Dives: Once and for all, how much faster do they make you?

Well, it depends on the quality of your dive and the speed of your stroke. If you have a dive that does not have much air-time, then the difference between the dive and the push-off is minimized. In fact, because of the altitude of the starting point of the dive, if air-time is minimized, then the starting altitude and proximal entry into the water will combine for a deep dive, and, in that case, the push-off may very well be faster, due to the additional time it takes one to surface from a curvilinear path (as occurs in a deep dive). However, if you have a great launch, then your speed through the air is markedly better than at the surface of the water or under water, due to the reduced resistance one experiences while traveling through gases vs. liquids. Because of this greatly reduced resistance through the air vs. water, you enter the water, on a good launch, with just about as much velocity, from what I've seen, as when you push off the wall. So, if dive entry and push-off match up for velocity, then the distance traveled in a given amount of time from each of those points will also be roughly proportional. Thus, subtracting out dive entry and the push-off itself from each, the applicable measure for determining the time delta of dives vs. push-offs seems to be to compare the distance one travels in the air and time one takes during launch vs. the amount of time it takes to swim that same distance. If it takes one full second for the swimmer pushing off to make up for the additional distance through the air the diving swimmer gained by the time they both surfaced, then that's the amount of time benefit. Sooooo, assuming two equally matched Phelps, Phelps does 100m in 47.5, or did once upon a time. That's .475 seconds for every meter, which is roughly .16 seconds per foot. If the distance traveled in the air is, what, nine feet-ish?, then we're at a 1.425 second benefit to the diver Phelps vs. the push-off Phelps, minus whatever fraction of time it takes to travel that distance in the air. At least, that's my best guess. --Sean

To see how much a start helps, you can compare the splits in 50s and 100s for good swimmers as they should not slow down the second half of the race. I disagree, You're split is to the feet and the finish is to the hand. That's a significant difference. Even the best swimmers slow down on the second half of a race.

I disagree, You're split is to the feet Knelson is trolling Cheakamus? What is the world coming too?

Oh boy. I'll have to let my typo stand as a lesson to others. Sometimes your fingers type faster than your (or you're) mind can think!

Knelson is trolling Cheakamus? What is the world coming too? He may not get to it right away...but 99% sure he'll see this one day. :)

I disagree, You're split is to the feet and the finish is to the hand. That's a significant difference. Even the best swimmers slow down on the second half of a race. This is true, but I think the difference in splits would give you an idea of the maximum impact of a dive. I just looked through the Top 10 for 18-24 males last year on 100 SCY. The average difference in splits was 1.964 seconds. The minimum was 0.99. The maximum was 3.18. From this, I think it's no more than two or three seconds benefit from the dive and for the reasons knelson cites, probably less. There might be differences if this estimate if you take various ages and abilities into account, if someone wants to take the time . . .

He may not get to it right away...but 99% sure he'll see this one day. :) And on that day, no doubt I will get what's coming two me.

And on that day, no doubt I will get what's coming two me. Well now, that there done be really funny like and stuff.

I disagree, You're split is to the feet and the finish is to the hand. That's a significant difference. Even the best swimmers slow down on the second half of a race. If you want to split hairs, you are correct for backstroke and freestyle; not for *** or fly. Although you would be more likely to see the slowing down the second half of the race effect for fly.