Hi, my 7 seven old son is a very good swimmer. I am proud of his achievement at his young age and in many events (see below his times) he is among the top in the country at his age group. One of his weakness is his diving. Actually he is getting better now compare to when he was 6. When he is in “take your mark” his head is looking down and he likes to dive deep into the water and takes time for him to come up. His coach says it takes him 7 sec to come up. His coach tells him many times don’t look down when you dive out but look forward streamline then head down to the water. I see many other kids (at his age or older) dive well in the meet. Do you think diving will come natural when he grows up or is there any drill or technique I can show him. Right now I don’t want to push him too hard on diving at his age.
This is his times in SCY.
Free: 50yd 35 to 36 sec, 100 yd 1:22 sec, 200 yd 2:50
Back (his best stroke): 50yd 40 to 41 sec, 100 yd 1:23.
Fly: 50yd 41sec, 100 yd 1:33
*** (his worst stroke): 50 yd: 52sec
IM: 100yd 1:30, 200 yd 3:08
Parents
Former Member
Is there any dry land exercise that can help diving? Also my son has a slow reaction to diving. He is literally hestitate for a second before he is out? Any suggestion?
Dry-land exercises at his age are more so meant to have fun. I work more on plyometrics at that age than anything else; stuff that focuses on fast twitch muscles, etc. So, lots of jumping out, up, sideways, etc. They can actually do this from the blocks as well which makes it a little more fun for them (having the "farthest jump", "highest jump", etc competitions with the rest of the team).
As my assistant coach says (and she was in the same boat at your son at the division I college level....lacked on starts), "I didn't have the explosiveness to my start but I could catch up and beat everyone to the finish". Starts should be a smooth explosion of energy throughout the body; use plyometrics and other activities that promote the development of those fast-twitch muscles. I hope this helps!
Is there any dry land exercise that can help diving? Also my son has a slow reaction to diving. He is literally hestitate for a second before he is out? Any suggestion?
Dry-land exercises at his age are more so meant to have fun. I work more on plyometrics at that age than anything else; stuff that focuses on fast twitch muscles, etc. So, lots of jumping out, up, sideways, etc. They can actually do this from the blocks as well which makes it a little more fun for them (having the "farthest jump", "highest jump", etc competitions with the rest of the team).
As my assistant coach says (and she was in the same boat at your son at the division I college level....lacked on starts), "I didn't have the explosiveness to my start but I could catch up and beat everyone to the finish". Starts should be a smooth explosion of energy throughout the body; use plyometrics and other activities that promote the development of those fast-twitch muscles. I hope this helps!
