by Joe Chirico
1. Have one diver kneel on ground. Put both hands overhead, grasping one hand with the other, and keeping a flat palm facing the sky (or ceiling). Squeeze elbows over the head, slightly in front of the vertical line. Kneeling diver should be stretching up, keeping a slightly hollow upper body.
2. A second diver (or coach) stands behind the kneeling diver, and taps the palm of the kneeling diver. This tap signals the diver hitting the water. The second diver should continue to tap the palm of the kneeling diver, but not in a predictable pattern; this way the diver doesn't anticipate, but simply reacts.
3. Upon feeling the tap of the standing diver, (signaling contact with the water), the kneeling diver swims up and out by bringing their arms down the sides, slightly in front of their body line.
4. Kneeling diver follows through, bringing arms down. Some coaches prefer that the arms come all the way down, others stop below the shoulders. Diver should maintain a slightly hollow shape throughout the drill.
This drill can also be worked backwards, by having the kneeling diver quickly raise arms overhead, from a set position, then grasp palms as if entering the water.
Photo Credits: Kneeling diver, Sheila Priestly, former US Diving Junior National Champion and Northeastern University Diver; Standing diver, Katie Kelleher, former YMCA 3-meter National Champion and Seton Hall University
Both divers from Boston Area Diving
Diver. Photos taken at Colgate University, Hamilton, NY