Cliff Diving
David Colturi shares tips that could score you the no-fat, all-that physique of a cliff diver.
Requiring little to no equipment, cliff diving is the oldest extreme sport on the planet. Whenever I travel to new locations, I always learn of another ancient tribe whose king or warriors proved their valor by leaping from local ledges. The sport progressed slowly over time, from the cliffs of La Quebrada in Acapulco, to the crazy heights of ladder dives on the Wide World of Sports.
Currently, the best high divers in the world compete on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, and the progression over the last six years has been astronomical. Each year more complex dives are performed that push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.
Here are five workout pillars that many of the divers follow that you can take with you into the gym, and with enough courage, to the cliffs of your next vacation destination.
1. Speed
With only three seconds of flight time, it’s imperative for divers to be fast in order to complete all of their rotations before hitting the water. Speed is worked on in the gym by training explosive muscle techniques, sprints and stair workouts. Speed of rotation is trained in spotting harnesses and flipping and twisting on dry land equipment while improving technique.
2. Flexibility
Divers are known for being some of the most graceful athletes, and the aesthetics of the sport are among its most defining characteristics. Years of stretching increases flexibility and allows divers to work on their shape and positions in the air. Mental flexibility is sharpened by training in different environments and conditions, forcing oneself to train in undesirable circumstances, and stepping outside the comfort zone.
3. Agility
Just being fast isn’t enough. Divers move quickly from one position to the next, changing direction and rotating around multiple axes during twisting dives, and even sometimes take off from a handstand position. Plyometric, coordination and balance exercises are some of my personal favorites and hone a diver's agility.
4. Strength
In diving it’s more about quality than hypertrophy. A dive from 90 feet, our standard competition height, goes from zero-to-60 mph in only three seconds, and the deceleration force is even greater, going from 60-to-zero in only one second and about 13 feet of water. A very specific weight lifting and conditioning regimen, which focuses on the core and lower body muscles, strengthens a diver's body and enables him or her to handle the immense force of impact.
5. Focus
Perhaps the most important of the five pillars, focus and mental fortitude can be practiced anytime, anywhere. There are thousands of physically talented platform divers around the world, but few are brave enough and focused enough to consistently perform safe dives from 90 feet. Considering the consequences of severe injury, torn muscles and ligaments, internal hemorrhaging and being knocked unconscious, the use of visualization, relaxation and breathing exercises are necessary to keep a cliff diver calm under pressure.
The Workout
Warmup: Stretching and core
Be sure to hit all major muscle groups, and switch between static and dynamic stretching. Five minutes of continuous abs, 10 exercises for 30 seconds each with no rest between. Examples include toe touches, leg raises, butt ups, tuck kick-outs, pike ups, scissors, flutters, bicycles, hollow body holds, Russian twists and front, back and side planks..
High-intensity circuit
Three exercises, 45 seconds on and 15 seconds to rest then move to the next station. Ninety seconds rest, then repeat the circuit two more times.
1) Controlled back squat into jump using a barbell: Slowly descend into a back squat, then explode up into a high jump, landing softly for safety.
2) Handstand hold and pushups against a wall: Slowly kick away from the wall and try to keep your weight on your hands for as long as you can. Push up every five to 10 seconds.
3) Full body burpees: Holding light-to-moderate dumbbells, start in pushup position, do three pushups, three single hand rows, three squat jumps, three combined bicep curl, shoulder press, overhead tricep extension. Repeat.
Plyos
Using an agility ladder for a quick set is a great way to get ready for some plyos. There are an infinite amount of drills that are only limited by your imagination. Try going in all four directions and switch between single leg, double leg and on your hands to keep your body evolving. Once ready, set up a jump course using low, moderate and high hurdles varying between jumps for distance, height, and speed. If you are low on space or equipment, one or two boxes work fine as well.
Coordination
Balance boards and BOSU balls are some of my favorite pieces of equipment. Decrease the resistance, slow down to force control, and try your normal lower and upper body exercises on these to improve your balance and coordination. Simple movements like squats, curls, presses, extensions and pushups become much more difficult and engage your core when balancing. Another fun trick is to remove the seat and handlebars from a stationary bike, balance while pedaling in front of a wall, and try to throw a tennis ball to yourself while keeping a steady pace.
Sprints
Shuttle runs and stairs are great ways to work on your speed and explosive muscles. Vary between single and double leg, and forward and lateral movement. Here’s an example of a quick stair set: Sprint hitting every step once, sprint skip a step, sprint skip two steps, bunny hop hit every step, bunny hop skip a step, single leg forward jump every step, single leg lateral jump every step, broad jump skip as many steps as you can. Between sets do 25 pushups and 50 abdominal movements.
Cool down
Core and stretching. Hanging abs are always a great way to finish off a workout. Between the warmup and coordination exercises, it shouldn’t take long to feel the burn on this one. Rotate between single leg raises, double leg raises, bent knees, straight legs and twists. Don’t forget a thorough stretching session to work on your flexibility at the end. This is also a great time to sharpen your focus. Even though your body is exhausted, try controlling your heart rate using breathing exercises, and visualize yourself accomplishing your goals.
See Colturi and the rest of the Red Bull Cliff Diving field compete in Texas on May 30. Can't make it to the event? Watch the entire series on Fox Sports 1.
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