Posture should be the very first thing taught and consistently emphasized, as it lays the foundation for every other skill. Establishing correct posture early helps athletes develop strong body awareness and alignment, which translates into cleaner takeoffs, better control in the air, and more precise entries. 

Alignment refers to how the body is stacked from head to toe. Proper alignment improves efficiency, balance, and stability in every phase of a dive.

Key Alignment Points:

• Head/Neck: Neutral with chin gently tucked.

• Shoulders: Relaxed, square, and aligned with hips.

• Ribcage: Centered and lifted: avoid flaring or collapsing.

• Pelvis: Neutral, slightly tucked (not arched).

• Back: Straight or gently rounded.

• Hips/Knees/Feet: In vertical alignment; knees track over feet, toes under hips.

Posture Drills: Wall alignment, floor presses, and mirror work help build body awareness.

The Diving Stance

A diver’s stance is the first impression: showing control, calm, and readiness before takeoff.

Key Elements:

• Posture: Tall and balanced without stiffness.

• Shoulders: Slightly down, relaxed, not raised.

• Arms/Hands: Straight but soft, fingers straight (no fists or gymnast hands).

• Legs/Feet: Straight (not locked), heels together (for back take offs), toes under hips. 

• Balance: Slight forward lean from the ankles (not the waist) to center weight over the balls of the feet.

The approach should be controlled and consistent, ideally at a steady, moderate pace. Moving too quickly doesn’t allow the diver to properly convert horizontal momentum into vertical lift, while going too slowly can throw off timing and power. Step size should be comfortable and even, contributing to a smooth flow of motion where no part feels abrupt or exaggerated. If the speed is off, the shoulders will often pitch forward or backward to compensate, disrupting balance and posture. A well-timed, balanced approach sets the tone for the rest of the dive. 

The “walk” refers to the steps a diver takes to reach the end of the board and initiate their approach. While it may seem simple, this phase plays an important role in rhythm, balance, and first impressions.

Step Count & Regulation

According to diving rules, a diver must take at least three steps in their approach. The number of steps affects:

• • Which leg initiates the approach

  • Which leg lifts into the hurdle

  • The starting position of the arms (covered in the next section)
    
    

Why Step Count Matters

Four- or five-step walks are commonly used because:

• • They allow the diver to establish a consistent rhythm with the board

  • They create a more polished, composed presentation for the judges
    
    

Technical Cues for the Walk

• Shoulders: Should remain slightly forward over the toes, the angle comes from the ankles, not the hips.

• Footwork: Use a heel-toe motion on each step. This promotes smooth weight transfer and prevents backward lean during the hurdle.

Step and Hurdle Length Relative to Diver Size

To ensure proper rhythm and power during the approach and hurdle, step lengths should align with each diver’s unique body proportions:

First Step: Should be approximately 90% of the diver’s basic step length (rounded to the nearest 0.5 inch). Since the diver is starting from a stationary position, this step lacks a natural leg swing, making it slightly shorter.

Intermediate Steps: These should match the diver’s basic step length, defined as the distance from the knee to the ground plus the length of the foot. This maintains consistent rhythm and spacing.

Last Step (Pre-Hurdle): Should be about 60% of the diver’s standing height, with a margin of ±5%. This step should be performed faster and with more force than the intermediate steps, so the longer length helps generate additional momentum.

Hurdle: Should be approximately 80% of the diver’s basic step length. This has been shown to provide optimal horizontal velocity for a balanced, controlled takeoff. This means it is not too long, and not too flat.

A diver’s approach should follow a steady, moderate tempo. Most divers perform best between 75–90 beats per minute, adjusted for size and stride. This pace allows for consistent momentum, balance, and a smooth transition into the hurdle. Remember: the board has its own rhythm: the diver’s job is to sync with it, not fight it. 

The last step into the hurdle is the transition point between approach and takeoff. It determines timing, board placement, arm swing rhythm, and ultimately how much height and control the diver will have.

Common Mistake: Long Last Step, Short Hurdle

• Most divers overstride their final step and then cut the hurdle short, which kills momentum.

• Fix: Place a visual cue (marker, chalk, or surgical tubing) on the board where the last step should end. This improves awareness and consistency.

Timing the Arm Swing

• Arms should swing back early enough during the last step to allow a pause, then swing forward as the foot plants.

• If the swing is too late, the diver ends up too far forward (over the board tip) compromising control and balance.

Arm Swing Technique for the Last Step

• Arms reach their deepest backward point as the drive leg plants.

• Hands should be near the hips at foot contact.

• For divers with limited shoulder flexibility, swinging the arms outward and back (rather than tight and back) prevents leaning backward.

Arm Swing Comparison

• The final step’s swing is long and forceful to drive the takeoff.

• All earlier steps in the approach use a shorter, lighter swing just to maintain rhythm and timing.

Coaching Tip: The goal is smooth, connected motion, not abrupt or rushed transitions. A well-planted last step with a properly timed arm swing sets the diver up for a balanced, explosive hurdle.

The hurdle is the one-leg jump that turns forward motion into vertical lift, arguably the most important part of the dive. It starts with a controlled step and hold, followed by a powerful knee drive and precisely timed arm swing. This coordination generates upward momentum and determines the height, direction, and control of the dive.

Clean hurdles rely on two elements: an early arm swing and a strong, high knee drive. If the timing is off, it throws off alignment, leading to backward lean or poor posture.

Before learning a full hurdle, divers should drill individual pieces to build balance, timing, and posture because a great hurdle sets the tone for everything that follows.

Why Is It Important?
Before anything else, divers need to master their arm swing. It has a direct effect on board depression, as well as the athlete's height, airtime, rotation, and overall control. A poor swing throws everything else off.

How the Swing Syncs with the Steps

• 5-step approach → Arms swing backward on the first step

• 4-step approach → Arms swing forward on the first step
  This sets the rhythm for the entire approach.
  
  

Phase 1: Descent

• Start from an overhead "Y" position with palms facing outward

• Arms move slowly downward and back

• Palms rotate to face down as they pass shoulder height

• If shoulder flexibility is limited, arms should drop laterally first until  down/back motion can be achieved without causing chest pull.
  
  

Phase 2: Ascent

• Begins as arms pass the legs

• Arms swing upward and forward in a wide, circular path

• Acceleration starts around hip height and continues past the shoulders

• Elbows may briefly bend at ~11-12 o’clock, then fully extend.

• Palms face down throughout

Key Technique Tips

• Keep shoulders relaxed to allow arm speed

• Use both the shoulder joint and shoulder girdle for full range

• Arms, elbows, wrists, and fingers stay straight and loose (except triceps, which stay gently engaged)

• Pattern = Legs drop → arms swing → legs extend

How to Train It

1. Ground drills: Practice arm path and posture

2. Bouncing: Add rhythm and timing

3. Full approach: Integrate into complete takeoff sequence

At the end of the hurdle, the diver drives into a tall, straight body line as the legs extend and the body continues rising. Ideally, this straight-line position is achieved while the diver is still ascending, with an additional 2-3 inches of lift occurring after full extension. To maximize board load and height, divers should shrug the shoulders and lift the arms slightly during the step-down before initiating the arm swing. Many young divers drop their arms too early or swing from a low position, which reduces lift and board depression. The downward movement of the hurdle leg must also be smooth and controlled. A sudden, high-speed drop while in the air can cause the torso to whip backward, disrupting posture and balance. The entire motion should be continuous, with no jerky or hesitant transitions. 

As the diver descends from their hurdle, the feet should contact the board about hip-width apart, initiating the next phase of takeoff. At this moment, the knees begin to bend and the arms swing downward, setting up the final push.

The arms should be slightly in front of the hips when the feet land: which is often mistaught. If the arms remain straight, the hands should pass by the knees or lower during the swing to keep proper loading mechanics in place.

Most dives follow this pattern, but minor variations in arm timing may be needed depending on the dive type.

Throughout the descent, the diver should keep their eyes down toward the tip of the board, only lifting the chin and shifting gaze forward during the final few inches before landing, ideally when about 3- 4 inches above the board.

Takeoff begins from the legs, with power driven upward before the arms follow through. The chest must stay lifted: dropping it kills momentum and disrupts the angle. Arms should swing fast and finish close to the ears, straight and locked, creating a narrow, vertical throw. The head stays up to maintain posture and direction, and the angle of takeoff should be vertical or only slightly off from it, depending on the dive.

There are five basic takeoff positions, but three are known as the magic positions: key moments where everything is in balance during a dive take off. One such position occurs during front and inward take-offs, when the knees are bent, arms are overhead, and the head is neutral, all while the board is still descending. Many divers are out of time with their throw. This position ensures full extension before leaving the board.

This movement pattern also creates what’s called the head pop. This is not a forced chin tuck, but a natural, neutral lift of the head to complete alignment and control. The harder the dive, the more essential this timing and posture becomes.

There are five key positions that set up an effective takeoff in springboard and platform diving: early arm swing, high knee, step down position, contact position, and the magic position. The early arm swing begins during the last step of the approach, giving the diver enough time to finish the arm movement before takeoff. The high knee follows as the diver lifts the opposite leg during the hurdle, helping convert forward momentum into upward lift. In the step down position, the diver’s weight drops onto the board as the arms begin to rise, setting up timing and board loading. The contact position occurs when the feet land on the board, with the arms near the hips and knees beginning to bend. Finally, the magic position happens while the board is fully depressed.

Approach is too fast:
If a diver’s tempo is too quick, roll the fulcrum back several inches beyond its normal position. The board’s slower response will naturally cause the diver to adjust their speed. Once corrected, move the fulcrum forward again. This may need to be done in small steps. Using a metronome (75-90 bpm) can also help regulate tempo.

Hurdle too long or short:
Adjust the diver’s starting distance on the board. Moving them slightly forward or back helps calibrate the spacing of steps and the hurdle itself.

Arm swing too early or late:
Have the diver touch their knees with their fingertips as their feet land on the board. This cue only works when the arm swing timing is correct.

Overjumping the board:
Make sure the diver is using proper hurdle technique. You can also shorten their approach slightly or have them walk with a slightly quicker tempo to reduce horizontal travel.

Mistimed takeoff (missing board timing):
Often caused by arms and knee lift happening too fast, especially during optionals or in high-pressure settings. Correct this by encouraging a longer backswing in the second-to-last step, which naturally slows the timing and improves control. If needed, roll the fulcrum forward slightly. Also, make sure the diver begins the forward arm swing just before the foot lands on the board, not after.