There are those out there who have no idea just how tough the sport of diving is.  As an undergraduate, my roommate competed nationally as a division one diver.  He was constantly attending practices morning and night, going through more ice than a Jamaican drink stand and built like a brick igloo.  The demand and torque on the body is intense in this sport.  I am thankful he opened my eyes to diving and to one particular diver who continues to inspire him to this day:  Laura Wilkinson.

Laura’s story inspires thousands daily as she is the Michael Jordan of women’s diving in the United States.  At 15 she was told she was too old to start a new sport.  She dove anyway.  Nine months later she was kicked off her high school diving team because she just didn’t have it.  She continued to dive anyway.  One year later, she found herself on the US National Team and earned a bronze medal at the World Cup.  She would go on to win the 2000 Olympic platform gold medal in one of the biggest Olympic upsets in history.  Oh by the way, she did this with a foot she shattered in a training accident.

The bottom line:  Diving requires mental toughness, grit and a high degree of discipline.  From the words of Herbie Huesman, former standout on the University of Notre Dame Diving Team,

Diving, like any sport, takes an extreme amount of dedication and perseverance. Although people think of it is a non-contact sport, I don’t know of many football players who tackle at 35 mph which is the speed at which divers hit the water off the 10 meter platform. That’s the equivalent of a three story building! Diving is all about repetition. Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. That means six hours of training a day during the summer, in the gym and pool, is normal. Obviously the toll on the human body is substantial and that is why you don’t see many divers compete much past the age of 30. Two reconstructed shoulders and a stress fracture in my back are proof of the rigors of the sport.

As far as equipment goes, diving requires very little.  During a training regimen, however, divers go through a lot of ice, lots of reps in the weight room and tape, primarily for ankles and wrists.    Kinesiology therapeutic tape is perfect for this sport in every way.  Not only is KT Tape ultra-light, and strong, but it’s WATERPROOF!  This is why KT Tape is the official kinesiology tape for the USA Waterpolo Team.  KT Tape is highly effective at providing pain relief, stability & support, & faster recovery for injured or sore muscles and joints-without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement.  As a diver, what more could you want?  So all you divers throw on the suit and tape up; you are about to reach a new level.

Filed under: Back Pain, Calf strain, Hamstring strain, Shoulder Pain | May 5, 2010
Tags :Diving , Herbie Huesman , Jamaica , kinesiology therapeutic tape , KT Tape , Laura Wilkinson , Notre Dame Diving