How to Do a Surface Dive

Last Updated: February 6, 2020

Diving down towards the bottom of a pool (or other body of water) doesn't have to involve diving boards or even getting out of the water! This article explains how to do a surface dive, which is a dive from the surface of the water to the bottom of the pool. There are two methods, these will be explained in the following steps.

Steps

1
Begin by floating or swimming face-down, with your arms extended out in front of you.^{[1]
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2
Sweep your arms back, bend your knees, tuck your legs toward your chest & bend your waist forward, so your head is pointing toward the bottom.^{[2]
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3
Straighten your legs and your body until you're upside-down & perpendicular to the surface, with your legs sticking up out of the water. Extend your arms towards the bottom & point your toes.^{[3]
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4
Once in this upside-down position, the weight of your legs in the air above will push you underwater.
5
Or,
6
Tread water in the deep end of the pool.^{[4]
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7
While treading water, kick your legs faster and take a breath of air. This will raise you up a little and provide momentum.
8
Stop kicking and keep your body straight.
9
Push the water up with your arms, then slide them back down. Repeat until you reach the bottom or run out of breath.^{[5]
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Community Q&A

Question

When do I use a head first surface dive?

Community Answer

When you feel you have enough air to manage it. In this way you need to inhale more air before trying the dive.
Question

Can I also use a flutter kick and breaststroke kick to get down to the bottom of the pool?

Community Answer

Yes, but using your legs AND your arms will be most effective. While flutter kick is faster, breaststroke kick takes less energy.

Warnings

Stop diving and come to the surface if you can't blow air out of your nose anymore. This means you don't have any more air and risk drowning.

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Do not wear earplugs when diving deep. The water pressure can drive the earplugs deep into the ear canal, damaging your eardrum or worse.

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Do not wear goggles when diving deep. The water pressure can be damaging to your health. A swimming mask that covers the nose is acceptable however, because you can blow air into the mask, equalizing the pressure.

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