How to Learn Dive Starts

If you’re new to swimming or have never competed but would like to try, you might be wondering how to learn a dive start. In Masters competitions, you’re not required to dive—you can start from in the water. But learning new skills keeps everything fun and interesting. if you decide you’d like to learn to dive in, there are some things to know first.

Before attempting any type of head-first entry, it’s critical to review some important safety rules. First, as in any other swimming activity, this is a never-do-it-by-yourself kind of thing. Learn at a modern competition pool, with a coach and a lifeguard. Water depth is the limiting factor for learning and practicing dive starts. Pool rules vary but the deeper the better.

For competition, USMS requires deck or in-water starts for pools of less than four feet in depth, but there isn’t a depth rule for teaching. USA Swimming requires four feet for competitions and six feet for teaching dive starts. These regulations are in place to help protect swimmers against the risk of striking the bottom and suffering a head or spinal injury.

Since Masters swimmers are bigger than age-groupers, it’s highly recommended that they learn in the diving well of a competition pool. As you’ll see from this progression, when you get to the last phase, standing on the deck, six feet of water might not be enough as you’re learning to uncurl yourself and stretch out over the water.

As with any head-first activity or movement, dive starts can be intimidating. Here’s a progression to help you learn from the least scary position, sitting, to a dive start from the deck.

Sitting

The basic idea here is to roll yourself into the water.

• Sit on the pool deck (Pro tip: Sit on a kickboard to prevent ruining the bottom of your suit.)
• Put your hands above your head in a streamlined position and make yourself as long as you can. Hands are stacked on top of each other, arms stretched out, upper arms squeezing your ears.
• Bend at the waist and point your fingers toward the surface of the water.
• Tuck your chin to your chest and roll into the water, fingers first.
• The natural reaction for many is to lift the head, so work on keeping the chin tucked and down.

Kneeling

The rolling concept is the same—only instead of sitting, you’re kneeling.

• Kneel on the deck, on a kickboard to protect your knees, at the water’s edge.
• Put your hands above your head in a streamlined position and make yourself as long as you can. Hands are stacked on top of each other, arms stretched out, upper arms squeezing your ears.
• Bend at the waist and point your fingers toward the surface of the water.
• Tuck your chin to your chest and roll into the water, fingers first.
• It’s not uncommon for swimmers new to this to enter the water and keep rolling into a full somersault underwater. In the next step you’ll learn how to make adjustments to your head as you enter to prevent this from happening.

One Knee

Building on what you learned from the kneeling position, now you’re kneeling on one knee with one leg out in front.

• Kneel with one knee on the deck (on a kickboard to protect your knee) and one leg in front, with that foot firmly planted and toes wrapped around the edge of the pool deck.
• Put your hands above your head in a streamlined position and make yourself as long as you can. Hands are stacked on top of each other, arms stretched out, upper arms squeezing your ears.
• Bend at the waist and point your fingers toward the surface of the water.
• Tuck your chin to your chest and roll into the water, fingers first.
• Again, it’s common to flip over once you enter the water, because your chin is tucked. To prevent this, push your chin forward after you enter the water.

Standing

Now you’re on the deck in a standing position. Everything else is the same, only you’re higher up. This can be unnerving, so take it slow. Don’t be afraid to stay on one knee for as long as it takes to become comfortable.

• Stand on deck with one foot back and one foot forward, with forward foot firmly planted and toes wrapped around the edge of the pool deck.
• Put your hands above your head in a streamlined position and make yourself as long as you can. Hands are stacked on top of each other, arms stretched out, upper arms squeezing your ears.
• Bend at the waist and point your fingers toward the surface of the water.
• Tuck your chin to your chest and roll into the water, fingers first.
• As you learned in the previous step, thrust your chin forward once you enter the water to take you ahead instead of down into a somersault or toward the bottom.
• Start off by falling in, without using your legs to push, and gradually get to the point where you are more comfortable pushing yourself forward over the pool.

Remember, you can still enjoy racing without ever diving in the pool. USMS competition rules allow for an in-water start, so don’t wait to master this skill before you experience the thrill of a swim meet.