Reverse Somersault Meaning in Diving

A reverse somersault is a 360-degree backward rotation starting from a forward stance. The diver faces the water while standing on the springboard or platform edge. They jump up and forward while flipping their body back toward the board. This maneuver belongs to group three in the official competitive diving scoring system. The athlete must complete one full circular turn before entering the water pool. One example of this is a reverse double somersault performed in tuck. Success depends on a powerful takeoff that provides enough time for the flip. Judges look for a clean vertical entry and a very small surface splash. Maintaining a tight core helps the diver rotate faster during the spinning phase. This dive requires excellent spatial awareness to judge the distance to the water.