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belly flop

a dive in which you hit the water with your stomach first. Compare belly buster, belly whacker.

Contributor's comments: "Belly whacker" was used on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria in the 50s and 60s. It was also called a "belly flop".

Contributor's comments: This was always called a belly flop when I grew up in Newcastle NSW in the 70's and 80's.

Contributor's comments: Have lived in Qld, NSW, Vic, SA and ACT. Belly flop was used in all places.

Contributor's comments: also used on King Island in the 60's - 70s.

Contributor's comments: "Belly Flop" is used in the United States as well. I've heard it from the American West to the Heartland as far east as Wisconsin.

Contributor's comments: Used in Canberra in the early '60s.

Contributor's comments: In the 1950s in competitive swimming circles in Sydney, this was always known as a "belly buster". I have the clear impression that "belly flop" was an introduced Americanism that arrived much later.

Contributor's comments: Belly Flop in Broken Hill as far back as the 50's.

Contributor's comments: Used in WA in the 50's and 60's and probably still in use there.

Contributor's comments: This always used to be a bellywhacker - when you tried to do a bomb (a nice big impressive splash) but stuffed it up and landed on your tummy - painful & embarassing.
belly buster

a poorly executed and painful dive in which one hits the water stomach first. Compare belly flop, belly whacker.

Contributor's comments: I remember this as a "belly buster" from the 50's and 60's in Sydney.

Contributor's comments: Belly Buster was used in Sydney in the 1940's.

Contributor's comments: I remember this one widely when growing up on the central coast of NSW (Gosford, Woy Woy region) It was very common and when I was learning to dive I did many a buster.

Contributor's comments: In the 1950s in competitive swimming circles in Sydney, this was always known as a "belly buster".
belly whacker

hitting the water with your stomach first: That's not a dive, it's a 'belly wacker' Compare belly buster, belly flop. Also, belly wacker.

Contributor's comments: "Belly whacker" was used on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria in the 50s and 60s. It was also called a "belly flop".

Contributor's comments: In Melbourne it is when you land badly diving into a pool and sting you legs or body on contact with the water.

Contributor's comments: This was always called a belly flop when I grew up in Newcastle NSW in the 70's and 80's.

Contributor's comments: I remember this as a "belly buster" from the 50's and 60's in Sydney.