SECRETS TO A BEACH VOLLEYBALL PHYSIQUE
Many women admire the look & athletic ability of a female beach volleyball player – lean, toned, sculpted shoulders, strong legs & washboard abs.
The great news is that this desirable body is achievable without even stepping a foot in the sand.
The key is to break down the movements of the sport and apply them to a gym setting. It is an anaerobic power sport where diving, jumping and sprinting are common activities. So we need to replicate exercises that have a high carryover to the performance of those.
These following components of physical fitness are used:
- Agility – the ability to quickly change directions.
- Coordination – the ability to combine simple movements into an efficient complex movement.
- Flexibility – the ability to move joints through a full range of motion.
- Power – the ability to quickly produce maximal force.
- Speed – the ability to move quickly from one point to another.
- Stamina – the ability to conduct relatively short intensive efforts of a prolonged period of time.
Here are 3 exercises you should be doing:
Snatches:
The snatch is great for training triple extension (which is basically the mechanics of jumping), power development and improving explosiveness.
Thrusters:
This is a good general exercise that helps all positions in volleyball. It builds lower-body strength and also accounts for the upper-body movements that are very important to volleyball: setting, serving, attacking, blocking and transferring power from the lower body to the upper body in a fluid motion.
Lateral lunges with Press
Lateral lunge exercises are good for developing quicker side to side moves and strengthening the arms for a more stable digging and passing platform. They also help strengthen your legs and make your ankles more stable so you’re at less risk for injury.
Combine these strength exercises with plyometric moments such as rope jumps, squat jumps & vertical jumps with a few sprints thrown in and you’ll be on your way to looking like a beach volleyball player in no time. Now you might as well just get down to the beach with friends, put the net up and start playing like one.