Forward entries are easier to perform that back entries,
particularly insofar as divers have a relatively long time to sight the entry
and adjust the speed of their rotation in preparation for it.
Lateral Come-Out (assumes that the rotation has been
completed and that the arms are already on a set position):
Focus the eyes on the water at the anticipated point of
entry.
Straighten the body using the abdominal muscles and
buttocks, lifting the legs upward slightly, but not so much as to cause an
arch
1.For
forward rotating dives, try to point your toes back at the surface from
which you dived (on the one meter, slightly higher than that).Once you master fronts, you can adjust this concept for inwards.
Keeping your shoulders relaxed and your torso hollow,
move the arms laterally from “set” position until they come overhead.
Flip your wrists such that palms face the water and
maneuver hands into grabbed entry position.
1.Maintain
hollow torso and relaxed shoulders.
With the eyes still focused on the entry point, squeeze
abdominal muscles tight, push shoulders/arms toward the ears and slightly
forward while pointing the toes upward and lightly short of the 90 degree
line.
1. Form a vacuum seal with your biceps over your ears.
2. Maintain neutral head position
3.Orient
your hands so that the flat palm is parallel to the water
If you are in alignment and have sufficiently slowed your
rotation, hold your entry line.
If you feel you need to “save” the dive, wait until
your hands just pass through the surface of the water, break your hands apart
by releasing fingers and extending them downward and outward.
Pull the arms toward your hips, following a
lateral/slightly in front of the body line position as you sharply bend over
into an open pike position.
1.The degree of sharpness will
depend on the amount of over-rotation on the dive.
Midline Come-Out (assumes that the rotation is
finishing low to the water and there is no time for the lateral come-out):
While still in your spinning position, focus the eyes on
the water at the anticipated point of entry.
When you feel you are as close to vertical as you can be,
quickly extend the lower body by straightening the knees (if you are in a
tuck) or lifting the legs hard while squeezing your abdominals and buttocks to
avoid arching. Simultaneously,
move the arms to a bent position, close to the torso, with the hands grabbing
for entry.
With the midsection firm and the body maintaining a
hollow position, and the shoulders relaxed, finish extending the arms overhead
while adjusting the hands so the flat palm is parallel to the water.
1. Form a vacuum seal with your biceps over your ears. Continue
to punch through the water if you have not reached a completely straight
elbow position before entry.
2. Maintain neutral head position
If
you are in alignment and have sufficiently slowed your rotation, hold your entry
line.
If you feel you need to “save” the dive, wait until
your hands just pass through the surface of the water, break your hands apart
by releasing fingers and extending them downward and outward.
Pull the arms toward your hips, following a
lateral/slightly in front of the body line position as you sharply bend over
into an open pike position.
1.The
degree of sharpness will depend on the amount of over-rotation on the dive.
Indiana University Diving Coach Jeff Huber Discusses Forward Entry Techniques
(note that his model does a more narrow swim than the one I am teaching :)
Apologies to the deaf that this is not captioned :(
BACK ENTRIES
Back entries are more difficult to perform than front
entries, particularly because divers tend to want to see the water right away
when they finish spinning.In
back entries, this tendency leads to a number of problems, including weak
kicks, excessive arching, and over-emphasis of the torso’s movement during
the transition from spin to entry.
Proper transition from the spinning position follows a
“kick, press-out, look, reach” pattern.
When divers feel they have sufficiently rotated, they
should use their abdominals, hip flexors, and buttocks to extend the legs
forcefully back in the direction opposite their rotation while maintaining
their head-forward position, sighting their toes.This requires that divers trust that they will be able to successfully
complete their actions without necessarily seeing the water, and this is among
the most difficult things for divers to learn.
When the press-out is completed, the diver has two
options for moving to the entry position:
Lateral Come-Out:
Tilt the head back slightly and shift eye focus from the
toes to the water, slightly further away from the body than the anticipated
point of entry.If the eyes
actually see the anticipated point of entry, it is likely that the diver has
aligned the body in such a manner as to “pull” over and not hold the line.Maintain the rest of the body line as the head tilts slightly back and
the eyes “sight” the entry.
Once this position is achieved, move the arms in a
lateral path overhead, moving through, but probably not stopping at, a set
position until they come overhead.
Flip the wrists such that palms face the water and
maneuver hands into grabbed entry position.
1.Maintain
hollow to slightly arched torso (depending on shoulder flexibility and angle
of entry) and relaxed shoulders.
With the eyes still focused slightly further out in front
of the body line than the entry point, squeeze abdominal muscles tight, push
shoulders/arms toward the ears and slightly backward while pointing the toes
upward and slightly short of the 90 degree line.
1. Form a vacuum seal with your biceps over your ears.
2. Maintain neutral to slightly tilted head position.
3.Orient
your hands so that the flat palm is parallel to the water
If you are in alignment and have sufficiently slowed your
rotation, hold your entry line.
If you feel you need to “save” the dive, wait until
your hands just pass through the surface of the water, break your hands apart
by releasing fingers and extending them downward and outward.
Pull arms down laterally/slightly in back of the body
line as you open your chest further and pull your head back sharply
accelerating the back somersaulting action. Bend the legs such that the heels
come toward the buttocks.
1.The
degree of sharpness will depend on the amount of over-rotation on the dive.
Midline Come-Out for Low-Finishing Dives:
While still in your spinning position, focus the eyes on
spot at which you wish to kick.
When you feel you are as close to vertical as you can be,
quickly extend the lower body by straightening the knees (if you are in a
tuck) or pressing the legs hard while squeezing your abdominals and buttocks
to avoid arching.Simultaneously,
move the arms to a bent position, close to the torso, with the hands either
flipping so that the palms are facing the water, at shoulder height, or
grabbing for entry.
With the midsection firm and the body maintaining a
hollow to slightly arched position, and the shoulders relaxed, finish
extending the arms overhead while adjusting the hands (grabbing if you have
not already) so the flat palm is parallel to the water.Continue pressing the lower body in the opposite direction of the
rotation to some degree.
1. Form a vacuum seal with your biceps over your ears. Continue
to punch through the water if you have not reached a completely straight
elbow position before entry.
2. Maintain neutral to slightly tilted back head position.
3.Maintain
hollow to slightly arched torso (depending on shoulder flexibility and angle
of entry).
If you are in alignment and have sufficiently slowed your
rotation, hold your entry line.
If you feel you need to “save” the dive, wait until
your hands just pass through the surface of the water, break your hands apart
by releasing fingers and extending them downward and outward.
Pull arms down laterally/slightly in back of the body
line as you open your chest further and pull your head back sharply
accelerating the back somersaulting action. Bend the legs such that the heels
come toward the buttocks.
1.The
degree of sharpness will depend on the amount of over-rotation on the dive.
Midline Come-Out for High-Finishing Dives:
Tilt the head back slightly and shift eye focus from the
toes to the water, slightly further away from the body than the anticipated
point of entry.If the eyes
actually see the anticipated point of entry, it is likely that the diver has
aligned the body in such a manner as to “pull” over and not hold the line.Maintain the rest of the body line as the head tilts slightly back and
the eyes “sight” the entry.
Once this position is achieved, move the arms to a bent
position, close to the torso, with the hands either flipping so that the palms
are facing the water, at shoulder height, or grabbing for entry.
With the midsection firm and the body maintaining a
hollow to slightly arched position, and the shoulders relaxed, finish
extending the arms overhead while adjusting the hands (grabbing if you have
not already) so the flat palm is parallel to the water.Continue pressing the lower body in the opposite direction of the
rotation to some degree.
With the eyes still focused slightly further out in front
of the body line than the entry point, squeeze abdominal muscles tight, push
shoulders/arms toward the ears and slightly backward while pointing the toes
upward and slightly short of the 90 degree line.
1. Form a vacuum seal with your biceps over your ears.
2. Maintain neutral to slightly tilted head position.
3.Orient
your hands so that the flat palm is parallel to the water.
If you are in alignment and have sufficiently slowed your
rotation, hold your entry line.
If you feel you need to “save” the dive, wait until
your hands just pass through the surface of the water, break your hands apart
by releasing fingers and extending them downward and outward.
Pull arms down laterally/slightly in back of the body
line as you open your chest further and pull your head back sharply
accelerating the back somersaulting action. Bend the legs such that the heels
come toward the buttocks.
1.The
degree of sharpness will depend on the amount of over-rotation on the dive.