It is NOT a dive but merely a plunge into the water. If you can do that, don't assume you can dive easily too. A dive may be done from a Platform or a Springboard. What I talk about here is Springboard Diving. What distinguishes a plunge from a Springboard Dive is that a Springboard Diver tries to go high, not far. In a dive, one lands perpendicular to the surface of the water. In a plunge, one may land at any angle from the water.
One just has to 'walk the plank' before he dives. That is what Springboard Diving is all about. In a nutshell, Springboard diving is when a diver walks on a wooden (or some other material) plank that is protruding over water, and he/she bounces off the edge of it. You will learn more when you read 'how to dive', which is one of my links on the left frame.
Dives can be made from any height that the Springboard is situated. Usually the heights of Springboards are 1 metre and 3 metres. Springboards located at heights of 5 or 10 metres are scary as one does not really want to bounce any higher than they already are at that height. Thus, springboards at 5 or 10 metres are not all that common! Springboards are flexible (at least they should be flexible). They need to be flexible so they can give a diver a good boost up in the air after he/she jumps on it.
I think that's about it for 'What is Springboard Diving?' You might have some idea of it by now....
