Swimming: Coaching Cues for a Standing Front Dive

Swimming: Coaching Cues for a Standing Front Dive

Dick Moss, Editor, PE Update.com

When performing the front dive (see PE Digest, Spring'99), the worst outcome is a belly flop. Here are some coaching cues and a drill that will help your students avoid such painful, flat, noisy, embarrassing landings.

Coaching Cues
A successful front dive is actually a variation of a one-half somersault. Instruct your students to think in these terms: they should jump up in the air,  getting the hips high. Then, as if performing a front somersault, they tuck the chin and aim the hands for the bottom of the pool.

A useful cue is to have them pretend they are jumping into a somersault and landing in a handstand on the water, about three away.

Hula Hoop Drill
To ensure a good upward jump and a somersaulting action, have your students perform the Hula Hoop Drill. Students step into a hula hoop that a partner, kneeling to the side, lifts to shin height. The front of the hoop should be about a foot from the diver's legs. They then perform a front dive—they'll be forced to jump up and out and to somersault forward, which will produce a vertical entry.

For progression, gradually increase the height of the hoop.
   
References: 
1. Michael Brooks, Developing Swimmers, Human Kinetics, 2011.
2. David G. Thomas, Swimming: Steps to Success (2nd Edition), Human Kinetics Publishers, 1996.


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