1m 101B and 103B advice

Question
Hi Tom

My question relates to the forward dive pike and forward 1 & 1/2 somi dive pike.  I can complete both dives, but the performance isnt good enough for what I want!

101B: I am constantly working on my pike flexibility and can pike a full palms length past my feet, not perfect but getting there. My problem is travel and inconsistency in the shape change - I travel too far forward, and also I cannot seem to figure out how to do the nice action of rising up into a jack-knife and pressing down out of this.  Currently it is more of an arc path out from the board and I cant get the hips up and toes forward. Can you offer any hints and tips?

103B: I am currently able to complete the dive with straight line come out. I want to be able to compete this with lateral come out.  Currently my problems are similar to the 101B - I go too far out, and dive looks amateur. My take off position is bent at the hip, but if I do not bend until already in the air, then I find rotation too slow - I have watched Olympic take offs and the diver seems to begin the somi while just in contact with the board but they do not travel forward - how can I learn this?

I appreciate any advice you have on either of these two simple, but amazing (and frustrating!) dives.

Thanks!!!
Robbie

Answer
Robbie -

For your 101B I would suggest doing the dive standing with no front approach. Stand on the tip of the board with good posture, perform a full arm swing and work on doing what we call "standing the dive up". This means you are trying to take off straight up at a very slight angle. Remember that in the front group, your center of gravity will always follow the top of your head. If the top of you head is facing at a severe angle outward, your dive will go too far out.When you do the dive correctly from a standing take-off, you will see the board underneath you which is OK - your suppose to see it. Once you have the right distance from a standing take off (which is about 3 feet from the tip), then do the same dive with a one step hurdle. Start a few feet back from the tip and start with the foot pushes the board down and then drive the hurdle leg up with the other. When you land on the tip, you should then perform the same take off you did on the standing version. When the one step hurdle front dive lands 3 feet from the board, then do it with the full approach.

For the 103B, do the same learning progression as the 101b mentioned above: standing, then one step hurdle then full approach.The Olympic video you refer to probably shows the diver in a straight vertical line when the board is at its' fullest depression and the diver has their arms all the way over their head. This is the "standing the dive up" position I mentioned above. Then as the board comes back up they start into the somersaulting action while their feet are still on the board. You cannot create rotation in mid-air. You have to create it while your feet are still on the board. It is what you do before you leave the board when it is all the way down that will determine your distance. You are probably leaning way too far over the board when it is all the way down so your dive therefore has to travel way out. This is why doing it standing will help you get the distance you want.

I would not concern yourself too much with the style of these two dives right now - just work on the take-offs and later work on the lateral come out.

Hope all this helps.