How to Buy Volleyball Knee Pads

When you're out on the beach involved in a round of beach volleyball the sand acts as its own cushioning, but it's a different story altogether when you hit the courts. As pro beach volleyball player Rob Heidger said, "If you plan on playing indoors rather than at the beach, knee pads are a good piece of equipment. Plus, you can always wear them while in-line skating on the boardwalk!"

Let's hear it for versatile equipment.

When you're out on the court your knees are easily the most vulnerable part of your body, which is why a good pair of knee pads is essential. It doesn't matter how much you weigh, slamming down on an unforgiving court floor on your knees day after day isn't healthy-and sooner or later, someone's going to get hurt. A good pair of knee pads acts as a pad and a brace all rolled into one, making it the perfect finishing touch for safe volleyball.

There are tons of choices out there when it comes to choosing volleyball knee pads, so it's going to be up to you to find not only what type of kneepads fit best, but also which ones you prefer. There are two primary types of knee pads: regular foam and a foam/gel combination for extra protection. You want to choose a pair of contoured pads designed not only to protect but also to move with your knees and legs, avoiding excessive bulk that will slow you down while at the same time ensuring that your patellas (knee caps) are adequately protected.

A lightweight fabric that breathes is your best option, guaranteeing that your knee pads won't chafe unbearably the minute things start heating up out on the court-and you can often find a pair in your team's colors at no additional cost!

The most important factor of choosing volleyball knee pads is choosing a pair that will fit you properly. Knee pads are available in both regular and junior sizes (for teens and petite players) but there's never really a "one size fits all" when it comes to volleyball equipment. Be sure to test your pads out carefully in realistic game situations before stepping out onto the court. It's better to have to return a pair of pads that you bought over the Internet or turn away from a pair you tried on in the store than to go out on the court in pads that don't provide adequate protection or restrict your movement.

Come check out our collection of top of the line volleyball knee pads at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

The Value of Volleyball Coaching Clinics

There are thousands of clinics held around the world every year to help volleyball players develop their skills and teams to establish stronger communications on the court. These clinics are an invaluable resource when it comes to developing strong player skills, and their partner clinics are an equally invaluable resource for coaches.

Coaches clinics teach coaches not only how to teach volleyball skills (any decent player with an intricate understanding of the
mechanics of motion can do that) but also how to interact with their team, how to deal with internal team conflict and how to build teamwork among their players. Because most coach's primary training programs focus on teaching skills to players and getting the best results out of their team in a very short amount of time there are certain invaluable skills that separate adequate coaches from inspirational ones.

Those kinds of skills often develop over time but with the assistance of experienced coaches can be prompted along. Professional coaching clinics are headed by present and past coaches with years of experience who personally guide along tomorrow's leaders. That means that whether you're coaching the women's national team or helping a group of young men break in their first set of high school volleyball sneakers, these clinics have something of value that will help you guide your players to realize their own potential and help take your team farther than it's ever been.

Coaching is a difficult job, requiring not only amazing amounts of skill and diplomacy but also an intricate understanding of the human mind and body and the psychology behind the reasons we do the things that we do-particularly if you happen to be brave enough to attempt to coach a team of teenage girls! While a coach's clinic might not offer you everything you need to learn to become coach of the year, it provides an excellent starting point for a very promising career.

Coach Mark Rosen, Michigan Wolverines

Come check out our collection of coaching tools and resources at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

What To Do When You've Got Volleyball Burnout

In my last blog I talked about ways to avoid competitive burnout; however, I didn't realize until after the fact that there were very few suggestions in there for players who are already suffering from burnout and hanging on by their fingernails. It's important to understand that burnout isn't "all in your head", and it's not something that's going to go away if you ignore it. Competitive volleyball, particularly if you play year round, can take a tremendous physical and mental toll on your body. It's not all that different from CEOs of Fortune 500 corporations that suffer from burnout-you're mentally and physically exhausted, and that takes a toll on both your body and your performance.

The first thing to do is consider the reasons behind your burnout. Are you spending so much time on the courts that you don't have time to do anything else? It might be time to consider cutting back on your training schedule and/or taking a season off to rest up and catch up on the rest of your life. It's also important to make sure you're getting enough sleep. If you're dashing from work or classes to practice, then staying up until midnight cleaning or doing homework, you're going to burnout quickly. It's important to find a balance.

Take a look at your diet and training schedule. Are you eating for maximum nutrition or just grabbing what's convenient because it happens to be available? Make sure you're drinking plenty of water and eating vegetables and lean meats rather than cheeseburgers and french fries. Also, make sure practice isn't the only exercise you get in a day. Simple things, such as a walk (or a jog) around the block, or a few hours spent on a bicycle, will make you feel less stressed-and because you're still working your muscles you're going to be a lot less tired after training!

If personal problems are taking the joy out of your game, deal with them as soon as possible. If you have a problem with a member of your team, talk to your coach. Nothing should be allowed to rob you of the joy of playing, and if you're burning out it's important that you nip it in the bud so you can get back to the love of the game.

Come check out our huge supply of training materials and volleyball novelties at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Easy Ways to Avoid Volleyball Burnout

Do you know what the number one code among most professionals is? Don't ever make your passion your job. Far too often men and women try to transform their passion into an income making venture only to find out that when they're punching deadlines and counting pennies the activity they used to enjoy is suddenly nothing more than-well, a job!

Competitive volleyball can begin to feel that way, particularly if you're counting on launching a professional career (or hoping for a scholarship). It's easy to spend so much time perfecting your volleyball techniques and analyzing your competitions' moves that you forget why you started playing volleyball in the first place-the pure, simple love of the game. Whatever else it may be-passion, obsession, dream, ambition-volleyball is a game. And what is a game when it isn't any fun? It's work.

The question is, how can you avoid volleyball burnout? First and foremost, don't let volleyball devour your life. Spend time with friends. Go to the movies on Friday night rather than working out, and work out with friends whenever possible. Have hobbies to help fill your time so you don't find yourself devoting every minute of every day to your game. Even with a rigid training schedule it's possible to find a night out, and that's something you should take advantage of as often as possible.

Remember to vary your training, and just get silly out on the court every once in a while! One day, rather than training in the gym, grab your teammates and spend a day out on the beach. Playing in the sand builds up a new set of muscles, and you'll have a blast chasing the ball out into the water! If there's no beach available, move the party into the backyard and invite your friends and family to play. No, it isn't going to be as intense, and you're going to have to bear witness to some frustrating (and often embarrassing!) mistakes, but it's going to be fun.

And if you really want to jazz the game up a little, try playing with something other than a volleyball! (Beach balls and children's outdoor balls are the first things that come to mind, but various fruits have been tried too! Be creative!)

Taking time away from your intense training and practice schedule to just kick back, relax and remember that you're a person first and a volleyball player second is the best way to avoid volleyball burnout.

Come check out our collection of fun, funky volleyball gear at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Taking Your Personality Out Onto the Court with Funkadelic Sports Wear

I spend a lot of time talking about taking your personality out on the court, both through your uniforms and practice clothes and through your playing style. There's a reason for that! The key to a successful volleyball game is to enjoy yourself, and you can't possibly be out there having fun if you're too busy trying to be a carbon copy clone of someone you're not (and try saying that five times fast!).

Do you know what happens when you lose your love of the sport because you're out there playing with too much skill and too little heart? You burn out. Suddenly, you don't even want to look at a volleyball-ever. You lose your passion for the game that used to be your life because it stopped being a game and started being work.

The rest of the volleyball industry is finally catching on to the fact that volleyball needs to be done before it can be competition, which is why if you've taken a look at the latest lines of volleyball wear from the hottest names in athletic clothing lately you've probably been pleasantly surprised. They're funkadelic! Spandex, fluorescent colors and wild designs are dominating the world of fitness fashion. Flames, peace signs, rainbows and flowers cover everything from shorts and socks to jerseys and hair bands.

The moral of our story? The days of black and white volleyball gear are long gone, and they've been replaced with a hot new fashion trend that's taking the world by storm-volleyball with an attitude. Volleyball with passion. Personality both on and off the courts and the flares of what really makes volleyball memorable-lots and lots of fun!

Come check out our selection of top of the line volleyball gear in fun and funky designs at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.