title: Hurdle preflight in springboard diving: a case of diminishing returns.
abstract: Attempts to increase dive height by introducing a period of flight in the final approach step preceding the hurdle of dives from forward and reverse groups were investigated. One study involved 11 collegiate-level divers experienced in both traditional and hurdle preflight techniques. In a second study, dives executed by 9 national-level women were compared. Dives with a hurdle preflight had shorter final approach steps and greater hurdle flight durations. Flight time differences in favor of hurdle preflight techniques diminished from final approach step through hurdle flight to dive flight. Although the collegiate-level divers had longer dive flight times when using a hurdle preflight, it was suggested that the costs of these techniques may outweigh their potential benefits.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology at University of Western Ontario. dimiller@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Doris I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zecevic
authors.forename: Graham W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis