How To Refocus Inbetween Plays

This blog is in response to a reader who left a comment that we figured that the answer would be of interest to all of you - have a great weekend!



Jason, Thanks for the comment –

The easy answer to your question is this:

1) As soon as the play is over, let out your emotion - good or bad loud or quiet, let it out.
(watch animals after they play hard or chase something and miss, they ALWAYS shake their bodies to let go of that energy/emotion) Now if you want to shake, yell or just let go of a deep breath, do it, but do something physical to help let go of your emotion!

2) Take responsibility for the play - if you came close to making a mistake - say so to yourself and your partner - (God knows how many times i had to say "my bad" to my partners!!!)

3) If you or your partner did anything good during the play - acknowledge that.

4) Decide on a plan for the next play.

5) Look away from the court - at a tree, the ocean, people watching, etc – physically take your focus away from the game, just for a couple of seconds.

6) Get into a relaxed 'ready' position.

7) Focus only on the ball or your assignment and give all you got to just that.

Seven steps to clearing your head…I wish it was that easy!

There’s a ton of emotional variables that you and your partner bring to the table and a lot of different “tricks” – but bottom line it’s a habit that needs to be developed after EVERY play, just like how to pass and how to serve, etc.

I know the consistency of your game will change dramatically as you learn to let go of the play that just happened and allow being your very best for the next play be all you care about.

Let us know how we can more specifically help you out and thanks again for the comment!

All the very best to you!

Dan

Be Your VERY Best

UBEACHVBALL.COM

For some great FREE training videos, click here.

IN-BETWEEN PLAYS

What happens in-between plays is as important as what happens during the play.

The great teams, the great players rarely make back–to-back mistakes.

Why?

It’s easy to think that these great players rarely make mistakes 2 plays in a row because of their incredible physical skills – but it is their incredible mental skills that allow them to “stop the bleeding” quickly rather than giving up points in bunches.

Although the physical skills are essential, physical skills without mental skills are pretty much worthless as soon as the spiking in warm up is over! (there are a ton of players who can crush the ball in warm-ups but are mentally cryin for their momma as soon as they or their partner make a mistake during the game.)

Not mentally letting go of the last play will cancel out any physical skills you have developed - I promise.

Learning how to let go of the last play - no what the score is, and no matter what happened during the play (good or bad),

CLEARING YOUR HEAD -

And focusing ONLY on what is happening moment by moment during the current play is critical if you want to become your very best.

If you want some help developing your mental skills, let us know, we can help.

Have a great week!

Dan

Be Your VERY Best
UBEACHVBALL.COM

For some great FREE training videos, click here.

New Video on YouTube

Hi – hope you are doing great!

We just posted a new evaluation video on YouTube – check it out - we dare you to be brave and leave your comments ;>)

If you like Twitter, you can follow us at http://twitter.com/ubeachvb.

We’ll be getting a Facebook page up soon with some pictures and other stuff.

If you’re in Southern California this weekend, make sure you get to the AVP Manhattan Open –

It’s been many moons since I played in it – I’m sure they don’t miss me cause I pretty much stunk it up every time I played in it – although after a couple of drinks, the way I choose to remember it was that it “always” was my partners fault…well…maybe not!

Have a great week! (and it’s not your partners fault, it’s a team and you agreed to play, didn’t ya?)



Dan



Be Your VERY Best

UBEACHVBALL.COM


For some great FREE training videos, click here.

More about Respect and Beach Volleyball

For all of you in the USA - Happy 4th! - for all of you who are not - have a great weekend anyway!

Respect – last week we talked about respect, respecting yourself and Michael and Farrah – and thanks to my lovely wife watching every possible TV show on Michael, I can’t get Michael Jackson songs out of my head! – (I think my favorite is ‘Man in the Mirror’ – truly great lyrics and words to live by!)

Today we’ll talk about respecting the game and your opponents –

Here’s a beach volleyball story about respect or lack thereof – I was fortunate enough to be holding court with Sinjin one afternoon at State Beach and next up was a young Kent Steffes –( he must have been a “lowly A or weak AA” player at the time).

As I watched both Kent and his partner warm up I knew right away that we were going to win – not because they didn’t have great athletic skills but because I could tell that they didn’t have a great feel for the beach game…yet!

I was only playing hard enough to stay ahead and win, hell, I was playing with Sinjin Smith and I was no slouch…also there was a small crowd watching and i certainly didn't want to look like i had to try very hard to beat them - it's all about how you look - ya know? ;>)

I remember about half way through the game Sinjin sternly telling me to get my sh*t together and play hard – I did and we beat them soundly. But the game took at least 15-20 minutes longer than it should have because of my immaturity and disrespect of the game, and therefore my opponents.

At that time I was too immature to truly respect the game of beach volleyball, I had a habit of only playing up to my opponents level – and as I result I could compete with the best as well as loose to the ‘not so good’!

If you truly respect the game of beach volleyball, and yourself, when you step on to the court to play, come ready to play - give 100% of what you have to give for that game.

I’m not saying to be a jerk, or to be a poor sport, or to flex your volleyball muscles – I am saying to play with focus and a will not to make any mistakes.

I’m not saying not to have fun, talk to the crowd and laugh at yourself and your partner – I’m saying during a play, play – DON”T screw around.

If you’re playing against a ‘weaker’ team in a ‘serious’ pick-up game– it doesn’t mean you don’t have to bomb jump serves at them or crush every set – but you can decide to serve, pass and set perfectly and to make skillful shots and hits – play a clean game and finish your opponent off quickly and with grace.

In a tournament, if you are up against a weaker team, play with laser focus and finish them off cleanly and quickly – and with grace.

If you do this you just might gain the respect of your opponents and inspire them to get better – rather than just ‘playing’ with them, getting “your big win”, having them lose… BUT THEY WILL think you are a complete butt-hole because you disrespected them and the game!

Create this habit and you will you will be well on your way to being your very best and you will ultimately give everyone a chance at winning - if you respect yourself and the game.

(And, if you're playing against beginners or at a picnic who haven't played volleyball since they were in gym class in high school - relax, fool around - no need to show off.)

FYI – Kent soon went on to become one of the greatest players to ever play, the partner he was playing with that day went on to play many years and earn a living on the AVP… and I soon became a chronically injured ex player – who knows how long you will get to play…enjoy it and respect it!

Dan


Be Your VERY Best
UBEACHVBALL.COM

For some great FREE training videos, click here.