Whether it's jumping off the dock, shells entering the lake or jumping off a high board, there's nothing like jumping into the water.

Olympic divers turned this natural behavior into a complex science with the goal of making the splash as small as possible. But the other sport is exactly the opposite: the extreme largest splash, one as high as possible, wide and loud.

Welcome to the world of "Manu Jump". Although not a familiar term in the United States, Manu's jump is well-loved throughout New Zealand. The sport originated in the Maori community, where popping Manu is a way of life. There, Manu jumpers jump from bridges, docks and diving platforms, making huge splashes.

The sport is fun and competitive. At Z Manu World Championship, you will win based on the height and width of the splash. Current record: Splash is above 32 feet (10 meters).

The concept sounds simple, but like Olympic diving, it turns out there is a science to jump.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovlz7z8whkg[/embed]

Worthington Splash

As hydrodynamicists, we study the ways in which organisms interact with liquids—for example, how flamingos feed their underwater heads or how insects walk on water.

So our curiosity is triggered when we stumble upon Manu hops on viral videos of Tiktok and YouTube. We started a scientific survey to achieve the art of splashing.

Our research is more than just fun and gameplay. Optimizing how the body enters the fluid (whether these bodies are human, animal or mechanical) is an essential branch of science. Understanding the physics of entering water has an impact on naval engineering, biomechanics, and robotics.

We found that creating the perfect Manu splash is more than just jumping into the water. Instead, it's about mastering the timing of aerial exercises, underwater movements, and knowing exactly how to hit the surface.

It is crucial to hit the water in a microsecond Manu jumper. Two splashes actually occurred: the first, the crown splash formed when the body ruptured. Next was Worthington splashes, responsible for the powerful water shot into the air high. Manu Jump is about triggering and maximizing Worthington splash.

Therefore, we analyzed 75 YouTube videos of Manu jumping. First, we noticed this technique: the jumper first runs around the land hips, legs and torso in a V-position.

But the moment they went underwater, the diver rolled back and kicked away to straighten his body. This expands the air cavity, jumping in the air space generated by the water; the cavity then collapses and falls off the body. This period is called "pinch time" - when the collapse emanates from the jet of water. All of this happens in a second.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_pgkzcel-g[/embed]

The answer to the exercise

We found that the jumper entered the water at a V angle of about 46 degrees. Having attracted interest, we recreated these movements in a laboratory aquarium using 3D printed V-form projectiles to test different V-angles.

result? A 45-degree angle produces the fastest, highest splash, almost matching what we observed in human jumper competitions. V-angle exceeds 45 degrees increases the risk of injury landing on the back. What we find interesting is that the jumper reaches almost the best angle through intuition and trial and error.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrizpb-vziq[/embed]

Then, we built Manubot, a robot that mimics human movement during human movement. It can switch from a V-shaped to a straight underwater position. This is how we learn the best time to maximize the splash size.

For example, for someone who is 5 feet 7 feet and jumping from 1 meter, turning on the water for 0.26 seconds to 0.3 seconds will result in the maximum splash. Open too early or too late, the splash size is damaged.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nflib_0f4[/embed]

One warning: humans are much more complex than any 3D printed projectile or manubot. Factors such as weight distribution, flexibility, and anatomical shape add to factors that our model cannot replicate yet.

For now, though, our findings highlight the simple fact that creating the perfect Manu Splash is not the result of luck. Instead, it relies on carefully aerial and underwater exercises. So the next time you see someone squirting a huge jump in the pool, remember - there is a beautiful science behind the splash.