Anatomy of a Belly Flop
There are many ways to enjoy a pool. Some people use it for rest and relaxation. Others join swim clubs and use pools for sport or exercise.
While those are the most common use cases, so many others run to the pool to simply have some fun in the sun. These fun in the sun folks are where you will find the kings and queens of the belly flop.
Although we’ve all seen our fair share of belly flops, it has evolved over the years and in some ways, is the proving ground for thrill seekers and crowd pleasers!
Let’s look at the anatomy of the belly flop to better understand the global phenomenon.
What is a belly flop?
A belly flop is a dive in which the front of the body hits flat against the surface of water.
Alternative names
Splash diving: A developing “sport” where divers combine freestyle dives with Splashdowns - 13 different variations of the cannonball, as the goal of this competition is to make the biggest splash possible.
Dødsing: A Norwegian belly flop contest in which participants typically jump from a 10 meter diving tower – and then curl into a ball just before they hit the water. In the free style variant, they can do tricks or strike other poses, too.
Why are they exciting?
Similar to judging a diving competition, it comes down to difficulty level. Just through normal use of a pool, we’ve all fallen into the water at some point and experienced some sort of smack from the surface of the water.
So, the harder you choose to smack into the water, the more daring you are and thus, the more praise you earn from those of us safely sunbathing around the pool.
Why do they hurt?
The short answer: Surface Tension. And since most of us have long forgotten what we learned in grade school physics class, it’s basically the property of a liquid (say, pool water) to resist a force trying to break through that surface (say, a cannonball, or belly flop).
And if you’re trying to push your body through something that is resisting you...it’s going to sting!
Two main factors of surface tension (in pools): Speed and Surface Area
Speed: The faster your body is moving towards the water, the more the pool water will resist (smack) you. Want a bigger belly flop? Jump higher in the air!
Surface Area: The larger the area of the object trying to enter the pool water, the more water that will be trying to resist that entry (🛑).
Scoring/Criteria
While participating in a traditional belly flop contest is simple (fall front-first into the water), what defines a good belly flop?
Splash: Opposite to what makes a good dive in swim competition where splashing water reduces your score, belly flop contest judges look at splashing as an indicator of the “flop.” But it is not to be confused with a cannonball contest where the entire score is based on the amount of water shot up into the air.
Sound: There is a certain sharpness to the sound of a body falling flat onto the surface of a body of water. It’s no different than what produces a sound when two hands clap, which is coincidentally what people do when they see a good belly flop. The louder and sharper the sound, the higher the score.
Originality: While there are only a few positions to be in as you strike the water to maximize the “flop”, there are many ways to maneuver in the air before making contact. Since most people will hit the water in a similar way (the Starfish), the differentiator is in how you choose to spin, twist, flip, and flail uncontrollably through the air before your crash landing.
Other considerations
Water Viscosity
Water viscosity refers to how easily the water molecules move around. Molecules in cold water move more slowly than those in warm water, which makes the force of cold water greater.
So, the colder the water, the harder the impact (the greater the “flop”).
Role of Lifeguards
Even though the purpose of a belly flop contest is to endure some amount of pain in order to perform, lifeguards will still utilize all training and procedures for swimmer safety.
And of those many duties and responsibilities of lifeguards, there are a few that are most applicable when on duty during a belly flop contest.
Victim Recognition: Lifeguards on duty are trained to be looking for:
Swimmers in distress (as it pertains to belly-flops, gasping for air if the wind is knocked out of the belly flopper, as it often is).
Drowning swimmers, both active and passive
Recognition of Dangerous Behaviors/Situations: One way lifeguards identify when someone is potentially in trouble is looking for a weak swimmer or non-swimmer who is:
Bobbing in or near water over his or her head.
Crawling hand-over-hand along a pool wall.
Clinging to something or struggling to grab something to stay afloat.
While belly flops, and the contests that encourage them, seem like simple and harmless ways to have some fun, remember to always take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of yourself and all other members occupying the pool area.
Enjoy this belly flop compilation below and don’t forget to plug your nose!
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