Dive In!

To break up the monotony of laps, let's add a new twist. Well, before we add a twist, we first need to know how to jump into the pool off the diving board--over and over and over and. . .well, you get the idea. Lexy must have jumped/dived into the pool over 50 times in this first class. Here are just a few highlights.

Lexy's first diving class started with understanding the "approach", as in HOW you approach the end of the board. In general, you take about four steps, bring up one knee and jump, then bring both feet down onto the board. Then you execute your dive. Lexy spent quite a while figuring out the approach. The first exercise was to figure out where you start on the board. To do this, you start at the other end, and pace it off backwards.

Pacing it off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whGJ4Fkiy0o

Once we have our approach squared away, we practice our form jumping in. (Bonus: you get to watch a guy whose been diving a while!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvh2U-AM7R0

Next she tries her first dive off the board. A little praise and instruction from the coach follows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHAk_Fqgxnc

The next one isn't Quite as graceful. Hard to stifle the giggle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj1PggScfh4

This one's a lot better!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F94ZJeSpVqk

Lexy patiently waits for the coach's attention. Then she hits the board way too far back, resulting in the flip over:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6jMUt0F21k

This last one is my favorite! Lexy's first attempt at a backward dive. Coach Beth is out there on the board with her. Notice how the guy on the other board decides to wait until Lexy is done! Towards the end my phone rings, so the camera wiggles when I answer it -- it's Ed -- just in time to hear me moan sympathetically as Lexy hits the water!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY2gOpFydBM

Let's hope there's progress next week!