approach
The steps, usually three or more, taken by a diver before the hurdle and takeoff.
armstand dive
Any dive that's executed from an armstand position; in platform diving only.
backward dive
Any dive on which the diver begins with his or her back toward the water.
balk
Usually a false start, on which the diver begins the approach but doesn't complete the dive. A balk also occurs when the diver loses balance on an armstand dive and the feet touch the platform. A balk results in a score of zero for that dive.
compulsory dives
See required dives.
degree of difficulty
A measure applied to each dive, ranging from 1.2 to 3.6. The judges' scores are multiplied by the degree of difficulty to determine the total score on a dive.
draw
A random method of determining diving order.
entry
The end of a dive, when the diver begins to enter the water. Judges look for a vertical body position, with toes pointed, on entry. On a head-first entry, the arms should be stretched above the head, in line with the body, and the hands should be close together. On a feet-first entry, the arms should be close to the body and the elbows should not be bent.
forward dive
The more or less standard dive, on which the diver faces the water and rotates forward, toward the water.
free position
A position, allowed only on twisting dives, which is a combination of the pike, straight, and tuck positions.
hurdle
The last portion of the diver's approach, on which he or she springs off one foot toward the end of the board and lands on both feet.
inward dive
A dive on which the athlete begins with back to the water and rotates toward the board after takeoff.
judge
An official who rates each dive on a 0-10 scale. At major meets, there are seven judges and the highest and lowest scores are thrown out.
layout
See straight
optional dives
The dives that a diver can choose to perform, with no limit on the degree of difficulty. They are usuallly performed after the required dives.
pike
A position in which the body is bent at the hips, with knees straight and toes pointed.
platform
A stationary diving stand, at least 20 feet long and 6 1/2 feet wide and usually 10 meters above the water.
preliminaries
A series of dives used to determine which divers reach the semi-finals of a meet.
referee
The lead official at a meet, who is in charge of seeing that all rules and regulations are observed. The referee does not function as a judge.
required dives
A list of dives that must be performed by all competitors, usually before any optional dives.
reverse dive
Any dive on which the diver makes an approach facing the water, then turns while in the air to enter the water facing the board.
somersault
A movement on which the diver's body is rotated around the imaginary horizontal axis through the hips.
springboard
A flexible diving board that adds to the diver's own spring on takeoff. The regulation springboard must extend at least 5 feet beyond the edge of the pool and is 1 meter or 3 meters above the water.
straight
A position in which body is perfectly straight from head to toe, the feet are together, and the toes are pointed. Formerly known as "layout."
takeoff
The moment at which the diver lifts from the board or platform to begin execution of the dive.
tuck
A position in which the body is bent at the waist and knees, the thighs are drawn up to the chest, and the heels are close to the buttocks.
twisting dive
Any dive that incorporates a twist.