How to train for Beach Volleyball

So it’s the off season and you want to train for next summer – what to do?

Back in the day…sport specific weight lifting / exercises were seldom seen. Basically football players and body builders lifted weights and no one else did!

When lifting weights became more popular, everyone went to the experts in the area – the weight lifters to find out what to do. They did this because football players were too dumb to explain what they were doing! ;>) The problem is they went to get advice from the weight lifters and weight lifters are NOT training to be beach volleyball players.

In the past 10-15 years or so, more and more people are attempting to train specifically for the sport that they play – which I think is great and very much needed.

Beach volleyball is not indoor volleyball, beach volleyball is not basketball, football or track and it isn’t power lifting either…if you don’t train specifically for beach volleyball you may get in better shape but it will only minimally help your beach volleyball game, and in most cases hurt your physical performance - and therefore you will waste a lot of your off-season training time.

(NOTE: intense weight training of any kind will definitely help you become more mentally tough BUT may very well keep you from being your very best physically. AND if I had to choose, being mentally tough is far more important than having an eight pack and a 40” vertical)

But why not be both physically in fantastic beach volleyball condition and be mentally tough – cause that’s how we like to roll at the U of Beach V Ball…

Most of the exercises for beach volleyball I see on YouTube or see coaches on the beach instructing their students to perform may be great exercises, BUT really, really suck big time when it comes to becoming a stronger, faster, smarter beach volleyball player – was that a politically correct way to state a strong opinion? ;>)

Trainers and coaches are bringing great exercises FROM OTHER SPORTS to the beach and not modifying them to the specifics of the beach game, so all you are left with is a great work out that doesn’t help you be the best beach volleyball player you can be.

So how do you train specifically for beach volleyball?

Each play in beach volleyball takes about 5 to 15 seconds of explosive movements which include starts and stops, the use your entire body and demand balance. Then you get about 15-20 seconds of rest and then you do it again and again and again.

Think about that – and then as much as you possibly can - as a 'general rule of thumb' you want to do exercises that take 5 to 15 seconds that include multiple muscle groups and body parts, balance and starts and stops.

It’s not so much the exercises you do; it’s HOW you perform the exercises.

I’m not going to go into all the exercises and training techniques you can do in this blog but I do want you to start to think about how much your off-season training is helping you become your very best.

Here are just a couple of things NOT to do 95% of the time you are training:

- Anything that takes longer than about 15 seconds to complete – this includes running, stationary bike, stair steppers, etc, etc.

- Resting for longer than 20 seconds between exercises/sets



There's a ton more of info but that's for another time on a different day.


Let me know what you think

All the best to YOU!

Dan

Be Your VERY Best!
http://ubeachvball.com/

Who Wants It More? How to Play Beach Volleyball

What wins?


Talent?
Strength?
Power?
Intelligence?
Experience?

Well, if the opponents are even close to being in the same ‘league’ / within 20-30 % of the same skill level – I’ll bet the farm on the team the wants it more, the team that is more passionate from start to finish.

What is enthusiasm?

Well, without getting into the Greek origins of the word - a good practical definition of enthusiasm is that it's all about your spirit - the spirit you allow yourself to play the game with

Now hold on – I’m not saying that an average amateur team is going to beat the Gold medalists, (Dalhauser and Rogers) just because they are more passionate – in sports David rarely if ever defeats Goliath…

BUT

I am saying that the top teams in the world WILL beat Dalhausser and Rogers IF:
Dalhausser and Rogers are not enthusiastic about playing
and
their opponents ‘want it more’ for the entire match, no matter what the score is.

If you don’t believe me, watch the AVP men’s finals this year and pay attention to both teams body language and facial expressions – the team that wins each tournamnet not only made fewer physical and mental mistakes but they want it more, they want to win more and they allow their spirit to come through.

Coincidence – I highly doubt it and so should you!

When the skill level is somewhat evenly matched - sustained desire, passion, enthusiasm WINS!

So when you practice, not only do you want to practice your physical skills and techniques, you also must practice your emotional / mental state.

Some say that you can’t manufacture enthusiasm – yes and no – you can’t force it but you most certainly can practice being genuinely enthusiastic – enthusiasm is deeper than surface emotions, it’s bigger than how you feel due to circumstances – enthusiasm is much deeper, it comes from your “soul” – it’s part of who you are.

The enthusiasm is there, sometimes you have to look a little harder than others, but it’s there, trust me, it’s there.

You can learn how to allow your innate enthusiasm to consistently show up no matter how you feel, no matter what the circumstances – but like everything else, it takes practice, it takes trial and error.

And the very cool thing about enthusiasm is, even if the score says you lost, you still won on a whole lot of other levels - ok, ok i won't go all Zen on you, but it's true...

All the VERY best to YOU!

Dan

Be Your Very Best!

U of Beach Volleyball
For some great FREE training videos, click here.