls the head back and pulls the heels toward the buttocks; a hard back somersaulting action that helps bring the legs, from the knees on down, back to a vertical position.

Layout – old-fashioned term for the straight position, but implies an arch that is no longer considered good form (at least for forwards and inwards).

Lateral Come-Out – way of moving the arms from the spinning position to the entry position that involves moving the arms to a set position before closing.

Lift, also First Reach – the action of lifting your arms upward to an overhead position in anticipation of a press.  For forward approaches, the lift is typically done frontally with the arms shoulder width apart.  For back approaches, it is typically done laterally.

Lineup, also Entry -- a skill that consists of falling from a board to the water.

Lowboard – one meter diving board.

Meet – the term used for a diving competition.

Midline Come-Out – way of moving the arms from the spinning position to the entry position that involves keeping arms close to the body and moving along a path near shoulder width apart.

Miss – to perform a dive poorly.

Optionals – multiple somersaulting/twisting dives designed to show the athleticism involved with the sport.

Out – 1.  the movements undertaken when moving from a spinning position to an entry position;  2.  being too far from the board.

Over, also Long and Past – to rotate a dive past the number of somersaults intended.

Pike – a body position in which the body bends at the hips only.  Can be performed open, with the arms in a set position; closed, with the hands grabbing the legs and the arms bent in close to the thighs; or touched-toe.

Pike Save, also Somersault Save – the typical save for forward entries, in which the body bends at the waist and somersaults to bring the legs back from “over” to vertical.

Platform – a hard structure from which one can dive.  Junior and Masters’ competition is from any level (5, 7.5, and/or 10 Meter), while Senior Competition is 10M only.

Position –refers to the four positions in which you can dive: Tuck (C), Pike (B), Straight (A), and Free (D). 

Preparatory Steps – the initial movements in a forward approach, consisting usually of 3-5 steps.

Press – a combined action of squatting, circling the arms, and extending the legs to “press” the board downward.

Press-Out – the proper way to align the body after a kickout but before moving to an entry position on a back entry.

Prime – to set the board in motion using heel raises.

Reach, also Second Reach – the extension of the arms overhead upon takeoff from the board.

Reverse, also Gainer -- a dive which takes off from the board facing forward and rotates in the backward direction. 

Ride the Board – to achieve proper timing and execution of a hurdle and press to get maximum throw from the board.

Rip – an entry that is performed flawlessly, with virtually no splash, or at least the sound that such an entry makes.

Save – an underwater maneuver that serves as a means of controlling the appearance of and entry and giving the illusion of “vertical” to a non-vertical (usually over) dive.

Set – a position in which the arms are held outstretched, 180 degrees from each other, in line with the shoulders.

Short, also Under – to rotate a dive past the number of somersaults intended.

Skills – building blocks of dives, such as jumps and line-ups, often used in entry-level competitions.

Smack – to hit the water painfully on a dive that has been over- or under-rotated.

Soft – a good entry that does not have the rip sound and might have a little splash.

Spin, also Somersault or Flip – Rotation around the latitudinal axis of the body.

Spinner – 1.  a somersaulting optional dive.  2.  A person who is good at dives involving multiple somersaults.

Spot – 1.  visual spot, wherein divers use the eyes to help them figure out where they are in a dive.  2.  Tactile“help” from a coach during a dive/diving action (coach helps lift, push, rotate the diver using mechanical force from the coach’s body/spotting aids.

Square – 1.  the method for stopping a twist; 2. being in line with the diving board during the flight of a dive.

Step-Out, also Step-Down – part of the hurdle in which the diver straightens the bent leg downward to meet the power leg and extends the arms upward to establish a good line with which to land on the tip of the board.

Straight, also Layout -- a body position in which the body does not bend at all, with the exception of the arms during various stages of a dive.

Swim – to move the arms forcefully to the sides and toward the hips when entering the water; helps a diver’s body enter the water more quickly and minimizes splash.

Throw – 1.  the action the arms undertake in initiating a strong forward somersaulting action;  2.  to dive (“I’m gonna throw my gainer 2 ½ today!”).

Tight – 1.  keeping the muscles firm for form and technical purposes;  2.  Being too close to the board.

Top – the height, power, and rotation of a dive as it is in flight.

Tuck -- a body position in which the body bends at the hips and the knees and the diver forms a small ball.  In diving, tuck traditionally is traditionally done closed, with the hands grabbing the shins between the knees and ankles, the knees and shoulders coming together, the heels and buttocks coming together, and the head dropping forward  with the chin close to the neck.

Twist – Rotation around the longitudinal axis of the body.

Twister – 1.  a dive that involves twists; 2.  a person who is particularly skilled at dives with twists.

Voluntaries – the set of “easy” dives in a Junior/Master’s diver’s list designed to show the grace and beauty and control involved with the sport.

Wrap – 1.  to move the arms from an extended position into the classic twisting position;  2.  to circle the arms from an extended position behind the body and into a spinning position on back and reverse optionals.