3 Myths About Dive Starts (and the Truths Behind Them)

There's a lot of bad information about dive starts out there. Here we bust three myths.

Myth #1: Longer and Higher Dives Are Better

The assumption is that a longer dive out from the block or a higher lift off the block covers more distance and gives an advantage, but both can have significant negative results.

Diving more out than down can delay your transition to swimming, potentially causing you to lose valuable time. Also, if you dive out and hold a horizontal position in the air too long, you might hit the water flat or have an insufficient angle, which can cause you to lose speed. 

In starts, it’s the entry angle into the water that’s critically important. Imagine a large ring like a hula hoop sitting on the water as your target to dive through. If you were to hit flat, you would land on the hoop, but your goal is to slip through the hoop, entering through one hole with your entire body. This means your angle of entry needs to be somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees. 

If you leave the block and jump upward, you risk two negative outcomes. First, your body is likely to pike (hips high, hands and feet low), which can lead to landing very loudly on the surface and pretty much coming to a dead stop. Second, if you do manage to avoid the pike but still jump upward instead of out and down, there’s a strong likelihood that your angle into the water will be too sharp or steep, which will send you deep and it will take longer for you to surface and start your race. 

Whatever style you utilize for your set-up and take-off, the real goal is to find the best way to enter the water at that 30- to 45-degree angle. 

Myth #2: One Technique Fits All

This isn’t true. Especially for Masters swimmers, who come in all different shapes, sizes, and ages, and may have physical limitations that make certain dive styles more difficult than others. 

There are advantages and disadvantages to different styles of set-up on and take-off, but what truly matters is your approach to the water. The ultimate quest is to achieve maximum speed and momentum while minimizing drag and maintaining a streamlined body position. You want to enter the water with optimal efficiency, seamlessly transitioning into your stroke, and gaining a critical time advantage right from the beginning of your race. Entering the water at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees and in a full body streamline is key to obtaining that optimal efficiency. The rest of the start is icing on the cake. Whether you do a track start or grab start isn’t as important as that entry angle. 

Along with the entry angle, here are two other key ingredients involved in a good dive start: streamlined position and explosive power.

Streamlining is the foundation of everything in swimming. You must maintain a tight, aerodynamic body position during the dive and enter the water with minimal drag and ready to transition to the breakout and the swim. Using your practices to improve your streamlines off every wall. This will help your starts. Add to that practice this modified start drill, which can help you with your angle of entry. 

• In a pool with at least 6 feet of water, stand with both feet at the edge of the deck and arms overhead in a tight streamline.
• Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back very flat and your upper body perfectly streamlined fingertip to hips.
• Lean forward and gently fall forward into the water without really driving your legs.
• Your goal is to pierce the water with the streamline you’ve created with your hands, arms, head and body. Think about entering an imaginary hula hoop on the surface of the water. Go through the hoop, don’t land on the hoop. Your entry should be clean with minimal splash or noise.
• After you conquer this approach, then begin to use your legs to drive into that streamlined dive from the deck and finally, take it to the block.

Explosive power is your ability to generate a powerful push-off from the starting block using your legs to provide the initial burst of speed needed for an effective start. You must be able to drive your legs off the block and snap them into a long line behind you. 

Explosive power can be developed through plyometric exercises, resistance band training, or even general leg-strengthening exercises. Vertical squat jumps straight up into a streamline in the shallow area of your pool can work well to practice generating both explosiveness and a tight streamline. 

The diversity in physical attributes, skills, experiences, and personal preferences among swimmers means that a one-size-fits-all approach to dive starts is not realistic. You need to experiment and find the style that fits you best and refine it as best you can to optimize your performance.

Myth #3: Only Sprinters Need to Worry About Starts

Although fast starts are emphasized in sprint events, a great start can provide an edge in any race distance. A strong start can set the pace for the entire race and can be the difference in tight competitions.

There are many reasons to focus on fine-tuning your starts.

• Timing: A strong start can give you a critical time advantage right from the beginning of your race. Even a fraction of a second gained at the start can set you apart from the competition at the end.
• Momentum and speed: A well-executed dive start allows you to enter the water with maximum speed and momentum, which you can carry through into the initial phase of your race. This can help give you an early lead.
• Psychological edge: A good start can boost your confidence and set a positive tone for the rest of your race. A poor start can be discouraging and put you at a psychological disadvantage.
• Energy efficiency: A streamlined entry minimizes drag, allowing you to maintain higher speeds with less effort. An efficient dive start can also help conserve your energy by reducing the need to overpull those first few strokes to catch up.
• Transition: The dive sets the stage for a seamless transition into your first stroke cycle. A well-timed and coordinated transition from the dive to swimming can maintain the momentum gained during the start.

Dive starts do require a level of dedication and practice to perfect technique and timing. Work with a coach or teammate to practice your starts and get use video analysis if you can. Try out different starts and find the style that fits you best.