Saturday, February 21, 2009

Dancing on the Volleyball Court


Did you ever take a second to think about how many dance steps professional athletes use when they're out on the courts? The dips, twists, spins and steps that athletes use to work their way around the court without taking their eyes off the ball are necessary skills for success on the court, but off the court most of them could star in a Broadway musical! The object lesson here? Grace and coordination, as much as skill and speed, are the keys to success when you're sending a ball flying across a net at high impact speeds.

Sure, you're probably laughing right now. But did you know that professional football players often learn basic ballet moves? And that ballet and dance are required for high level gymnastics competitors along with their regular training-both men and women? There's a lesson here. You don't have to be able to boogie on the dance floor to boogie on the court, but a little coordination and rhythm will go a long way toward giving your playing performance the extra boost it needs to be extraordinary rather than ordinary.

To pinpoint a specific example, take a look at your basic perimeter defense. Regardless of what type of game you're playing, there is one key rule that every player has to follow-keep your eye on the ball. It's impossible to do that if you have to look where you're going. That's why the cross step, also known as a partial grapevine, is an essential part of your perimeter defense. It affords you an almost unlimited range of motion without ever having to take your eyes off your opponent or the ball.

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