 |
| When your partner misses a serve on set point |
Friday, May 31, 2013
Kinesio Taping: Going above and BEYOND in sports treatment
If you have followed beach volleyball at all in the past 5 years you would know that Kerri Walsh Jennings helped pioneer the craze over kinesiology tape. The combination of high skin exposure, bright colors, and exotic taping patterns, was all it took to make people stop, stare, and ask "What the hell is that?" But even 5 years later people still ask me what it is that I have on my knees and if it is the same stuff they saw in the Olympics in the past. 5 years later and people are still unaware what kinesio tape is and more importantly how it works.
To summarize, kinesio tape does 3 simple things
1. Improves blood circulation
2. Improves lymphatic drainage
3. Helps correct joint alignment
If you are researching kinesio tape, then any results that you find before 2012 will in large tell you the same thing: Despite testimonial acclaim there is little evidence to support claims that the many brands of kinesio tape make in relation to their effectiveness to injury prevention, and pain alleviation.
I believe that to be the case because there has not been much research into the "why" and "how", but rather studies have mainly investigated the "what", as in "what does it do, does the quantitative data support the claims?" If the results can be easily replicated and confirmed then we (the scientific community) can give our sanctimonious seal of approval. But such is the scientific method. You love it for its diligence and scrutinize it for its tedious pace and ambiguity, much like our good friend Hank explains here.
It may be one thing to discredit kinesio tape with the placebo effect, but there isn't a placebo effect for range of motion or swelling. Clearly something is going on, but we still aren't quite sure why. We have some general explanations which say that the tension in the tape helps lift the skin and tissue off the skeletal muscles providing just enough space to allow for better blood and lymph circulation.
That's about as much as I've found in relation to #1 and #2 in the aforementioned list above. As far as #3 is concerned, I haven't been able to find many independent reviews, criticism, or explanations. If I were to guess, it would stem from overactive or over used muscles that "pull" you out of alignment, but that is just my non-professional, non-medical explanation.
Now that I have you all caught up I can now to get to the heart of what I really want to talk about: Edema. Just recently a whole new perspective have been taken toward edema, as known as swelling, virtually wiping out the past 40 years of convention. No longer are ice baths going to be the mandate, and as our knowledge and technology improve we will likely look back at generic white athletic tape, like we do at tough football coaches that told struggling players to "rub some dirt on it, and get back out there": a crass treatment to a maddeningly complicated piece of biological tissue and fluid.
It wasn't that long ago that I stumbled upon these even more bizarre taping applications specifically for edema, but unlike their close relative for common injuries, where you can find DIY applications on YouTube, these applications are much more intricate and should be done by a professional. So to ask your initial question, no those elaborate designs are not just for show.
So even if the claims may seem largely unfounded and built on theory, rather than experimental data, at the end of the day you still have thousands of athletes, spanning all sports that swear by it, that have used it on virtually every part of their body, and placebo effect or not, comfort during the heat of competition is something that isn't highly valued until you don't have it. Just ask Derrick Rose. I'm always looking for ways to improve as a player and become better and that includes all facets and cultures that help me sustain my high level of play. KT Tape (my preferred brand) hasn't let me down yet, and their newly improved and simplified applications make adhesion and effectiveness far superior than when I first bought a roll a little more than a year ago. So while the rest of the sports world sticks to RICE as the best prescription for injuries, I think we will be forced to force two more letters into that acronym.
To summarize, kinesio tape does 3 simple things
1. Improves blood circulation
2. Improves lymphatic drainage
3. Helps correct joint alignment
If you are researching kinesio tape, then any results that you find before 2012 will in large tell you the same thing: Despite testimonial acclaim there is little evidence to support claims that the many brands of kinesio tape make in relation to their effectiveness to injury prevention, and pain alleviation.
I believe that to be the case because there has not been much research into the "why" and "how", but rather studies have mainly investigated the "what", as in "what does it do, does the quantitative data support the claims?" If the results can be easily replicated and confirmed then we (the scientific community) can give our sanctimonious seal of approval. But such is the scientific method. You love it for its diligence and scrutinize it for its tedious pace and ambiguity, much like our good friend Hank explains here.
It may be one thing to discredit kinesio tape with the placebo effect, but there isn't a placebo effect for range of motion or swelling. Clearly something is going on, but we still aren't quite sure why. We have some general explanations which say that the tension in the tape helps lift the skin and tissue off the skeletal muscles providing just enough space to allow for better blood and lymph circulation.
That's about as much as I've found in relation to #1 and #2 in the aforementioned list above. As far as #3 is concerned, I haven't been able to find many independent reviews, criticism, or explanations. If I were to guess, it would stem from overactive or over used muscles that "pull" you out of alignment, but that is just my non-professional, non-medical explanation.
Now that I have you all caught up I can now to get to the heart of what I really want to talk about: Edema. Just recently a whole new perspective have been taken toward edema, as known as swelling, virtually wiping out the past 40 years of convention. No longer are ice baths going to be the mandate, and as our knowledge and technology improve we will likely look back at generic white athletic tape, like we do at tough football coaches that told struggling players to "rub some dirt on it, and get back out there": a crass treatment to a maddeningly complicated piece of biological tissue and fluid.
It wasn't that long ago that I stumbled upon these even more bizarre taping applications specifically for edema, but unlike their close relative for common injuries, where you can find DIY applications on YouTube, these applications are much more intricate and should be done by a professional. So to ask your initial question, no those elaborate designs are not just for show.
So even if the claims may seem largely unfounded and built on theory, rather than experimental data, at the end of the day you still have thousands of athletes, spanning all sports that swear by it, that have used it on virtually every part of their body, and placebo effect or not, comfort during the heat of competition is something that isn't highly valued until you don't have it. Just ask Derrick Rose. I'm always looking for ways to improve as a player and become better and that includes all facets and cultures that help me sustain my high level of play. KT Tape (my preferred brand) hasn't let me down yet, and their newly improved and simplified applications make adhesion and effectiveness far superior than when I first bought a roll a little more than a year ago. So while the rest of the sports world sticks to RICE as the best prescription for injuries, I think we will be forced to force two more letters into that acronym.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
New Playing Tip: Footwork - Serve/Receive
This is one of the easily overlooked fundamentals when transitioning over to the beach. It will be easy to tell who has been seasoned and who is still raw by this little detail.
Level of play: A
Featuring: Unknown (Santa Barbara U16 tournament)
(If the player didn't work, click here)
Level of play: A
Featuring: Unknown (Santa Barbara U16 tournament)
(If the player didn't work, click here)
Monday, May 27, 2013
My 5 biggest qualms with the US tours
Despite the fact that we speak of beach volleyball as a game, it is still very much a business, and when mentioned in the same light of other major sports like football, basketball, or baseball, the business aspect serves as the sub-plot to shake up stability and add drama and complexity to a sport that would otherwise be very one-dimensional. Now if you are an athlete in one of those major sports, the business aspect, is like a bed sheet that is too short. Sure you won't be 100% comfortable but at least it's something, and you do have a bed to sleep on and a roof over your head. Unfortunately for beach volleyball, financial stability has not been a comodity for quite some time, and since we've witnessed 2 bankruptcies, "The Decision" is small potatoes in comparison to whether or not there will be a viable outlet for our top athletes to play year in and year out. We players and fans are always on edge for more reasons than we would like, but for now I would like to share my top 5 reasons why I hate the way that the domestic tours are being run. I will always love the game, but I've found myself to be left without a bed sheet and it has left me cold and discouraged.
1. Merchandise
Do you have any sports memorobilia? I sure do. I have a Chicago Bull's jersey, t-shirt, and hat. A Chicago Cub's blanket, jersey, hat, and a couple posters. I have a Chicago Bears t-shirt and long sleeve shirt. Notice that I didn't say that I had a MLB t-shirt, or a NBA hat. No sports fan gets empassioned about the league itself. Where fiery sports-riddled mania is grown is through team and player loyalty, but beach volleyball doesn't have that. There are no Chicago vs. Green Bay rivalries, north side vs. south side disdain. There is just team A vs. team B. It is very lack luster and doesn't spark any imagination for the casual fan to become a fanatic, which is why I was disappointed to see this on the NVL's site
2. Stadiums
I'm going to have to bash on the NVL again, despite the fact that I like the way that they are taking a grassroots approach to building the game. I couldn't help but do this
When I saw this...
As a current player I get the idea of rewarding all the hard work that players have gone through: the training, the travel, and the dues, but as mentioned in the previous section, beach volleyball is a social affair, and it just seem pretentious and exclusive to have these VIP/player tents. Now if you want to set up stations for the players to get medical treatment or get something to eat or drink, I can live with that and I'm sure it would be a great way to pick up sponsors, but it just seems foreign to me to secluded from the entire experience that is beach volleyball. I'm not condemning every player on tour because I'm sure not all them isolate themselves, but the image that the tours are projecting to the fans is a familiar one to people who don't get access to the athletes they cheer on. The only difference is that the casual fan can either identify or know who some of the big names in other sports are. By having our athletes mingle and be more accessible to the casual fans it bodes well for the athlete and the sport itself, and gives those fans a reason to come back, instead of just being able to gaze upon the "important people" over there.
4. Ball selection
Why does this have to be so hard? I know that Spalding and Wilson and Mikasa, as well as the AVP and NVL among others think that it is just good business, but for us the players it is horrible having to adjust to different balls. Sure you should be well rounded enough to handle any of the seemingly small changes that come with the game but having played as long as I have, this small difference turns out to be a big one.
The difference in size and weight changes your arm swing, and as a result can (and for me has) resulted in shoulder issues. The comfort and "feel" isn't the same if you can expect the same reaction from the ball. You strengths with one ball may be stripped away with another. In the long run, if both major tours become profitable enough, it may end up dividing the players simply because of the type of ball that is used, and I can tell you that aint nobody got time for that drama.
5. Egos
So back when the AVP announced their dubious resurrection thanks to Donald Sun, virtually everyone was relieved and happy. Fast forward to today, about a month after the AVP announced their schedule for the 2013 season, and it has 2 conflicting dates with the NVL, and many of those people who where overwhelmed with joy have turned bitter and annoyed. The game of beach volleyball, which was founded in America, is currently on life support, thanks to Al-B.
I'm sure that Donald Sun with his fat wallet thinks that he can buy up the top players lure in big advertisers, and spend his way to the top of the game, but if he hasn't noticed (which I doubt he has), that is exactly what the "old" AVP has done for the last 15 years and look where it's got them. So unless it is Donald's wish to go broke, this alpha-dog complex is going to get him no where, not as a company, not with the fans, and it surely isn't going to help the game progress any further.
Sure Al-B and Donald may look at one another as competition, but really their best interest is that the other prospers. There should be cooperation and coordination so that the athletes have the best opportunities to entertain the fans, and make an actual living, and that's not just the top 10%, but ALL of the athletes. It disheartens me that those who put in the most work for the game they love hardly get any financial reward from it, and while the success or failure of a tour may not seem like a big deal to Donald or Al-B, for an entire community of players it is our lifestyle and it is our very lives that hang int he balance. To butt heads and force us to pick sides is classless, and it is not what we deserve.
1. Merchandise
Do you have any sports memorobilia? I sure do. I have a Chicago Bull's jersey, t-shirt, and hat. A Chicago Cub's blanket, jersey, hat, and a couple posters. I have a Chicago Bears t-shirt and long sleeve shirt. Notice that I didn't say that I had a MLB t-shirt, or a NBA hat. No sports fan gets empassioned about the league itself. Where fiery sports-riddled mania is grown is through team and player loyalty, but beach volleyball doesn't have that. There are no Chicago vs. Green Bay rivalries, north side vs. south side disdain. There is just team A vs. team B. It is very lack luster and doesn't spark any imagination for the casual fan to become a fanatic, which is why I was disappointed to see this on the NVL's site
How many hats have you seen that just had the Jerry West inspired NBA logo on, or the NFL shield? So why try market your league as your brand? The other sports have already laid out the blueprint for a successful business so I don't understand why we can't take some of their ideas. Maybe having regional "teams" like California, Midwest, Florida, East coast, and Southwest divisions may never come to fruition, but you have to market the players and teams as your brand. When a team splits up and switches partners it need to be felt with the same emotional animosity as Lebron leaving Cleveland. If you market just the league itself then all there is to cheer for is if the tour will see another year which is not all that inspiring, and you won't ever see anyone at a tournament cheering "N-V-L, N-V-L, N-V-L" or "A-V-P, A-V-P, A-V-P,". If the biggest clothing brands like Quiksilver, Hurley, Billabong, and RVCA don't pair up with either of these tours going forward then we can expect to see more turmoil in the years ahead.
2. Stadiums
I'm going to have to bash on the NVL again, despite the fact that I like the way that they are taking a grassroots approach to building the game. I couldn't help but do this
When I saw this...
Of course I'll have to expand a bit on this critique. When I talk about my affection for "beach volleyball", I'm talking about volleyball that takes place at the beach, which is a sandy area residing next to a large body of water like an ocean or lake. Having beach volleyball at "The Beach", which is a water park in Mason, Ohio makes about as much sense as well this...
People go to the beach to lay out, mingle, play in the water, party, and watch incredibly attractive athletes sacrifice their bodies in a hectic scramble for points through the well rounded display of power, finesse, teamwork, and hand eye coordination.
Although I have fond memories of water parks as a kid I first realize that there is a specific target audience for water parks: kids. So when I think of having a tournament inside of a water park I can only think of a small percentage of patrons going there because of the volleyball, and everyone else are middle aged parents sacrificing their bodies going down slides, and scrambling to fetch money out of their purses for ice cream and nachos.
With that in mind, let's talk about the actual structure itself: the stadium. This has become a staple among domestic and foreign tours, where the very best of the best are featured on center court. Unfortunately the AVP has proven to us time and again that this isn't sustainable. The FIVB has managed to pull this off because volleyball is more popular in other parts of the world and is only 2nd to soccer. The beach (not the water park) is a unique and incredible venue that needs to be cherished and preserved. I can understand building sand courts where there is no beach available like in Arizona or Texas, but as long as there is a beach to be had, it should be utilized. The beach is inclusive, it allows instant access to the athletes and removes any barriers that separate fan from player and that's because they are one in the same. In beach volleyball each player possess the same passion and social outgoing personalities. While other sports are willing to lend their athletes through press conferences, Twitter accounts, and TV screens, beach volleyball allows you to mingle in the flesh, in a vast yet intimate setting that is only highlighted even more by the brightness and warmth of the sun. So pardon me when I become slightly more than perturbed when I continue to see these structures build to keep out anyone walking or biking by. Beach volleyball is a humble sport, a sport of the people, and to exclude yourself from the people also drives out potential fans, because it doesn't take much to get anyone excited, and you (the NVL and AVP) should know better.
3. VIP/player tents
As a current player I get the idea of rewarding all the hard work that players have gone through: the training, the travel, and the dues, but as mentioned in the previous section, beach volleyball is a social affair, and it just seem pretentious and exclusive to have these VIP/player tents. Now if you want to set up stations for the players to get medical treatment or get something to eat or drink, I can live with that and I'm sure it would be a great way to pick up sponsors, but it just seems foreign to me to secluded from the entire experience that is beach volleyball. I'm not condemning every player on tour because I'm sure not all them isolate themselves, but the image that the tours are projecting to the fans is a familiar one to people who don't get access to the athletes they cheer on. The only difference is that the casual fan can either identify or know who some of the big names in other sports are. By having our athletes mingle and be more accessible to the casual fans it bodes well for the athlete and the sport itself, and gives those fans a reason to come back, instead of just being able to gaze upon the "important people" over there.
4. Ball selection
Why does this have to be so hard? I know that Spalding and Wilson and Mikasa, as well as the AVP and NVL among others think that it is just good business, but for us the players it is horrible having to adjust to different balls. Sure you should be well rounded enough to handle any of the seemingly small changes that come with the game but having played as long as I have, this small difference turns out to be a big one.
The difference in size and weight changes your arm swing, and as a result can (and for me has) resulted in shoulder issues. The comfort and "feel" isn't the same if you can expect the same reaction from the ball. You strengths with one ball may be stripped away with another. In the long run, if both major tours become profitable enough, it may end up dividing the players simply because of the type of ball that is used, and I can tell you that aint nobody got time for that drama.
5. Egos
So back when the AVP announced their dubious resurrection thanks to Donald Sun, virtually everyone was relieved and happy. Fast forward to today, about a month after the AVP announced their schedule for the 2013 season, and it has 2 conflicting dates with the NVL, and many of those people who where overwhelmed with joy have turned bitter and annoyed. The game of beach volleyball, which was founded in America, is currently on life support, thanks to Al-B.
I'm sure that Donald Sun with his fat wallet thinks that he can buy up the top players lure in big advertisers, and spend his way to the top of the game, but if he hasn't noticed (which I doubt he has), that is exactly what the "old" AVP has done for the last 15 years and look where it's got them. So unless it is Donald's wish to go broke, this alpha-dog complex is going to get him no where, not as a company, not with the fans, and it surely isn't going to help the game progress any further.
Sure Al-B and Donald may look at one another as competition, but really their best interest is that the other prospers. There should be cooperation and coordination so that the athletes have the best opportunities to entertain the fans, and make an actual living, and that's not just the top 10%, but ALL of the athletes. It disheartens me that those who put in the most work for the game they love hardly get any financial reward from it, and while the success or failure of a tour may not seem like a big deal to Donald or Al-B, for an entire community of players it is our lifestyle and it is our very lives that hang int he balance. To butt heads and force us to pick sides is classless, and it is not what we deserve.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Defensive Positioning Tips
Beach volleyball is much more than 'if A then B', so you need to be prepared to change your style and strategy as you go along. The following tip addresses that and looks at a couple different ways you can set up on defense, the pros and cons, and how you can adapt it in your game
Chech out the video here!
The Option: The sexiest offense in sports
It's quick hitting, it's unexpected, it's potent, and it's almost exclusively seen in amateur levels of competition. It doesn't matter whether I'm talking about Vince Young in his glory days running the zone read at the University of Texas, or if it's that one left-handed buddy you always play with that loves to hit on two on all of your freeball passes, the option will only get you so far, and that "so far" is usually right up until professional competition.
It is the reason why I have long loved NCAA football more than the NFL, until the BCS stormed in and ruined the party like an eccentric Will Ferrell character. It is also the reason why I was able to squeak out close games and points that were well in favor of the opposing team. But I'll give you my two cents as to why you need to kick the habit once you reach a certain age, like putting ketchup on a hot dog.
There is a recurring pattern of talent rising to the top in the NCAA, like in basketball or football. There are a few elite teams and players and then there is just everyone else, and every year we hear that we are looking at the next "MJ", "Sweetness", or Urlacher (you can tell I'm from Chicago, huh?). And then reality hits, that supposed superstar gets drafted into the pros and blends in exactly like a well proportioned thumb.
When it comes to beach volleyball, as you are developing as a player you know what you're flaws are. There are just certain plays, certain situations that just make you nervous, uncertain, and rigid, but as long as there is only one defender back casually strolling into position a simple roll shot over the top will mask any of that anxiety that is building, or fatigue that is burning, or skill that is lacking.
Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a touch, but I stand by my general point, which is that options (a.k.a hitting on two) may help you in the short run but does nothing for you in the long run. Yes you may win the point, but it still doesn't correct the fact that you passed the ball too tightly or that you are relying on your 6'8" partner to get the majority of the kills. As you and your competition gets better those options are not going to go down as easy and then you going to get on defense thinking...
Once you do reach a certain high level of competition, options should be view more as a gimmick like Boise State's statue of liberty play, not your "I hope this works because I can't to any better" Oregon zone read. Besides the chances of you siding out by hitting on 3 vs 2 should be significantly greater. You should have a better set to hit off of, a setter to call the right shot, and a most importantly a well timed approach.
Yes the pros will use the on-2 during transition but almost never off of serve receive not because they have great ball control and don't often put their partner close to the net, but because they are that good at siding out, and you should work to be that good too if you want your game to get better. Sure it looks good, and it may seem effective but while you'll be roll shotting on two, I'll be taking sexy back.
It is the reason why I have long loved NCAA football more than the NFL, until the BCS stormed in and ruined the party like an eccentric Will Ferrell character. It is also the reason why I was able to squeak out close games and points that were well in favor of the opposing team. But I'll give you my two cents as to why you need to kick the habit once you reach a certain age, like putting ketchup on a hot dog.
There is a recurring pattern of talent rising to the top in the NCAA, like in basketball or football. There are a few elite teams and players and then there is just everyone else, and every year we hear that we are looking at the next "MJ", "Sweetness", or Urlacher (you can tell I'm from Chicago, huh?). And then reality hits, that supposed superstar gets drafted into the pros and blends in exactly like a well proportioned thumb.
When it comes to beach volleyball, as you are developing as a player you know what you're flaws are. There are just certain plays, certain situations that just make you nervous, uncertain, and rigid, but as long as there is only one defender back casually strolling into position a simple roll shot over the top will mask any of that anxiety that is building, or fatigue that is burning, or skill that is lacking.
Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a touch, but I stand by my general point, which is that options (a.k.a hitting on two) may help you in the short run but does nothing for you in the long run. Yes you may win the point, but it still doesn't correct the fact that you passed the ball too tightly or that you are relying on your 6'8" partner to get the majority of the kills. As you and your competition gets better those options are not going to go down as easy and then you going to get on defense thinking...
Yes the pros will use the on-2 during transition but almost never off of serve receive not because they have great ball control and don't often put their partner close to the net, but because they are that good at siding out, and you should work to be that good too if you want your game to get better. Sure it looks good, and it may seem effective but while you'll be roll shotting on two, I'll be taking sexy back.
Coach's Eye App on sale 80% off!
As you may have noticed, I use the Coach's Eye app in my playing tips videos. I think it is a near perfect app for athletes to see the game from a different perspective and be able to easily go back and look at what they can do better or correct in their own game. For a limited time this weekend the app, which usually costs $5 (still worth the price in my opinion), is now only 99 cents. Jump on this deal while you can
http://www.coachseye.com/home/purchase
http://www.coachseye.com/home/purchase
Thursday, May 23, 2013
How to think yourself out of a play
There is a lot to think about when you're on defense, but as much as we need to accout for, sometimes we give ourselves too much to think about.
Check out the video in the link that shows what NOT to do when on defense. I made the video with Coach's Eye, which is a smartphone and tablet app that you can find for Android and Apple for $5.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Be lazy and feel good about it
In the coming days and weeks I'll be expanding and adding on additional information about training and conditioning tips during pre-season, mid-season, and off-season, as well as other health and nutrition tips to keep your body at the ready. But there has mostly been a singular mindset toward readying athletes for competition, that being the preparation, drilling and conditioning that takes place just before whatever event it is that you are working toward. Once the event is over though very little attention is payed toward what should be done. You are simply on your own, and this is a very dangerous time that could leave your body in "debt" the next time it wants to prepare for the next competition.
You should put as much time and attention into what you do in the immediate 24 hours after exercise whether that be a tournament or training session, from what you eat to how you body reacts and feels. Unfortunately the latter is something you can only gain from experience, but hopefully you will heed the advice of others and not push your body when it really needs time to recover.
I'll admit that personally I was rather ignorant on this matter, and for a while as a teenager I felt invincible as I was able to endure 3 hour practices one day then go for a 2 mile run the next, but as we know it doesn't last forever. That soreness that you feel the day after playing is a defense mechanism that was developed over thousands of years to tell you to SLOW THE HELL DOWN! That pain is your body trying to tell you that if you don't stop staining itself then you are going to feel more pain. That pain is a not so subtle way to immobilize you while your body repairs the micro-tears in your muscle fibers.
For the longest time and even as I was growing up, I was told that lactic acid build up in the muscle was to blame for the soreness that we experience during and after exercise, but that theory has essentially been discredited. To learn more about why you need to stop blaming lactic acid (and your coach) click here. Just imagine that right before a big tournament you went for a 5k run. That's basically what you are doing to your body when you don't give it enough time to rest and eat junk food. You leave yourself in sub-prime condition, not fully able to handle the average workload that you are accustomed to. So for now on, once you get home and shower off, turn on your favorite TV show or movie and just chill. Your body will thank you later.
You should put as much time and attention into what you do in the immediate 24 hours after exercise whether that be a tournament or training session, from what you eat to how you body reacts and feels. Unfortunately the latter is something you can only gain from experience, but hopefully you will heed the advice of others and not push your body when it really needs time to recover.
I'll admit that personally I was rather ignorant on this matter, and for a while as a teenager I felt invincible as I was able to endure 3 hour practices one day then go for a 2 mile run the next, but as we know it doesn't last forever. That soreness that you feel the day after playing is a defense mechanism that was developed over thousands of years to tell you to SLOW THE HELL DOWN! That pain is your body trying to tell you that if you don't stop staining itself then you are going to feel more pain. That pain is a not so subtle way to immobilize you while your body repairs the micro-tears in your muscle fibers.
For the longest time and even as I was growing up, I was told that lactic acid build up in the muscle was to blame for the soreness that we experience during and after exercise, but that theory has essentially been discredited. To learn more about why you need to stop blaming lactic acid (and your coach) click here. Just imagine that right before a big tournament you went for a 5k run. That's basically what you are doing to your body when you don't give it enough time to rest and eat junk food. You leave yourself in sub-prime condition, not fully able to handle the average workload that you are accustomed to. So for now on, once you get home and shower off, turn on your favorite TV show or movie and just chill. Your body will thank you later.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Food for thought
Sports drinks are great for athletes right? Well if you look at the label and nutritional facts, many of them including the most popular ones like Gatorade and Powerade, are nothing more than soft drinks with some electrolytes minus the carbonation. Not convinced? Check out the article below that will actually go into detail over what each of the ingredients are for and what the possible effects are.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Must haves for every beach volleyball player Part 1
Equipment
Sure it may seem as simple as waking up early on a weekend afternoon and strolling over to your local beach or sand court and look to pick up some games throughout the day, but before you make that commute there are a few things that every serious beach volleyball player needs before they set foot on the sand. Here in part 1 we are going to go over all the equipment you'll need as well as some reviews and recommendations.Ball
There are a few options you can pick from here, probably a few too many, as it would be better to have the comfort and familiarity of consistently playing with the same ball week in and week out, from tournament to tournament, but nonetheless this is where we find ourselves.
We'll start out with the old timer, the veteran, and the silent film star who withstood years next to Tom Hanks until he could take no more and simply floated away. Of course we are talking about the one and only, iconic yellow Wilson game ball.
How it plays: Because of its weight it is tougher to pull off big serves or aces, but it is very easy to pass and set. It has a smooth feel to it, and provides an expected "bounce" off hard digs. It is solid through and through and you'll see why it has survived the test of time, even as the AVP went through its 2nd bankruptcy, players continued to buy and play with this ball.
Next is probably the biggest competition to Wilson, that being Spalding's King of the Beach.
At $40-50 this is definitely on the lower end of the price scale so if you are on a budget and need to buy in bulk, this is good option. It is not used as widely as the Wilson but is actually favored over the Wilson in some regions of the country depending on where you are like Florida, or Chicago. It has been featured as the official tour ball of the Jose Cuervo Beach Volleyball Series, which in recent years has been the closest thing to a successful and stable domestic tour.
How it plays: It is a little bit smaller than the Wilson and a little bit lighter, but what is most noticeable it that when properly inflated it doesn't feel as "round" as it should be. At its seams, ridges protrude as if it were underinflated even though you've pumped it up. Despite this aesthetic flaw, it is still a great ball for a number of reasons. It provides tougher float serves giving more movement, and as a result makes it more challenging to pass and set, but in the end will make you a better skilled player. It still has a predictable response as you pass it, so don't worry about being turned away at some pickup games if you show up with this ball.
Finally we'll wrap up with the international ball used on the FIVB the Mikasa VLS 300
How it plays: In a nutshell it has the size of the Wilson and the weight of the Spalding. The big difference here is that it has a unique 10 panel design versus the conventional 18 panel, as well as many people saying that it isn't as lively as compared to Wilson or Spalding or going so far as to say that it is a "dead" ball.
We haven't had to worry much before on ball selection but with the recent decay of the AVP, the emergence of the NVL, and perseverence of other smaller tours like the EVP and formerly named Jose Cuervo (now IMG) Beach Volleyball Series, adaptation will be key for up and coming players. Hopefully you get enough opportunities to play with all 3 so that you can hit it pure when tourney time comes.
Net
You may not think of this as a "must have", but it is definitely a bummer when you have to rely on other people in order to play. It just puts you at ease knowing that you can play on your terms, not when "that guy who has a net" is able to play. We won't go as much into brands as we will type, and accessories.
Basically if you want a quality net, you going to have to spend at least a Benjamin on it. Sorry, Target is not going to carry what you should be playing on. The biggest thing to look for is the size of the "tape", that being the border that outlines the actual netting. The bigger the better. Any thin tape will result in the net either curling, or being weak and providing unexpected plays from balls that go into the net. Below we will illustrate the basic Do's and Don'ts
DO
DON'T
Now if you want the best looking net on the beach then you are going to need something to keep your net straight and stable like the wooden poles featured below.
These will significantly drive up the cost of the net to around $250-$350, but they get the job done. I didn't get this type of net personally because of 1) the price, and 2) the size. Some of the nets online are built where these poles aren't removeable making their dimensions rigid and not flexible. That may not seem like a big deal but try finding a travel bag that will accomodate the proper dimensions, and trust me, it aint easy, but more on that later.
"Crank"
No it isn't enough to just have a net and a court assembled, and unless you are the Hulk that has access to seemingly unlimited strength, you won't be able to obtain the force and tension required to set your net up at the proper height and tautness and maintain it throughout the day. Luckily Archimedes exposed the world to the wonders of the pulley, allowing for proportionately less force to move heavy objects. We used quotations marks in the title of this section because this nifty tool, goes by many names such as cam buckle, ratchet strap, etc, but whatever you call it, it is a cheap and very effective tool at about $10, to ensure optimal playing conditions.
Lines
Sorry Karch, but I like the smaller court dimensions, and for those of you that are new to the game, the dimension are 16 meters by 8 meters, or the equivalent of 59' x 29'6". You can easily find lines online at the proper dimension and you can also find adjustable ones in the event you want to open it up for some grass triples, or beach 4s or 6s.
Don't be tempted to get the thin rope lines. Yes they are significantly cheaper, but they are tough to see, especially at dusk. At the very least get 1" lines, but what you will find in Open tournaments (at least on center court) are 2" lines. It is one of my big pet peeves, to play on a court with yellow or orange rope lines, because they are tough to see, and close calls are tough to review.
Pump
By this time, your bag is pretty full, and you still have more to put in it. Quick solution: deflate your ball. This is where your pump comes in handy, plus you're going to need it when your ball inevitably starts to lose air. Now there are dual action ball pumps that inflate balls twice as fast for basically the same cost as traditional pumps at a price range between $6-12
Part 2 will be featuring all the additional gear that you need so you don't have another one of those "oh damn, I wish I had a ________ right now" moments.
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