How to Make a Big Splash in the Pool

Pick the Can-Opener Over the Cannonball for Maximum Splash Height

Most swimmers grow up doing the classic cannonball. You run toward the pool edge, leap into the air, grab both shins against your chest, and hit the water like a bowling ball. A cannonball creates a wide, circular ring of water that drenches everyone sitting in poolside chairs. It is reliable, easy to learn, and fun. But if your goal is pure vertical height, the cannonball has a big physical limit.

When you pull both knees against your chest, your body forms a round, blunt shape. As you enter the pool, you push water equally in every direction. This process is called displacement, which is simply pushing water out of the way to make room for your body. Because the water moves outward in a 360-degree circle, the energy spreads thin across a wide area. You get lots of width, but the water rarely climbs more than a few feet above your head.

The can-opener jump works completely differently. Instead of forming an even ball, you tuck only one knee while leaving your other leg hanging down or slightly bent. You lean back so your lower back and hip strike the surface first at an angle. This asymmetric entry tears open a deep air pocket beneath the surface. As the surrounding water rushes back inward to fill that empty space, the colliding currents smash together and force a single, concentrated geyser straight up into the air. In pool culture, people call this towering plume a rooster tail.

If you want to win a splash contest, the can-opener will beat a standard cannonball almost every single time. A cannonball creates a heavy wave, but a properly angled can-opener creates a splash that can easily reach second-story windows or pool shade umbrellas. The secret is focusing all that energy into one upward column instead of scattering it in all directions.

Follow These Six Steps to Land a Towering Can-Opener

Getting a massive splash requires speed, height, and the correct body angle when you hit the pool surface. You do not need to be an athlete to pull this off, but you do need to follow the right order of movements. Practice these steps to get the biggest water plume possible.

1. Find solid footing on the pool edge. Place your plant foot near the pool coping, which is the flat edge around the pool. Never run fast across wet surfaces. Instead, take two controlled, firm steps and press the ball of your jumping foot securely against the deck edge so your toes have traction.
2. Leap up before you travel outward. A huge splash needs downward momentum. If you simply fall forward off the wall, you lose the downward speed that pushes water hard. Drive your arms up toward the sky and jump as high as you comfortably can. Give yourself about two to three feet of forward clearance so you do not hit the edge on your way down.
3. Tuck your dominant leg firmly. While you are at the highest point of your jump, pull one knee tight against your chest. Wrap both of your hands around that shin and pull it close to your torso. Most right-handed people find it easiest to pull their right knee up, but you can use whichever side feels natural.
4. Drop your rudder leg downward. Leave your other leg untucked. Let it dangle slightly bent beneath you. This lower leg serves as your rudder. It enters the water a split second before the rest of your body, slicing through the surface and preparing the deep water pocket for your hip and back.
5. Tilt your torso back at an angle. Lean your upper body back so your spine sits at roughly a 45-degree angle relative to the water surface. Do not lay completely flat on your back, because that will turn your jump into a painful back-flop. Keep your chin tucked slightly toward your chest to protect your neck.
6. Hold your tuck until you are fully submerged. As your lower hip and back strike the pool, hold the tuck tight. Do not open your arms or kick your legs until you feel the water close completely over your shoulders. Opening up too early ruins the suction pocket and kills the spray before it can shoot upward.

The entire jump takes less than two seconds from the deck push-off to the underwater landing. You can practice the one-knee tuck on dry ground first so your muscles learn the shape before you take it to the water. Once your body remembers the tuck position, you can focus purely on getting height off the deck.

Check the Water Depth and Deck Grip Before Every Jump

Before you attempt any high splash jump, safety must come first. High-impact jumps drive your body deep into the water at rapid speeds. Performing these jumps in the wrong spot can cause serious injuries against the pool floor or on the concrete deck.

• Verify safe water depth. Only perform splash jumps in water that is at least eight feet deep. When you jump high and hit the water in an angled tuck, your body can easily sink five to six feet below the surface before your momentum stops. Never attempt can-openers, cannonballs, or leaps in the shallow end, above-ground pools, or small play pools. Hitting the hard floor with your tailbone or feet can cause severe bruising or broken bones.
• Check the pool water level. Your pool needs adequate depth to absorb your entry cleanly. If heavy summer storms have pushed the water line too high and created massive standing puddles across the deck, learn how to lower the water level in your pool safely so your walking surface stays slip-free and drainage works properly.
• Inspect the edge traction. Pool coping gets slick quickly when multiple people jump in and out. Wet concrete, polished stone, and smooth pool tile offer very little grip for bare feet. Check the surface with your toes before leaping. If the edge feels slimy or greasy from suntan lotions, wipe the launch area with a dry towel before jumping.
• Clear the landing zone. Make sure no other swimmers, floating loungers, or pool steps are within ten feet of your landing area. A displaced wave can knock younger children off balance, and landing on another swimmer can cause head injuries.
• Protect the pool interior. High-energy jumps can shift pool steps or cause swimmers to kick hard near the pool walls. If you swim in a pool with a vinyl base and accidentally scrape or snag the floor with hard pool accessories, check how to patch a vinyl pool liner without draining it so you can seal minor tears right away.

If you feel any pain in your back, tailbone, or neck after a landing, stop jumping immediately. Listen to your body and give yourself a break between big leaps. Keeping your jumps controlled ensures you stay safe while having fun.

Avoid the Form Mistakes That Flatten Your Water Spray

Have you ever put all your effort into a jump, heard a massive cracking sound, and came up to find only a tiny mist of water? That frustrating result happens all the time. When a jump makes a loud, stinging sound without throwing water into the air, your body shape is fighting the water rather than working with it.

The biggest cause of a flat splash is smacking surface tension directly. Surface tension is the top skin of the water where water molecules cling tightly together. When you land completely flat, such as during a belly-flop or a flat back-flop, your body slaps that top skin like a solid wall. The energy turns into sound and skin stinging rather than water movement. To get a high splash, you must break that top skin with a point or an angle first so water can slide around you and explode upward.

Another common mistake is opening your tuck too early. Many swimmers get nervous as the surface rushes up toward them, so they let go of their knee and push their hands out to catch themselves. Doing this flattens your profile right at the moment of entry. It stops your downward speed instantly, choking off the air cavity before the rooster tail has a chance to form. Commit to the shape until you are under the water.

Jumping straight forward instead of leaping upward is another spray killer. When you leap forward like a long jumper, your body enters the pool with horizontal travel. This pushes water along the surface in a flat wave rather than throwing it skyward. You want your travel path to look like an arc that drops almost vertically into the deep end.

Finally, watch out for stiff muscles. If you tense your entire body like a board, you will bounce off the surface rather than cutting through it cleanly. Stay firm in your knee grip, but keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. That balance of a tight tuck with a relaxed frame lets your body drop deep enough to launch a massive plume.

FAQs

Which jump makes a bigger splash: a cannonball or a can-opener?

A can-opener creates a significantly taller splash than a cannonball. A cannonball displaces water equally in a wide, circular ring, which limits its vertical reach. The can-opener enters the pool at an angle with one knee tucked, carving a deep pocket that forces water to collide and shoot straight up into the air.

Why does my splash jump hurt my back?

Your back hurts because you are landing too flat against the surface. When your back hits the pool horizontally, you slap the surface tension of the water instead of slicing through it. Tilt your body so your lower hip and thigh break the water first, and keep your chin tucked toward your chest to protect your spine.

How deep must the pool be for a can-opener jump?

The pool should be at least eight feet deep for any can-opener or high splash jump. Angled splash jumps push your body deep under the surface at high speeds. Jumping in shallower water creates a serious risk of hitting the pool floor with your tailbone, heels, or lower back.

How do I jump higher off the pool edge without slipping?

Focus on jumping straight up from a stationary stance rather than taking a long running sprint across wet decking. Place the ball of your foot firmly on the coping with your toes curled slightly over the edge for grip. If the concrete is slick from pool water or sunscreen, wipe the launch spot dry with a towel before you jump.