We all know the pain of trying to play some beach volleyball when the sand is way too hot or way too cold for your feet. That is why some smart people invented beach volleyball socks. The first company that designed them was Vincere and they marketed them as Sand Socks. Once there is a product you will have competitors, and this was the case with beach socks. Sand Skins was the next company that started making these socks for beach volleyball. Which are better? I don't know. If you have any comments about either sock from personal experience please share them in the comments section below. As far as I can tell, they look pretty much the same but I'm sure there has to be a difference in the way they feel. I ordered some of both and I will let you all know the verdict once I can test them.
*Okay I got some Sand Skins and they are amazing! The quality is really good. You can order your Sand Socks here -> Buy Sand Skins
Volleyball Jump Training
Volleyball jump training is very important if you want to be a good volleyball player either on the sand or on the hard court. If you can't jump high, you won't be successful. So in order to jump higher you need to follow a jump training program designed to help you increase your vertical jump for volleyball.
I'm not saying that you will be able to jump as high as Ty Loomis after a few weeks but you can add 10 inches to you vertical jump height in a few weeks! Imagine being able to jump ten inches higher! It would mean that you could spike over the people that are blocking you right now. The human body is capable of great things and jumping high is one of them, you simply have to know the proper way to train in order to get those results. For that reason I have included a link where you can see a vertical jump training program, just Click Here.
Vertical Training for Sand Volleyball
Vertical training for sand volleyball is a little bit different than how you would train to jump higher on a hard surface. When jumping out of sand you have to have even more leg strength and that requires better jump training.
The form you use for jumping is very important because you are in a substance that moves when you try to jump.
The best thing to do is to plant your feet really hard before jumping out of the sand. This is a part of beach volleyball training that most people don't practice or even realize they should be focusing on.
It's almost like a small jump before you jump to spike or block. This way the sand will pack beneath your feet and you will be able to jump higher without sinking as much in the sand.
Of course this is all assuming that you are doing proper vertical training exercises off the court.
You need to hit the gym with squats, cleans and hamstring curls. These 3 exercises are the 3 best weight training exercises to increase vertical leap.
Make sure that you understand I said "best weight training exercises" and not best exercises or only exercises you need to do in order to jump higher. They will train your muscle strength but you will also need to spend equal time training you speed.
Plyometric workouts are required for speed training and if you combine the strength training with the speed training, you will be adding inches to your vertical in the first week!
Click here to see a great vertical jump training program.
The form you use for jumping is very important because you are in a substance that moves when you try to jump.
The best thing to do is to plant your feet really hard before jumping out of the sand. This is a part of beach volleyball training that most people don't practice or even realize they should be focusing on.
It's almost like a small jump before you jump to spike or block. This way the sand will pack beneath your feet and you will be able to jump higher without sinking as much in the sand.
Of course this is all assuming that you are doing proper vertical training exercises off the court.
You need to hit the gym with squats, cleans and hamstring curls. These 3 exercises are the 3 best weight training exercises to increase vertical leap.
Make sure that you understand I said "best weight training exercises" and not best exercises or only exercises you need to do in order to jump higher. They will train your muscle strength but you will also need to spend equal time training you speed.
Plyometric workouts are required for speed training and if you combine the strength training with the speed training, you will be adding inches to your vertical in the first week!
Click here to see a great vertical jump training program.
How to Play Sand Volleyball
Sand volleyball is all about you and one other person. There are not 6 people on the court that each specialize in one thing and 1 thing only. You have to be able to do it all. Well almost all of it, the one thing you might not have to do is block, but everything else is required of you.
There are many differences from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball. Beach volleyball rules are completely different.
The outdoor volleyball is larger, lighter and less inflated.
There are no rotations.
The set cannot spin and so you are allowed to hold on to it slightly longer.
Games go to 21.
Teams switch sides every 7 points.
If it goes to a third game, it goes to 15 and you switch sides on multiples of 5.
You can double a hard driven ball.
No open hand tipping the ball.
No side setting over the net.
There are many differences from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball. Beach volleyball rules are completely different.
The outdoor volleyball is larger, lighter and less inflated.
There are no rotations.
The set cannot spin and so you are allowed to hold on to it slightly longer.
Games go to 21.
Teams switch sides every 7 points.
If it goes to a third game, it goes to 15 and you switch sides on multiples of 5.
You can double a hard driven ball.
No open hand tipping the ball.
No side setting over the net.
Sand Volleyball Jump Higher Workout
It's time for you to start jumping higher in the sand! The best thing you can do is train yourself to jump higher than you can currently jump. It is possible to add 10 inches to your vert! See how by clicking here.
Here is a video of Jacob Hiller talking about his Jump Manual.
Here is a video of Jacob Hiller talking about his Jump Manual.
Sand Volleyball Training
Sand volleyball training is very different from your normal indoor volleyball drills you may perform. You don't practice learning how to roll on the floor after you dive for a ball. You don't practice setting ones and shoots, or running plays with fake hits because in sand volleyball there are only 2 of you.
Having only 2 people means that you need to practice all part of the game in sand volleyball training. You have to give the appropriate amount of time to passing, setting, hitting, blocking and digging. You will notice that some volleyball drills will be used in the sand as well as in indoor such as peppering. But when you do hitting lines you don't simply throw the ball to the setter for him/her to set. You set it to them, they hit it back at you, and then you pass the ball to them before they set it for you to hit.
Volleyballs
If you want to buy volleyballs that will last in beach volleyball you need to get the right kind. And Wilson beach volleyballs are the best but only 1 specific ball, the official wilson beach volleyball. Don't get the replica ball! It is only half the price but not worth a dime.
Learn how to jump higher here!
Buy volleyball apparel online at OrvinApparel.com
Where to Buy Kinesio Tape
If you watched beach volleyball in the Olympics you saw that Kerri Walsh had some kind of weird taping on her shoulder. That is called kinesio tape and it the newest way to stabilize joints. Kinesio taping lifts the skin allowing for more blood and lymph flow to the injured area while also providing stability to the joint. The kinesio tex tape is becoming the preferred taping method for most athletes today. The traditional athletic tape restricts blood flow which will increase the time it takes to heal. Each application of kinesio tape can be left on for up to 5 days and it's water proof so you can shower with it on. You can find kinesio taping techniques in clinical therapeutic applications of the kinesio taping method book. The best part is that if you are wondering where to buy kinesio tape you can now buy it right here!
Volleyball Equipment
Beach Volleyball Equipment
Volleyball Net
In order to play volleyball you need to buy the net. A net should have wooden poles on each side so that you can make the whole net tight. You should also get one that has good stitching that won't tear soon after using it.
In order to play volleyball you need to buy the net. A net should have wooden poles on each side so that you can make the whole net tight. You should also get one that has good stitching that won't tear soon after using it.
Buy Volleyballs
A beach volleyball is not the same as an indoor volleyball. So don't think that you can take your indoor ball in the sand and play with it. You need to make sure not to ever buy the replica wilson outdoor volleyball. Only get the official outdoor beach volleyball by wilson.
Beach Volleyball Lines
If you are going to be playing ball at the beach you need to bring your own lines. Get the lines that are at least one inch thick.
Click the pictures to buy any of the products.
Beach Volleyball Lines
If you are going to be playing ball at the beach you need to bring your own lines. Get the lines that are at least one inch thick.
Click the pictures to buy any of the products.
Beach Volleyball Terms
Check out the ultimate beach volleyball workout to jump higher-Click Here!
If you have ever played beach volleyball you are aware that are certain beach volleyball terms that you need to know. The lingo is a part of the game, so it's time you learned.
Digging- Playing defense and passing a hit or shot.
Gator- Digging the ball wrists touching but hands open like a gators mouth.
High Line- Means to shoot the ball high over the blockers hands.
Nobody- No block is up so swing away.
Cutty- Short angle shot.
Spear- One arm dig with a straight arm.
Chicken Wing- A dig with a bent arm that bounces off the elbow portion of the arm.
Jumbo Shrimp- A high arched shot to the back line.
Line- Hit straight.
Angle- Hit across the court.
Camel Toe- (Also known as the hoof) When you hit the ball with your first 2 knuckles.
Roof - (A.K.A phone booth) When you block the hitter and the ball goes straight down.
Joust- When two players are pushing the ball at the same time above the net.
Butter- (Nectar) A perfect set.
Cobra- A hit with the finger tips when fingers are straight.
Deep Dish- Letting the set come all the way down to the chest.
Shank- When the pass bounces off of one arm and goes somewhere not intended.
Six Pack- Getting a ball spiked in the face.
Tool- When you hit off the block on purpose so it bounces off of them and out.
50/50- When the ball is set right on top of the net.
Sand volleyball rules consist of many things such as not setting the serve and not open hand tipping the ball.
If you have ever played beach volleyball you are aware that are certain beach volleyball terms that you need to know. The lingo is a part of the game, so it's time you learned.
Digging- Playing defense and passing a hit or shot.
Gator- Digging the ball wrists touching but hands open like a gators mouth.
High Line- Means to shoot the ball high over the blockers hands.
Nobody- No block is up so swing away.
Cutty- Short angle shot.
Spear- One arm dig with a straight arm.
Chicken Wing- A dig with a bent arm that bounces off the elbow portion of the arm.
Jumbo Shrimp- A high arched shot to the back line.
Line- Hit straight.
Angle- Hit across the court.
Camel Toe- (Also known as the hoof) When you hit the ball with your first 2 knuckles.
Roof - (A.K.A phone booth) When you block the hitter and the ball goes straight down.
Joust- When two players are pushing the ball at the same time above the net.
Butter- (Nectar) A perfect set.
Cobra- A hit with the finger tips when fingers are straight.
Deep Dish- Letting the set come all the way down to the chest.
Shank- When the pass bounces off of one arm and goes somewhere not intended.
Six Pack- Getting a ball spiked in the face.
Tool- When you hit off the block on purpose so it bounces off of them and out.
50/50- When the ball is set right on top of the net.
Volleyball Tips
Beach volleyball rules are different than indoor rules. Outdoor setting is very different from normal volleyball setting.Sand volleyball rules consist of many things such as not setting the serve and not open hand tipping the ball.
Volleyball Setting-Beach Volleyball Set
In volleyball setting is a very hard part of the game for people to grasp. Then when you throw the beach volleyball set into the equation it gets even harder. You can tell if someone knows how to play volleyball by seeing one of their sets. Outdoor setting is much more gentle than indoor setting. An indoor volleyball set is illegal in beach volleyball.
What are the differences from setting a volleyball on the beach versus indoor?
The biggest difference is that in outdoor setting you can't double the ball which means the ball will not be spinning at all when it leaves your hands. Refs will sometimes notice a ball rotating and call the set bad but for the most part the ref will look at how the ball is handled to see if it's illegal or not.
Beach Volleyball Setting Tips
Open your hands wide because you are going to be grabbing the outside of the volleyball. Keep you hands, fingers, wrist and arms lose. You don't ever want stiff fingers while setting the volleyball. This is part of the sand volleyball rules that you must know in order to successfully compete. You want to let your arms cushion the ball even more than your wrists. You can actually do a clean set without moving the wrists if you bend at the elbows to absorb the ball.
Volleyball Training Drills
Volleyball training drills need to focus on a few key points.
Lets look at some sand volleyball drills that you can do to improve your game. The first thing you need to do is learn how to pass a volleyball that is served above you head. You know that beach volleyball rules are different than indoor rules and this means that you cannot set the serve. So what you need to practice is having both hands touching each other, usually just interlock the thumbs and then open the hands to allow the ball to bounce off of the palms of your hands. Have someone serve the volleyball to you a few times to get the hang of it.
The next thing you need to be aware of is that in beach volleyball tips are not allowed with an open hand like they are in indoor. You need to learn all of the sand volleyball rules if you are going to successfully make the transition to the beach.
Can you set the ball over the net?
Yes you are allowed to set the ball over the net but you have to be lined up and the ball must go directly in front or behind you. In outdoor setting you are not allowed to side set over the net. How many times do you see pros setting over the net? I've never seen it. A beach volleyball set is very different than indoor one.
Sand Volleyball Drills
Looking for sand volleyball drills? Well you have come to the right place. We are here to give you all the beach volleyball tips you need to improve your game, whether beginner or advanced. We even teach you how to jump higher for volleyball. To increase vertical jump in sand you need to focus on the workouts to jump higher called plyometrics. These exercises will make you better at volleyball than anything else.
First you must realize that beach volleyball rules are different than indoor. Outdoor setting is different because you are allowed to hold the ball for a little bit longer so that it comes out clean without any spin.
Let's take a look at some volleyball drills in sand that you can do to improve your beach volleyball game. Mens beach volleyball is played with the net at 8 feet but you have a few feet of sand that you have to learn how to jump higher in. So to do this you need some beach volleyball workouts to do.
First you need to do all of your volleyball drills in the sand so that you can get use to moving in it. Do plyometric jump training for volleyball in the sand to increase your vertical.
How to Jump Higher in Volleyball
Learning how to jump higher in volleyball is very important and is something that you need in order to win more games. Vertical jump training is more important in sand v
olleyball than any other sport in the world. Beach volleyball jump training is the most intense form of plyometric exercise known of. Basketball players get to use all of their forward momentum to increase vertical jump. But as sand volleyball players we have to rely on our explosive jumping power.How can I jump higher?Easy you just need to follow plyometric workouts designed to teach you how to jump higher such as the jump manual. The jump manual exercises are made to increase your vert as fast as possible.
Click Here for the Jump Manual
Outdoor Setting
Outdoor setting is very different from setting for indoor volleyball. Outdoor volleyball is much different and has different rules than what you are probably used to. Let me list a few differences for you.
In outdoor volleyball you can not:
The setting is very different in beach volleyball. You are allowed to hold the ball a little bit longer than you can for indoor volleyball. This is so that you can set the ball without it spinning. If it comes out spinning it is usually an indication that one hand touched the ball before the other and would result in a double contact and you would lose the point. When watching men's beach volleyball you will see more sets with the hands than when you will with women's beach volleyball. If you have a hard time setting perfectly you will have to arm set (bump set) in tournaments to avoid losing points. A perfect indoor set is illegal in sand volleyball just as a perfect outdoor set is illegal in indoor volleyball. An outdoor volleyball court is smaller in dimension than indoor courts.
You want to jump higher in volleyball to play better. In the sand you will notice that the approach is different. Instead of jumping forward you will jump straight up and use your arm swing to increase your vert. Plyometric exercises will help you jump higher for volleyball as well as other sports that require jumping such as basketball so that you can dunk.
In outdoor volleyball you can not:
- Set the serve.
- Double any ball that is not hard driven.
- Open hand tip.
- Side set over the net.
- Double the set.
The setting is very different in beach volleyball. You are allowed to hold the ball a little bit longer than you can for indoor volleyball. This is so that you can set the ball without it spinning. If it comes out spinning it is usually an indication that one hand touched the ball before the other and would result in a double contact and you would lose the point. When watching men's beach volleyball you will see more sets with the hands than when you will with women's beach volleyball. If you have a hard time setting perfectly you will have to arm set (bump set) in tournaments to avoid losing points. A perfect indoor set is illegal in sand volleyball just as a perfect outdoor set is illegal in indoor volleyball. An outdoor volleyball court is smaller in dimension than indoor courts.
You want to jump higher in volleyball to play better. In the sand you will notice that the approach is different. Instead of jumping forward you will jump straight up and use your arm swing to increase your vert. Plyometric exercises will help you jump higher for volleyball as well as other sports that require jumping such as basketball so that you can dunk.
Beach Volleyball Tips
Always pass to the front middle. This means if the ball is served to your partner, you need to immediately run to the front middle to receive the pass.
Always tell your partner where to hit. If the defender runs to the angle, yell line and vice versa.
Always yell NOBODY if there is no blocker when you set your partner. This way he can swing without fear of being blocked.
Sand volleyball workouts or beach volleyball workouts are designed to increase your speed and jumping ability. Most of your workouts should take place on the sand because that will result in better movement during game time.
So open hand tips volleyball are not good according to avp sand volleyball rules.
Always pass to the front middle. This means if the ball is served to your partner, you need to immediately run to the front middle to receive the pass.Always tell your partner where to hit. If the defender runs to the angle, yell line and vice versa.Always yell NOBODY if there is no blocker when you set your partner. This way he can swing without fear of being blocked.Sand volleyball workouts or beach volleyball workouts are designed to increase your speed and jumping ability. Most of your workouts should take place on the sand because that will result in better movement during game time.
So open hand tips volleyball are not good according to avp sand volleyball rules.
Check out the Jump Manual
Wilson Beach Volleyball
There are thousands of volleyballs available to buy but only one is approved by the AVP (association of volleyball professionals) and that is the official wilson beach volleyball.
If you are going to buy a ball to play with this summer either at a local sand court, at a picnic or on the beach you need this ball. Don't waste your money on a less expensive ball that feels like hard plastic and hurts everyone's arm every time they bump the ball. There are a few things in life that are worth a paying a little more for and this is one of those things. When it comes to volleyballs you get what you pay for. So never buy the cheap 10 dollar ball because it will hurt and will make people hate volleyball for the rest of their lives. The wilson beach volleyball
is yellow and white and is the softest ball you will find. Beware of the replica wilson ball that looks just like the real official ball but only costs $20.00. If you are getting the real thing you can expect to pay anywhere from $40.00 to $55.00 dollars.
How to Build a Sand Volleyball Court
The key of knowing how to construct a sand volleyball court is by doing your homework and planning well. Most sand courts are made with too little sand or the wrong type of sand which makes the court useless. The sand needs to resemble the sand of a beach as closely as possible. If you don't get the right type of sand or enough sand then the court will not turn out well. Plan of the sand being at least 16 inches deeps.
A sand volleyball court is much smaller than the traditional indoor volleyball court. An outdoor court measures 60 feet by 30 feet. When making a court make sure that there are 10 extra feet around the court. So you will need to buy enough sand to cover an area of 80 feet by 50 feet.
The poles are going to be placed 36 feet from each other. This leaves 3 feet on each side of the court from the boundary line to the pole.
I would recommend using steel poles that can adjust between mens height and womens height. The height for a mens net is just shy of 8 feet at 7'11"5/8 and womens net height is 7'4"1/8.
You can have the best pole system along with net and boundary lines but if you go cheap on the sand you will regret it and your court will not turn out the way you want.
You can bank on the sand putting you back a few thousand dollars but if you get it right then you will have the best court in town because everyone else will only buy enough sand to be 6 inches deep and the sand will most likely be of the wrong consistency and will pack down like dirt.
Should You Wear Ankle Weights to Jump Higher?
I have a lot of people ask me if they should train with ankle weights on so that their legs will get stronger and they will be able to jump higher. That is the worst idea ever! There are a few things wrong with wearing ankle weights. Lets first start with the biomechanics of jumping. The general idea is that people think more weight will make you stronger and then you will naturally jump higher when you don't have that added weight on you. Well, adding any weight below your knees isn't going to help your leg strength in the pushing (jumping) muscles of the leg. You will only feel that added weight after you have left the ground which means weight would have to be above the knees to make your legs stronger for jumping higher. This brings me to my second point. The ability to jump high isn't all leg strength. If this were the case bodybuilders would be able dunk basketballs with ease. But they can't because they have the strength but not the speed. You need a combination of both which is called power. How long does it take to increase your vertical? Well, that answer might surprise you. If you use a well designed program you can see increases within the first 2 weeks, sometime even the first week. Believe me i've tried a lot of programs and some feel like they are working but they aren't while others produce results with half the work. The idea is to work smarter not harder. I tried the Jump Manual during my search of the best jumping program and got an inch and a half after 2 weeks. And honestly I only did half the workouts I was supposed to because I was sore for a few days and the program wisely advices you not to work out if you are sore. I'm 5'8" and have no problem spiking a volleyball on a 8 foot net in deep sand. The program works it's as simple as that. You can check out the Jump Manual by CLICKING HERE!. If you want to be better at any sport but mostly volleyball or basketball where there is a lot of importance on how high you can jump, you need this program. So if you've ever wondered how to jump higher for volleyball or basketball, you now have the answer.
Collegiate NCAA Sand Volleyball
The NCAA has officially announced that sand volleyball will be the newest collegiate sport. It will not be called beach volleyball because many of the universities will not be near beaches. As for right now the sport is only for women and teams will start in 2010. I've contacted universities about who will be coaching their sand volleyball teams and the answers were unsettling. Most universities said that the current indoor volleyball coach or assistant coach would take on the responsibility of coaching the sand volleyball team. This is the equivalent to a table tennis coach coaching the tennis team. Yes they both have the same word in the name of the sport but they are entirely different. My advice would be that if you want girls to learn proper sand volleyball they need to be coached by a sand volleyball player or coach, not an indoor player that only knows the indoor six on six game. There are plenty of well qualified coaches that have learned the game of sand volleyball and would be willing to coach at a collegiate level. If you are in charge of hiring coaches at a university leave a comment and I can put you in touch with excellent coaches, some that have even played in the AVP. Beach volleyball is growing in popularity more than any other sport in the U.S. right now and having a winning sand volleyball team will bring in more fans than indoor ever will. The game is faster paced and more fun to watch which means it will have a bigger fan base and pull in more money.
Volleyball Jump Program
Do you want to increase your vertical leap for volleyball? Well you have come to the right place!
I have tried many jumping programs and the best jump training program I have found with the best vertical jump exercises is the jump manual. Check it out by clicking HERE!.
The gains are surprisingly fast with measurable increases in the first 2 weeks!
Volleyball is all about explosive fast movements and increasing your vert. So if you have have asked "how can I increase my vertical leap?" Then you need to check out the jump manual.
How to Jump Higher for Volleyball either in the sand at the beach or indoor, you need to know how to increase your vert.
I have tried many jumping programs and the best jump training program I have found with the best vertical jump exercises is the jump manual. Check it out by clicking HERE!.
The gains are surprisingly fast with measurable increases in the first 2 weeks!
Volleyball is all about explosive fast movements and increasing your vert. So if you have have asked "how can I increase my vertical leap?" Then you need to check out the jump manual.
How to Jump Higher for Volleyball either in the sand at the beach or indoor, you need to know how to increase your vert.
Men's Beach Volleyball
Mens beach volleyball is dominating the U.S. as one of the fastest growing sports. The tournaments are getting larger and the prize money is greater than ever before in the sports history. Tod Rogers and Phil Dalhauser dominated the olympics bringing home the Gold while in women's beach volleyball Misty May and Keri Walsh also won gold. The U.S. is starting to dominate the world in volleyball and it shows no signs of slowing down. With more and more collegiate players picking up the beach volleyball game we are seeing a rise in talent and competition is more fierce than ever in the AVP tour. With average height players a dime a dozen the emphasis is now on finding the best blocker possible. With the tallest person in the AVP standing 6'9" you need to have some serious height and put up an excellent block to get anywhere in the AVP today. There isn't a single person under 6 feet tall ranked in the top 50 for the AVP. But there is one that stands 6 feet tall which is very impressive.
Sand Volleyball Tournament
The season opener in St. George Utah is on April 4th 2009. This tournament is known to have a couple pros show up to play against the utah open players. Tournament entry fees are $60 per team. The open division is played in the sand and all other divisions are probably played on grass somewhere... who knows and who cares about grass volleyball anyhow?
Beach Volleyball Tips
First lets go over the person digging the ball. Where you stand depends on your blocker. If you have a huge block you can plant where you are going to be digging. This means if your blocker is blocking line you can just be at angle planted, even if the hitter sees you right there. You want to do this because then the hitter will try for line and get blocked by your partner.
If your blocker is an average blocker and doesn't put up a huge block then your defense changes. You can't just plant on the angle if your blocker is blocking line because the hitter will then hit line and might not get blocked every time. Another thing is that if the block isn't huge they can do a high line right over the hands and you won't have time to get there. The bigger the block the easier it is for the guy on defense. Beach volleyball defense changes with every partner and against every team, so you always have to be aware of how you can capitalize on every team.
If your blocker is an average blocker and doesn't put up a huge block then your defense changes. You can't just plant on the angle if your blocker is blocking line because the hitter will then hit line and might not get blocked every time. Another thing is that if the block isn't huge they can do a high line right over the hands and you won't have time to get there. The bigger the block the easier it is for the guy on defense. Beach volleyball defense changes with every partner and against every team, so you always have to be aware of how you can capitalize on every team.
Physiology of Jumping Higher
Beach Volleyball Workout to Jump Higher in Sand
Formerly known as jump training, plyometrics are exercises developed to increase your vertical leap. The words plyo and metrics actually stand for measurable increase. Beach volleyball vertical leap plyos workouts are the best way to go to increase you effectiveness of jumping in sand.
Plyometrics links strength with the speed of the muscle to produce power. Plyometrics are exercises designed in a way to enable a muscle to reach maximum strength in the shortest time possible.
When you brain tells your muscle to fire it does so by sending nerve impulses to the muscle fibers which causes a chemical reaction. When you bend down prior to jumping, your muscles react without any conscious thought on your part.
One thing that has been noticed is how the best jumper of all time are on the ground for a very short period of time before take off. This is because your body can actually lose power the longer that it is on the ground.
One of the main focuses of plyometrics is to shorten the amount of time you are touching the ground. Plyometrics focus on using the stored energy in your legs from the loading phase of the jump.
A muscle actually will have more power if it is stretched before it contracts. This is the reason that you need "load" before you jump.
Muscles behave in many ways like a rubber band. The more you stretch a rubber band the more power it will have when you let go.
An example of how our muscles react to stretching is the knee test. When the patella tendon under the knee cap is tapped, your muscle will react with power with no conscious thought on your part.
A muscle contracts faster when being stretched first. You can't really change the speed of the stretch reflex with training but you can change the strength of the response, which will cause you to jump higher.
Formerly known as jump training, plyometrics are exercises developed to increase your vertical leap. The words plyo and metrics actually stand for measurable increase. Beach volleyball vertical leap plyos workouts are the best way to go to increase you effectiveness of jumping in sand.
Plyometrics links strength with the speed of the muscle to produce power. Plyometrics are exercises designed in a way to enable a muscle to reach maximum strength in the shortest time possible.
When you brain tells your muscle to fire it does so by sending nerve impulses to the muscle fibers which causes a chemical reaction. When you bend down prior to jumping, your muscles react without any conscious thought on your part.
One thing that has been noticed is how the best jumper of all time are on the ground for a very short period of time before take off. This is because your body can actually lose power the longer that it is on the ground.
One of the main focuses of plyometrics is to shorten the amount of time you are touching the ground. Plyometrics focus on using the stored energy in your legs from the loading phase of the jump.
A muscle actually will have more power if it is stretched before it contracts. This is the reason that you need "load" before you jump.
Muscles behave in many ways like a rubber band. The more you stretch a rubber band the more power it will have when you let go.
An example of how our muscles react to stretching is the knee test. When the patella tendon under the knee cap is tapped, your muscle will react with power with no conscious thought on your part.
A muscle contracts faster when being stretched first. You can't really change the speed of the stretch reflex with training but you can change the strength of the response, which will cause you to jump higher.
Beach Volleyball On T.V.
Have you ever noticed that beach volleyball is never on t.v.? I mean they have all sorts of sports on the many ESPN channels and yet beach volleyball is hardly never on. There are usually some really good plays that people would enjoy watching on sportscenter but they never make it. That's another reason that beach volleyball has a hard time growing faster than it is, because there isn't exposure to the sport on T.V. I want to see more beach volleyball on espn or on any channel for that matter. Cut some golf or one of the thousand basketball games on and put some beach volleyball on tv so we can follow it.
AVP Beach Volleyball Rules
Okay, so you have a desire to better your sand game. First, lets talk about some things that you can do to improve movement in sand. Do sand sprints from one side of the court to the other, then rest and repeat 5 times. You also need to practice quick movements without standing all the way up. On defense you can't waste time standing all the way and then running after the ball. Stay low and move as quickly as possible to get to every shot.
Sand Volleyball Workouts
So you want to play beach volleyball in the AVP but you can't get your armpits over the net?
Well, lets look at some workouts you can do so you can learn how to jump higher. Jumping factors in both leg strength and speed which equals power. If you don't have strong legs then you will benefit from strengthening your legs in the gym with weights. You will want to keep reps fairly low because we don't care much about endurance for jumping. Some of the main exercises you will want to do include squats, calf raises and cleans. Now the best way to go about your workout is to do 3 sets where you lower the weight slowly and then go as fast as you can when pushing the weight up.
Now if you already have really strong legs, you aren't going to benefit much more from lifting weights in the gym so you will need to focus more on training those strong leg muscles to be faster. This is done through plyometrics, which are jumping exercises. You will want to do your jumping exercise in sand for 2 reasons. One, you will be playing in the sand so it will transfer over to beach volleyball better. And, 2 because it is much easier on your knees when landing. You want to keep these reps low as well and jump as high as you can on each jump. Some exercises you want to do are jumping at the net 6 times fast (as soon as your feet hit the sand jump again) do 4 sets of six. Then do 4 sets of 6 where you actually let yourself land and adjust before jumping again. Take a chair or something about knee high and sit on it then explode jumping up as high as possible. Do 4 sets of six of this. This will help you squat lower before exploding up to block.
Sand Volleyball Rules
Beach volleyball differs from indoor volleyball almost as much as table tennis differs from tennis. Don't think that you are ready to hit the sand because you were a collegiate indoor volleyball player.
1. The serve has a new rule. If you throw the ball up to serve and end up not hitting it, you lose that point.
2. You might wonder why players are always switching sides during a game when playing beach volleyball. These side switches occur every 7 points if you go to 21 and every 5 if going to 15. This happens because one side is always better than the other.
3. You can actually go on the opposing side to chase down a ball when playing beach volleyball. You obviously can't touch the opposing players though.
4. A beach volleyball is bigger, lighter and less pumped up than an indoor volleyball. Remember to always keep the psi of an outdoor volleyball under 4 psi.
5. In beach volleyball you are allowed to double a hard driven ball. Indoor volleyball does not allow a double to occur on a hard driven ball.
6. Beach volleyball does not allow you to take the serve with your hands. You can not double the serve.
7. The setting is much more strict in beach volleyball. You have to set the ball very clean which will result in the ball not rotating once it leaves your hands.
8. You must be perpendicular to the ball if you set the ball over the net. The only exception is if you set your partner and the wind takes it over the net.
9. The block does count as one of your 3 hits in beach volleyball. This does not mean that the blocker isn't allowed to block and then be the next person to contact the ball.
1. The serve has a new rule. If you throw the ball up to serve and end up not hitting it, you lose that point.
2. You might wonder why players are always switching sides during a game when playing beach volleyball. These side switches occur every 7 points if you go to 21 and every 5 if going to 15. This happens because one side is always better than the other.
3. You can actually go on the opposing side to chase down a ball when playing beach volleyball. You obviously can't touch the opposing players though.
4. A beach volleyball is bigger, lighter and less pumped up than an indoor volleyball. Remember to always keep the psi of an outdoor volleyball under 4 psi.
5. In beach volleyball you are allowed to double a hard driven ball. Indoor volleyball does not allow a double to occur on a hard driven ball.
6. Beach volleyball does not allow you to take the serve with your hands. You can not double the serve.
7. The setting is much more strict in beach volleyball. You have to set the ball very clean which will result in the ball not rotating once it leaves your hands.
8. You must be perpendicular to the ball if you set the ball over the net. The only exception is if you set your partner and the wind takes it over the net.
9. The block does count as one of your 3 hits in beach volleyball. This does not mean that the blocker isn't allowed to block and then be the next person to contact the ball.
Men's Beach Volleyball
Men's beach volleyball is becoming a very popular sport. Beach volleyball isn't set up the same way as other professional sports and this has it's ups and downs. One major drawback is that beach volleyball doesn't have teams that sign players for set salary's. The way men's beach volleyball is set up, once you qualify by earning a certain amount of points from winning qualifier games you are considered professional. Now the sport is only played with 2 people per team and nobody can substitute in so you have to pick your teammate wisely. You can play with a different partner every tournament if you want. There are no set teammates that you must play with for a certain amount of time. So naturally the 2 best players will want to play with each other and this is the reason for one team winning almost every tournament in the year. This is also the case in women's beach volleyball where misty may and kerri walsh have won almost every tournament for the past couple of years. This kind of makes a monopoly for the winning team because there are no set schedules with different teams, there are just different tournaments almost every weekend. Each tournament pays out quite a bit of money so the number one team gets paid very well while most of the other players struggle to make good money playing a sport professionally. In any other sport in America if you are the 50th best at your sport, you will have a really good paying contract with a team and you won't have to worry about money. The 50th best beach volleyball player will probably end up making about 10 grand playing volleyball throughout the year while the top 2 ranked players will be in the upper 6 figures.
Beach Volleyball Rules
Time-Outs
Each team gets one time-out per set.
Sand Depth
The sand should be at least 15 3/4 in. deep
The Net
If you hair touches the net it is not a fault
If the ball forces the net to touch you, it is not a fault.
Doubles
If the ball is hard driven you may take it "with fingers" and a double or slight hold is allowed
IF the ball bounces from one arm to another part of the body in one consecutive motion it is not a fault.
Each team gets one time-out per set.
Sand Depth
The sand should be at least 15 3/4 in. deep
The Net
If you hair touches the net it is not a fault
If the ball forces the net to touch you, it is not a fault.
Doubles
If the ball is hard driven you may take it "with fingers" and a double or slight hold is allowed
IF the ball bounces from one arm to another part of the body in one consecutive motion it is not a fault.
Blocking Over The Net
In beach volleyball the blocker cannot contact the ball on the opposing teams side until the attacker has touched the ball. The blocker may reach over the net but must wait until the attacker contacts the ball. If the blocker touches the ball at the exact same time as the attacker while the ball is on the side of the attacker then the point goes to the attacker.
Sand Volleyball Court
One of the biggest differences from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball is that the court is smaller for a sand volleyball court. This makes sense because there are only 2 people to defend the whole court. An indoor volleyball court measures 9 meters across by 18 meters in length. A beach volleyball court measures 8mx16m. A sand volleyball court should always be smaller than an indoor court.
The height of the net for men's beach volleyball is just shy of 8 feet high and for women it is 7'4".
The height of the net for men's beach volleyball is just shy of 8 feet high and for women it is 7'4".
Beach Volleyball Tips
Beach volleyball is becoming very popular in America. It will take the name of sand volleyball when it becomes a collegiate sport. Sand volleyball is played with 2 people per team.
When watching beach volleyball you might wonder why the teams switch sides mid game. The games are played to 21 and the switches occur every seven points so that the sun isn't in one teams eyes more than the others.
You might be able to jump high and hit ball straight down playing indoor volleyball, but can you do it in the sand? Probably not, this is because the approach you take in beach volleyball is much different than that of indoor. In sand volleyball you can't use you forward momentum as much.
Beach volleyballs are different than indoor volleyballs. And all beach volleyballs are not created equally. A beach volleyball is going to be a bit lighter and slightly less pumped up than an indoor volleyball.
Setting in beach volleyball is very different than indoor. You are allowed to have the ball in your hands a little bit longer. This is because the ball must leave your hands with no spin on it.
Don't even think about tipping the ball over the net with an open hand when playing beach volleyball. This is not allowed in beach volleyball and who wants to do it anyways?
Setting over the net is never recommended if you want to win games in beach volleyball. But not only is it not recommended it is illegal if you aren't facing the way you set. You must be parallel to where you set the ball.
A block counts as a hit in beach volleyball. This might take some getting used to, but why would the block not count as one of your 3 hits?
Hopefully these few tips on beach volleyball will help you improve your beach volleyball game.
When watching beach volleyball you might wonder why the teams switch sides mid game. The games are played to 21 and the switches occur every seven points so that the sun isn't in one teams eyes more than the others.
You might be able to jump high and hit ball straight down playing indoor volleyball, but can you do it in the sand? Probably not, this is because the approach you take in beach volleyball is much different than that of indoor. In sand volleyball you can't use you forward momentum as much.
Beach volleyballs are different than indoor volleyballs. And all beach volleyballs are not created equally. A beach volleyball is going to be a bit lighter and slightly less pumped up than an indoor volleyball.
Setting in beach volleyball is very different than indoor. You are allowed to have the ball in your hands a little bit longer. This is because the ball must leave your hands with no spin on it.
Don't even think about tipping the ball over the net with an open hand when playing beach volleyball. This is not allowed in beach volleyball and who wants to do it anyways?
Setting over the net is never recommended if you want to win games in beach volleyball. But not only is it not recommended it is illegal if you aren't facing the way you set. You must be parallel to where you set the ball.
A block counts as a hit in beach volleyball. This might take some getting used to, but why would the block not count as one of your 3 hits?
Hopefully these few tips on beach volleyball will help you improve your beach volleyball game.
Conditioning For Sand Volleyball
Sand Volleyball is all about jumping. There's not a position that isn't allowed to jump like in indoor volleyball. If you play you have to be able to jump no matter how tall you are. But how do you learn how to jump higher? Very easy, you jump. Anything you want to get better at requires you to practice. But there are more efficient ways to train for jumping than others. In Sand volleyball you need an explosive maximum height jump, not a bunch of repetitive sub-maximal jumps. For this reason, the way you should train for jumping in beach volleyball is different than jump training for other sports. When doing plyometrics (jumping exercises) you shouldn't be doing high reps but rather low reps and giving each rep all your strength. Also, you should let yourself get well rested in between sets.
Most of your jump training should be in the sand because that is how you will be jumping in the game. The approach is much different than on a hard court. Also, because plyometrics are of a very high intensity, training in the sand will be much softer on your joints which will prevent injuries.
Most of your jump training should be in the sand because that is how you will be jumping in the game. The approach is much different than on a hard court. Also, because plyometrics are of a very high intensity, training in the sand will be much softer on your joints which will prevent injuries.
Beach Volleyball
Beach volleyball is becoming a very popular sport in the United States. The men's and women's beach volleyball teams took gold in the Olympics and 47.2 million people watched them do it. It was one of the most watched events at the Olympics.
Professional beach volleyball isn't organized in the same way that other sports are set up. There are no teams that draft you and pay you a certain amount of money in a signed contract. There are simply tournaments almost every weekend in the summer throughout California and other states that hold qualifier events. The qualifier event is where anyone that thinks they are good enough to play against the best can step up to the volleyball net and give it a try. You pay to enter you and your partner into the tournament where you will have to beat 3 other teams trying to go pro. Once you win 3 games you are into the main event, which is where you can earn money. Technically if you make it into the main event in the AVP you are considered a professional beach volleyball player. Once you are in the main draw, each game you win greatly increases the amount of money you win. Make sure you know the rules of beach volleyball before you start your journey to become a pro in the AVP.
Professional beach volleyball isn't organized in the same way that other sports are set up. There are no teams that draft you and pay you a certain amount of money in a signed contract. There are simply tournaments almost every weekend in the summer throughout California and other states that hold qualifier events. The qualifier event is where anyone that thinks they are good enough to play against the best can step up to the volleyball net and give it a try. You pay to enter you and your partner into the tournament where you will have to beat 3 other teams trying to go pro. Once you win 3 games you are into the main event, which is where you can earn money. Technically if you make it into the main event in the AVP you are considered a professional beach volleyball player. Once you are in the main draw, each game you win greatly increases the amount of money you win. Make sure you know the rules of beach volleyball before you start your journey to become a pro in the AVP.
Sand Volleyball Plyometrics
Lets review some exercises you can do to prepare you for this summer of beach volleyball. The first thing that you need to improve is your jumping. No matter how high you can jump it is always better if you can jump higher. Beach volleyball is getting harder to play for shorter people or for people who can't jump high. So if you want to be a great beach volleyball player you will need to be able to jump. Not all of us are going to be able to get our armpits over the net to block, but you are the blocker on your team you need to be getting about that high. Touching 10 feet on a hard court means you are touching about 9 feet when jumping out of sand. So when training for beach volleyball it is always best to do your jump training in the sand. But, for people that live where it gets cold in the winter there are still plenty of exercises to do indoors that will increase your vertical leap. One of the best weighted exercises for jumping are squats. Don't think you can just do tons of squats and that you will be blocking balls with your armpits. Squats alone will really only get your legs stronger but not faster. When you jump you want all of your muscles to fire at the exact same time and to fire with more fibers. So to train them to do that you have to jump. Pick a spot on a wall and jump to touch that spot about 6 to 10 times. Get plenty of rest in between sets and then do it again. Then move on to a different jumping exercise. You could jump up on high boxes. You want them so high that you wont be able to get 11 reps because you would get too tired. If you're using a box height where you can do 20 reps without a problem in one set then it's too low. We don't want to train our legs to jump for longer periods of time, we want them to jump higher so we have to train them like that. Another good exercise is to get a box (not very tall) and step off of it and as soon as our feet touch the ground jump up as high as you can. The point is to have your feet in contact with the ground for as little of time as possible. This is training your muscles to react quickly.
What Beach Volleyball Should You Buy?
There are thousands of volleyballs available to buy but only one is approved by the AVP (association of volleyball professionals) and that is the official wilson beach volleyball.
There are some things in life where you get what you pay for. This is exactly the case when it comes to buying the right beach volleyball. Many beginner volleyball players don't like the game because it hurts their arms when the pass "bump" the ball. The truth is that they are using a ball that is made of cheap plastic and is very hard. Any advanced player would pass that ball one time, notice that it hurt and they would get a different ball. It's like playing basketball with a ball that is half inflated, you may be able to still dribble but it will take all your force just to bounce it. Nobody would like basketball if that were the case. So, when picking a beach volleyball you might have to spend a little more money so that you get a ball that is made of real leather and is soft. The best ball that I have ever seen and the only one that I will play with is the Wilson Official Beach Volleyball. This ball is the softest ball and the one that is used in all of the AVP (Association of Beach Volleyball Professionals). So instead of buying multiple balls that hurt your arms, just buy one that is good. You can always find better deals online than in any store when it comes to this ball, so shop around and compare prices.
Beach Volleyball In Utah
Beach volleyball sand socks are ideal for cold or hot sand.
Check out sand volleyball here in Utah at Wasatch Beach Volleyball
Outdoor Volleyball
Ten Things To Avoid When Playing Sand Volleyball
1. Never ask if the scoring is rally or the old style where you have to serve to get a point. Nobody plays the old way anymore. It is always rally!
2. Never touch the net. It doesn't matter if you are blocking or hitting, you can not touch the net. The second people see someone hitting the net with no regards to the rule, they will not want to play with you. This rule keeps people safe. If you jump into the net chances are you will injure someone on the opposing team and/or yourself. Allowing people to touch the net is like allowing everyone to double dribble in basketball. It's a rule and needs to be followed both in indoor and sand volleyball.
3. Never bring your red, white and blue expensive indoor volleyball to play with in the sand. This automatically says you have no idea how to play beach volleyball. Also avoid buying the cheap volleyballs that feel like rocks. The only volleyball you should be using should be the wilson avp OFFICIAL game ball. Not the one that says replica on it. The ball is yellow and white and can be found online. Expect to pay anywhere from $35 to $50 bucks on it.
4. Never expect to play 3's or 4's or any other number when a sand court is being played on by people that are already there and playing 2 on 2. The unspoken rule is that whomever has sat the longest plays the next game. This is an important thing to follow when playing on public sand courts. Everyone should be allowed to play and everyone should wait until it's their turn. Always make sure you know the rules of beach volleyball
1. Never ask if the scoring is rally or the old style where you have to serve to get a point. Nobody plays the old way anymore. It is always rally!
2. Never touch the net. It doesn't matter if you are blocking or hitting, you can not touch the net. The second people see someone hitting the net with no regards to the rule, they will not want to play with you. This rule keeps people safe. If you jump into the net chances are you will injure someone on the opposing team and/or yourself. Allowing people to touch the net is like allowing everyone to double dribble in basketball. It's a rule and needs to be followed both in indoor and sand volleyball.
3. Never bring your red, white and blue expensive indoor volleyball to play with in the sand. This automatically says you have no idea how to play beach volleyball. Also avoid buying the cheap volleyballs that feel like rocks. The only volleyball you should be using should be the wilson avp OFFICIAL game ball. Not the one that says replica on it. The ball is yellow and white and can be found online. Expect to pay anywhere from $35 to $50 bucks on it.
4. Never expect to play 3's or 4's or any other number when a sand court is being played on by people that are already there and playing 2 on 2. The unspoken rule is that whomever has sat the longest plays the next game. This is an important thing to follow when playing on public sand courts. Everyone should be allowed to play and everyone should wait until it's their turn. Always make sure you know the rules of beach volleyball
Rules of Beach Volleyball
As stated in a previous post, the rules of beach volleyball and sand volleyball are the same. But they differ greatly from the rules of indoor 6 on 6 volleyball. Some of the rule are because there are only 2 players per team.
Rules that differ from indoor volleyball:
1. You can't set the serve. In indoor volleyball you may be able to set the serve all day but outdoor volleyball is different, you can't double contact the serve. You may pass the ball with your hands above your head but your hands must be touching each other.
2. You can't open hand tip the ball. This ugly practice that you may have developed playing sloppy indoor volleyball is a no no in the sand. You can shoot the ball gracefully but nothing with an open hand.
3. Your set has to be clean. Indoor sets look very ugly to an outdoor player because they spin a lot and just don't look clean. The actual rule doesn't count how many rotations the ball spins after the set but if it is spinning the ref will naturally assume that you doubled the ball on the set and it will not be good. Super clean looking sets are key. I say "looking" because they have to look clean to the ref.
4. You can't set any ball that's not hard driven unless the set is very clean.
5. You can't side set over the net. When setting over the net you must set directly in front or behind you.
6. There are no rotation rules.
7. The block counts as one of your 3 hits.
8. You can double the ball when it's a hard driven ball (spike). If someone spikes at you double it all you want.
9. This isn't really a rule but something good to know if you are making the transition from indoor to outdoor volleyball. The ball is not going to feel like a rock because it's so pumped up like an indoor ball. The ball pressure is supposed to be less in outdoor volleyballs, so don't try to pump up all the balls or complain that they need more air. That's the way they are supposed to be.
Rules that differ from indoor volleyball:
1. You can't set the serve. In indoor volleyball you may be able to set the serve all day but outdoor volleyball is different, you can't double contact the serve. You may pass the ball with your hands above your head but your hands must be touching each other.
2. You can't open hand tip the ball. This ugly practice that you may have developed playing sloppy indoor volleyball is a no no in the sand. You can shoot the ball gracefully but nothing with an open hand.
3. Your set has to be clean. Indoor sets look very ugly to an outdoor player because they spin a lot and just don't look clean. The actual rule doesn't count how many rotations the ball spins after the set but if it is spinning the ref will naturally assume that you doubled the ball on the set and it will not be good. Super clean looking sets are key. I say "looking" because they have to look clean to the ref.
4. You can't set any ball that's not hard driven unless the set is very clean.
5. You can't side set over the net. When setting over the net you must set directly in front or behind you.
6. There are no rotation rules.
7. The block counts as one of your 3 hits.
8. You can double the ball when it's a hard driven ball (spike). If someone spikes at you double it all you want.
9. This isn't really a rule but something good to know if you are making the transition from indoor to outdoor volleyball. The ball is not going to feel like a rock because it's so pumped up like an indoor ball. The ball pressure is supposed to be less in outdoor volleyballs, so don't try to pump up all the balls or complain that they need more air. That's the way they are supposed to be.
Beach Volleyball Vs. Sand Volleyball
The only difference between beach volleyball and sand volleyball is the name. They are the same game, played by the same rules. Beach volleyball started in California and was played on the beach, and that's where it got it's name. Since it has become more popular and is played in many land-locked states it is adopting the name of sand volleyball because of the lack of a beach.
Sand Volleyball
This page will teach you the rules of sand volleyball and follow this new sport as it transitions into a collegiate sport for women as early as 2010.
Sand Volleyball Blog
This page will teach you the rules of sand volleyball and follow this new sport as it transitions into a collegiate sport for women as early as 2010.
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