Trouble with 303B

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I'm a junior springboard diver. Iv'e been diving about 8 years. for some time now, I have been unable to get off 303B on 1m. I have done the dive before, but landed very short when I did it. Now I either balk right when I'm about to go off or just do a 303c off instead. I have hit my hand before on 303c in competition, but doing it tuck i'm fine. just having issues trying to do the dive pike.my lead ups are good for the dive. Iv'e watched a few people hit the board doing reverses, but anyway, I don't know what to do??

ANSWER: Mary -

The problem that you are having with a 303B is very common in this sport. If there is one dive that athletes have a problem with being too close, it is this one.The first thing you have to do mentally is visualize yourself doing the dive right. You have to have a positive outlook on this dive and be able to do it in your head the right way before you do it off the board. When you attain this ability to do it in your head, you have to turn your brain off and let your body do the dive. You probably are going through some inner self talking that is convincing you that you cannot do the dive. You have to turn off the negative voice and do the dive without thinking.

On the physical side you mention that when you have done the dive before that you went in very short. This is due to two reasons: 1) your guessing when to come out instead of using your visual reference points. In this dive, the visual reference point is the water. You need to see it when you are upside down and track the water until it goes away and another visual reference point comes up. I do not know if you dive indoors or outside so I cannot tell you what another visual reference point will be. 2)The brain can move at a much greater speed than the body so it is telling you that you have arrived at 1 & 1/2 somersaults when physically you are only just past a flip.As a result, you will go short. If you just hang on longer to not go short you will just go over. This is why spotting is so important when spinning backwards.

The other thing I tell divers when doing a 303B is to make sure that they push back against the tip with the balls of their feet so the board throws them out the right distance. Many divers lean forward to clear the board but just end up going out too far and landing short.It is hard to coach over the Internet so I hope you can understand what I mean by pushing back against the board. If you push it away you can land a safe distance and still make the dive.

Do you have access to dry land equipment? If so, doing this dive in the belt on a dry board in a belt many times before doing it over the water again will really help. If you have access to a trampoline, knowing how to do a reverse 1 & 1/4 to your back also helps.If you have not used dry land equipment, ask a follow up question and I will tell you where in Georgia you can find them.

Go to the same website I recommended in your first question about conditioning and look for materials on spotting and how to do it. This is where you can really start to do the dive the way you want.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for all the help. The pool I train at has a trampoline and overhead belts. I actually, already have the U.S. Junior conditioning progam, but it was a little confusing the last time I looked over it, so I'll go back through it. And, out of curiosity, do divers do ballet for better flexibility or to get stronger? Thanks again

Answer
Mary -

I would have to say that flexibility is improved when using ballet as part of your training program. According to the USA Diving Coach Development Reference Manual:

" Ballet training not only improves active flexibility, but also further emphasizes body control and positioning. It also requires intense body awareness in an environment that is less threatening than found diving off a 3 meter board or tower for example. Ballet training is highly suggested for Level II athletes and higher, performed 1 - 2 times per week."

Your list of dives and competitive background I am sure puts you at Level II or higher. Ask your coach is he or she has this manual for you to look at.

Ballet also helps with your posture, grace and overall appearance. It is one of those intangible things that will help your final presentation to judges which of course is very important. Of two girls that do the exact same dive the same way, the one that has the more pleasing appearance (body line and toe point, etc) is going to outscore the girl that does not have any ballet background.