Start Drills

Here's Step #2 in our 4-step sequence for learning the forward dive. Even if you already know how to start from the blocks, this drill is fun and will reinforce the key skill of getting your hands in streamline as you enter the water.

**Why Do It:**
Learning how to dive off the blocks can be a scary and painful experience. 

But if you take time to practice a few basic skills in the SHALLOW END, you'll learn how to control your moves in a SAFE environment. 

In Step #1, you used a Styrofoam noodle to help control your legs and feet during the forward dive. 

In Step #2, you'll again use a noodle. but this time you'll be focusing on the FRONT END of your body and learning to control your head and arms for a streamlined entry.

Here's what you're aiming for as the final result - a start where every part of your body enters the water through a single hole. 

**How to Do It:**
This drill is all about streamline, so let's make sure you've got the basics. A good streamline starts with the hands. Place one hand over the other and lock your top thumb around the bottom hand. This is called the power-lock position or the thumb-lock position, and it's how you should hold your hands when you push off the wall or dive off the blocks.

Once you power-lock your hands, you need to power-lock your head. Extend your arms and clamp your head right between your shoulders. For a great start, keep your head in this position, with eyes down and arms held tight against your head.

OK. Time to get in the water. Stand in the shallow end and place a noodle out in front of you. Make sure the water is at least up to your chest when you try this. 

As you get ready to leap up and over the noodle, get your hands in power-lock.

As you jump up, lock your head between your shoulders and DO NOT LOOK UP. You should actually SEE the noodle as you go over it. 

Keep your hands and forearms locked and RIGID until your feet slide over the noodle. 

The important things to focus on are keeping the hands in powerlock and keeping the head tight between your arms. Keep practicing until you can maintain a tight streamline with your arms, head, and shoulders until your feet are all the way over the noodle. 

This drill is really fun and is a great learning tool, even if you already know how to dive from the blocks. Give it a try, and stay tuned for Step #3.

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Starts - Forward Dive Sequence Step #2