still scared of diving.

[stillrunning]

I grew up in the Philippines, a country surrounded by water and so I have been swimming since I was a kid BUT I still can't dive.

I've been hesitant on trying to jump into the pool with my head first even if I know that the pool's deep enough and I'm not going to hit the pool floor. Any tips?

[Aoife]

Just do it till it doesn't bother you anymore? If you know it's deep enough, and you know you won't get hurt, then isn't it just like hopping into cold water? Do it, get it over with, do it over and over till it doesn't bother you anymore.

Assuming you don't have a crippling phobia, of course. I'm not trying to say if you're frickin terrified to just get over it, but you say you're "hesitant" about it. Seems to me if you do it enough there will be no more hesitation.

[LisaS]

take a [diving] class at the Y - they should work you through a progression so that you will develop comfort diving from the side, doing racing dives off the side, diving from starter blocks or off a board, etc.

[flamboastin]

You can start by getting on your knees and going in head first. After a while, you should be able to gain enough confidence to dive.
That's how we taught kids to dive at the swim school I used to work at.

[stillrunning]

Thanks guys! i'll try the stuff you guys said next time i hit the pool

[Mon]

I was taking a beginning swimming class at my school to learn how to swim and I thought that diving headfirst was scary at first, but then it wasn't after I did not think about it anymore. My 2 options were "be able to do it and pass with an A" or "not do it and pass with a B". I did not think about it and all I did was just got into the diving position and let myself fall in head first.

I know its better said than done, but just let yourself fall in. Start at the edge of the pool with one leg in front of the other leg and hands above your head in a curve position ready to fall in. When it comes to new things, I get really nervous and scared for my first time. Jumping in the pool for the first time was hard for me to do too. Everyone kept telling me to jump in and I keep saying "I will, I will". What makes me nervous was people looking at me. What I did was sit at the side of the pool and just push myself in and that is what got me to stand up and jump in and to lose the fear

Note - when I first started diving, I was belly flopping and that does not really feel good. Make sure you go head first (very important).

[Karen P]

Start off with you head really close to the water. Sqaut down by the edge of the pool and just sort of tip in head first. Do this until you are comfortable. Then try it from a sitting height position, and on and on until you finally feel comfortable to jump in head first from a standing position. Like any fear, you just have to keep showing yourself that there is nothing to be afraid of. Make your body do it and the mind will eventually follow. Good luck to you.