Diving from the Deck
I’ve been using the following idea since 1978 and thought I would share what I learned with anyone that was interested. The deck of the diving well is a useful station for teaching a lot of diving fundamentals. The problem was that some pool gutters protrude further out than the edge of the pool deck. In order to use these varied designs, an idea had to be developed to ensure that the diver would clear the protruding gutter. The object pictured (right) was developed for that particular purpose. In this picture once the diver reaches the end of the box, there is a water depth of 16 feet straight down. The box extends over the gutter and is actually supported by it. This makes the jumping surface very solid.
Before making this box, I had a diver who wanted to learn a back twister for tower. Our beginnings for that dive started by standing in and jumping from the gutter. Looking back, it was not very safe because the paint on the gutter surface was very slippery. Balance was rather difficult to maintain too. This particular diver went from the gutter to the 7-meter platform and successfully completed a back 1-½ somersault with 1-½ twists the first time. Since the box was made, I have been able to get kids to learn how to rotate in all directions. Kids learned running tower take-offs and some played around with front twisters. Handstands (forward and back) can also be worked on for form and stability.
This simple fixture became a teaching station in itself. I became sold on the idea when I began seeing improvement in the diver’s explosive jumps and actions into dives. It all starts with the idea that there is no spring at this station. The diver must supply all of the effort. It is less than a foot off the water. To make some of the rotations above, they must supply the power with a quick ankle action and powerful jump. Divers that delay using this station seem to only rely on the spring from the diving board and are less aggressive with movements into various dives. This is a form of plyometrics and requires very aggressive movements because of the limited time and space to finish the skill performed. Because it is so close to the water, the pain factor is lower if they should land flat on the water.
An example is a standing front somersault. The objective is simple. The diver must initiate the somersault quickly to have the time to straighten out before their feet touch the water. Not only must they have a strong jump but they must get into an immediate compact tuck so that they have the time to fully kick out.
The pictures below demonstrates how this is put together. I used a cardboard template of the deck to the gutter and traced the pattern. It's all wood covered with an indoor outdoor rug. The ones shown are ten or more years old. The sidepieces and front are cut from 2x12 lumber. The top is made of ½ inch plywood. The carpet is stapled around the side and back edges. The front is stapled on the vertical face. This stapling technique prevents the staple from cutting feet because there are no staples where the diver stands or lands. Each side is held together with the front by 2 6" lag bolds. The top is screwed onto the side and front pieces. The total surface area measures 2 feet wide by almost a foot and a half deep. 2 small 1x2’s are held in place by screws. These two pieces prevent the whole fixture from moving forward as the diver’s momentum stops when they hit the box.
I used wood because as it swells from the water and wedges the fixture firmly in place. The pictured boxes are installed at the beginning of the summer and taken out at the end of the summer. I let the dry out for a few days and then store them on my garage rafters until the next year.
Practicing Platform Takeoffs from the Deck.
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