How Olympic Divers Make the Perfect Tiny Splash | Vox

Elegant Olympic dives fly by in a matter of seconds. Because of that, it’s hard to know what to look for when you try to judge the sport from your couch. One thing that’s easy to see, though? The splash.

If you’ve watched any Olympics diving coverage, you may have noticed that the splashes athletes make are tiny. Divers spend years training to perform with a minimal splash, in the same way, that gymnasts train to stick their landings.

In this video, Team USA’s head diving coach Drew Johansen explains the three major components he uses to guide his athletes towards smaller splashes: the above-water position, the underwater swim, and the underwater pike.

And while the sport of diving isn’t all about getting splashes, a small splash is the perfect punctuation to a job well done.