Beach Volleyball - Barry Rudd
posted in Exercise Science |Beach Volleyball can be traced back to the shore line of Santa Monica, California in the 1920’s. But it has come a long way from the days where clothes were more abundant than skin. There is no doubt that one of the main draw cards that beach volleyball holds are the bronzed - toned, scantily clad athletes that take the court. However, beach volley ball is now considered to be a legitimate professional sport and you only have to watch a single match to understand why.
Both the male and female participants launch themselves around the court with lightning speed, and coordination that can rival Wimbledon champions.
So what makes a great beach volleyball player? What demands are placed on their body? And which skills are valued over others?
Professional Beach Volleyball players possess strength, speed, agility, power, flexibility, finesse and great hand-eye coordination to name a few.
Points are short and fast, rarely lasting 1 minute; but a match can last between 25 minutes and one and a quarter hours; with only two people to cover the 8×16m court. Therefore the athletes have to be proficient at using both their power and endurance energy systems. One single point can involve multi-planar motions, jumps, cuts, reaches, deceleration, reacceleration, absorption of impact – basically all the components of athletic performance
Speed – is needed when navigating around the court to return the ball or pass it too your partner.
Endurance – because the courts surface is sand every movement takes more energy. Sprinting, jumping and changing direction in sand becomes very difficult and requires the athlete to be very aerobically fit.
Agility – swift changes of direction are essential in beach volleyball as the path of the ball is constantly changing directions.
Power – arguably the most important ability a professional beach volleyball player must possess. Power is needed in everything from serving a blistering ace; to leaping up at the net and smashing a winner.
Hand-Eye Coordination – needed to win points by successfully passing and returning the volleyball.
Training is varied for professional volleyball players. If there is a tournament on the weekend, most will train for 5 days during the week; this equals seven days on the sand. A regular week usually involves between 18-24 hours of training. This training involves everything from game situations to sprint training on the sand. It is essential for success that the athletes train their Power-Endurance ability. This is the ability to jump frequently and without fatigue. To do this a mixture of squats, jump training, and core strengthening is used.
With all this time spent training the body can wear down. Due to the softer surface there is less impact in volleyball than other sports such as tennis or netball; however injuries are still widespread. The most common injuries that plague volleyball players are rotator cuff tears, lower back pain, knee injuries and sprained ankles. For this reason it is important for the athletes to have a specifically designed and supervises training schedule.
With Beach Volleyball’s addition as an Olympic sport in the 1996 Atlanta games it has gained much deserved credibility. So next time you spot a game of volleyball being played during your trip to the beach; or even if you come across one while surfing the channels from your couch; take a closer look – Beach Volleyball isn’t just for lifeguards and swimwear models.