Take-Off – swimming activities

A balanced stance and controlled take-off from the poolside or, in a specialist facility, a springboard.

Activities

• Arm Swing Take-Off – Use a controlled arm swing to lift a feet-first jump – arms swing back, then forward and up as the legs push – learning to take off up and out, not just out.
• Balance Stance Hold – Poolside balance practice: rise onto the toes with arms above the head and hold steady, building the control needed for a calm take-off.
• Diving Warm-Up Mobility – A gentle poolside warm-up before entries: shoulder circles, arm reaches into the grab, calf rises and tension holds – preparing the body for jumps and dives.
• Entry Shapes Judge Panel – Swimmers take turns as a three-person judging panel scoring jumps on shape, control and entry – learning what good looks like.
• Lunge Dive – From a lunge with one foot forward at the edge, overbalance with arms leading and the back leg lifting, entering through the hands – a step between crouch and standing dives.
• Over the Top Entry – Refines the standing dive so the body travels up and over into a steep entry rather than out and flat – aiming the hands at a soft floating target.
• Springboard Approach Walk – Specialist facility only: practise a calm, controlled walk to the end of the board and a balanced stance – first on poolside, then on the board – before any take-off.
• Springboard Feet-First Jump – Specialist facility only: from a still stance at the end of a low springboard, a controlled feet-first pencil jump out from the board.
• Standing Dive – A streamlined standing dive from the side: bend, swing or reach, push out and enter through one hole.
• Toes Over the Edge Stance – Set up a stable diving stance at the edge – toes curled over, feet hip-width, knees soft, arms in the grab above the head – and hold it before any entry.