This will be a most difficult area to describe since this part of a dive is determined by the diver's ability to successfully complete the techniques that precede the kickout. This refers to the diver's level of accomplishment. Also I will try to do this without stick figures.

At the beginning level a diver is not concerned with proper sequences. Their major concern is to complete the dive without killing themselves. At this level the coach should be satisfied with any sequence that allows the diver to fulfill that goal successfully. Once the diver reaches a level of confidence and consistency, then the task of teaching proper kick out sequences can begin. Until that time the coach may only interfere with the learning process.

The following is a brief description of sequences that have produced some desirable responses.

Since these are blind entry dives, sensations must be anticipated for the proper moment of reaction. This can be difficult for some, especially the beginners. Height and speed of the rotation are factors that the diver must be able to react to and accurately interpret. Assuming that everything is going fine when the diver is ready to kick out, he/she should kick the legs out first. This kick should be slightly in front of the body. Once the legs have straightened out, the diver steps down to straighten out the rest of the body. By kicking the legs out first, the rotation slows down because of the position change. By stepping down, the diver uses the action/reaction premise to make the rotation appear to stop. The vertical entry will be dependent on the timing of the kick out. While learning this the inexperienced diver seems to allow themselves to continue the above into an arch at entry. This is not good technique. Water resistance at entry will cause the dive to over-rotate at entry if this arch is present. When the kick out is complete, the hands should be positioned slightly to the front of the body on the thighs with the arms held straight. That position gives a better profile than having the arms at the side. Even if the arms are straight, the elbows appear to be bent if the hands are at the sides. It also prevents the arms from being put into a position that the shoulder joint can not handle.

At the beginning stages, it is best to have the diver at least get the hands over head at entry. Again the diver is not worried about sequences only about finishing the dive without getting hurt. Many divers will have their eyes closed at this time. As the diver acquires more time at the finish of the dive the following progressions can be followed.

When first learning these somersaults, the beginning diver usually doesn't have time to do much. The dive lands in a cannonball with no attempt to come out. Usually their eyes are closed which means they have no idea of where they are at in the dive. As they become more proficient at establishing rotation, they will open their eyes. This is when they can begin to anticipate when they should come out. Usually they will begin letting the legs straighten out when they see the water. Many times the dive will be left short because the rotation is not fast enough and height may also be lacking. At this point it may be wise to tell them when they see water they must estimate where they will enter the water and kick straight down for the entry point. All of this leads toward the time when they have sufficient height and time to affect a good kick out sequence.

As the diver comes over the last rotation, they should be siting the water and in particular where they will enter it. The legs should straighten out at a point short of the entry. The diver will be bent at the waist but not in a compact pike position. At this time the diver should straighten out at the waist. Emphasis should be to pick the head and chest up to emphasize the action/reaction affect of this motion. At the same time the arms should move down to their position in front of the body with the hands placed on the thighs. The vertical entry will depend on the height, speed of rotation and the timing of the kick out.

Because these are considered blind entry dives, the ability to see something (spotting) would be most helpful in acquiring a consistent entry. As usual, the beginner will be concerned with his or her own well being and not sequences. They may practice some lead up skills to understand the principles but all of that goes out the window on the first few attempts. The common first time kick out will be that the diver lets go of the legs and whips the head back in an attempt to see the water. Sometimes the hands make it to a point overhead but the last thing to happen is straightening out the legs. Until the diver becomes comfortable and more proficient with establishing rotation many different kick out sequences will occur even though the coach is teaching the right techniques.

The ideal kick out sequences should be that the diver kicks the legs out first. That kick can be anywhere from 45 degrees short of vertical to almost vertical depending on the finishing height and speed of rotation. Once the legs are out the diver should lay back and look for the water at entry. This utilized the action/reaction principle of making the rotation appear to slow down or stop. Upon siting the entry the diver should laterally reach for the water. Moving the arms laterally has no noticeable affect on the body in flight other than to slow down the rotation because it increases the radius of spin once the arms are overhead. Lateral movement of the arms is also a safety concern for the reverse group in particular. By moving the arms laterally, they will not be in a position to contact the diving board.

As the diver progresses from beginning to the more advanced levels, there may be a need to modify the arm movement for the entry. If the diver can do everything in the above paragraph but doesn't have time to bring the arms out laterally, the arms can be held in close to the front of the body. When they are ready to reach for the entry, the action would be to punch the arms up the middle and then straighten them out overhead for the entry. This technique can be used until there is enough finishing time to bring the arms straight out laterally overhead.

The sequence for coming out of any dive entails straightening out at the waist for the entry. If the entry is feet first, the arms move to their position in front of the thighs. If it is a head first entry, the diver looks for the entry and straightens out after which the lateral reach for the entry occurs.

1. At the finish of all tuck dives the legs should come out straight first after which the body straightens out. For headfirst entries reaching for the water before entry is the last action of the kick out sequence.
2. Always look for the entry point before reaching for it. If the diver can't see the point of entry, the reach and line up for it may not be very accurate or consistent.

The kick out sequences described above are used so that the diver can feel some success as they progress in their diving. The more advanced skills follow Hobie's kick, look, and reach sequence. Unfortunately the descriptions here are not as poignant, eloquent or as detailed as he would be able to present but should give the reader an idea of basic kick out sequences.

Back To Current Topics