From the article: How to Create a Rip Entry in Diving
Everybody want to learn to rip. It is the most dramatic, and enduring aspect of diving. And there are as many different opinions as there are divers.
Cokey Smith Huffman, a two-time national and three-time Olympic Festival champion - well known for her ability to rip, once said, "You make a hole and get through it as fast as you can."
Share your thoughts - what does it take for you to rip?
ABS
- Work that core! Getting abs makes it so much easier, as well as a tight bum and hamstrings! Then when going in for the entry imagine yourself as a pencil, with your pointed toes as the tip, and just squeeze your body like your life depends on it, good luck everyone!
- —Guest Sam
Elements of a RIP
- There are a few things that MUST take place in order for a RIP to occur: 1) The diver MUST grab a flathad. 2) The diver MUST be "lined up" on entry. 3) The diver MUST stretch their entire body as tightly as possible as they drop towards the water and even stretch tighter when they enter the water. 4) Optional: The diver can split their hands as they enter the water -- in effect "ripping" a hole in the surface of the water into which they dive through the hole. REMEMBER: In diving, you cannot get a great score without a great entry and it is nearly impossible to get a great entry if you do not know how to RIP. Ripping is one of the most basic and important skills that all (young) divers must learn and perfect if they ever want to be successful in diving. The coach must be willing to spend the time, energy and effort necessary to teach his or her divers this most important of diving skills.
- —Guest Steve Voellmecke
Squeeze, then squeeze harder
- Squeeze as hard as you can - ok now squeeze a little harder! Right when I thought I was as tight as I could get, I always found that I could shrug just a little more, and squeeze just a little tighter. Visualize bending your elbows up and over your head so your forearms touch. Of course, your arms won't really be able to touch (hopefully) but this is a good visual to emphasize that you can always squeeze tighter.
- —Guest Eric T