2 days ago
Embrace the Joy of Diving
Doug Beavers was always a reluctant swimmer. Doing laps for swim team as a kid was boring, and toiling away in the cold water first thing in the morning made his heart sink. He often found himself staring longingly at the dive team on the other side of the pool.
'What they were doing looked way more fun,' said Mr. Beavers, now a dive coach at George Mason University. There was the childlike joy of bouncing on the board, the thrill of flying through the air and the goofiness of a dive that didn't land quite right. Plus, hitting one well was sublimely satisfying.
Leaping carefree into the water isn't just for kids — grown-ups can play, too. Recreational diving isn't about getting a workout. The appeal lies more in the challenge — and pure joy of it. But executing a proper dive can be tricky, and most adults have never been taught proper form. So how do you get started?
Learning to dive is like building a Lego set, Mr. Beavers said. You learn one skill, then add pieces, then build on it. 'If you skip anything, the dive is always going to be a little wobbly.'
Anyone at any ability level can dive, as long as you can swim in deep water. It just takes practice and a willingness to belly flop on occasion.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
