Wrist Protection Out on the Court

Have you ever tried to get through a day using only one arm? It's not as easy as you'd think it would be! Your arms and, by extension, your elbows, wrists and hands, are important, and it's important that you take care of them when you're out on the court.

The number one cause of wrist injuries to volleyball players is poor technique. If you're hitting the ball with your wrists rather than your forearms you're going to have irritated red spots (which you'll have just about everywhere when you first start playing but which should go away after a couple of weeks) and bruises, and you're going to be setting yourself up for sprains, strains and fractures. Practice your bumping technique to ensure that you're hitting the ball with the long bones of your forearm rather than the delicate bones of your wrist.

For added protection (or if you've just had enough of walking around looking like someone painted your arms with blusher) you can consider wearing wrist guards or taping your wrists and the bottom part of your forearm with athletic tape (or prewrap-it pulls less when you take it off). Wrist guards lend extra support to the joint, ensuring that it doesn't get bent in ways it was never meant to go and minimizing that chances that it will be damaged when you go diving for the ball but can't quite get there fast enough.

Your hands and wrists are an essential part of your game, and let's face it-it's hard to get dressed in the morning when you're only working with half of your resources! Protect those resources to keep your game on top and your life as uncomplicated as possible.

Come check out our assortment of wrist protection options at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

2009 USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour

It's that time again! USA Volleyball is kicking off its 2009 USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour on May 2, 2009 in Gulfport, Mississippi, and it's open now to all players under the age of 21 who want to take part!

For those who aren't familiar with the USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour, it's a series of Saturday events that crosses the United States from one coast to another. The tour begins in Mississippi and culminates in a final event on August 16, 2009 in Huntington Beach, CA.

There's no qualification necessary. Any 2 member, same gender team can register online through the USA Volleyball website to take part. Registration costs are $30 per person if you register online and $40 on site. Online registration closes at midnight the Thursday before the even to give the staff time to process the appropriate paperwork that always comes along with these things; however, players are welcome to come the morning of the event.

The events are open exclusively to USA Volleyball members; however, becoming a member is simple and can be accomplished through their website. The tour is designed for same gender beach volleyball teams, with individual matches determined by age. There is no rating associated with the Junior Beach Tour; players play strictly for fun, and have their choice regarding which events they want to take part in.

In the spirit of fun, there will be no "official" officials presiding over the individual games. Players officiate, and parents are welcome to come and watch in the role of parents, friends and "soft" coaches rather than officials. All in all, it's a great experience for young players. If you're interested you can check out the details at http://usavolleyball.org/event/event/1346#News.


Come see our huge collection of volleyball gear, uniforms, supplies and novelties at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

What Every Player Needs to Know About Jumper's Knee

Anyone who watches "Bones" regularly was thrilled to see our favorite sport highlighted on last week's episode! (Even if it was in a slightly twisted kind of way.) The show made an excellent point, however, that all volleyball players should be aware of. The young woman in question had sustained multiple injuries as a result of her time spent on the team. Injuries like jumper's knee are common when you hit the courts, and it's something that you as a player should be aware of-and take steps to prevent.

What is Jumper's Knee?

Jumper's Knee, also known as patellar tendonitis, involves the patellar tendon that joins the kneecap to your shin bone. This tendon is extremely important when you're out on the courts-it's the tendon that lets your quads actively straighten the knee, propelling you upward and putting you in position for that perfect spite. As an athlete you put this tendon under a lot of stress. That stress that can cause micro-tears and collagen degeneration.

Symptoms of Jumper's Knee present as pain at the bottom and front of the kneecap, aching/stiffness after practice and pain when you flex your quads. Honestly, it probably won't seem like a very big deal; however, ignoring it can lead to chronic pain, difficult treatments and, in some cases, surgical intervention.

What Can You Do About It?

The best defense is a good offense. Building your leg's strength and flexibility will help you avoid contracting Jumper's Knee in the first place-but do it gradually. Much like shin splints, Jumper's Knee is often the result of overconditioning. Rest regularly, and unless you're in peak shape don't exercise more than four times a week.

If you do begin to feel the niggling pain of Jumper's Knee, contact your physician immediately. At the beginning it can usually be treated with anti-inflammatories, ice massage and physical therapy, a knee sleeve and proper training. More severe cases may graduate to injection of steroids, long-term rest (i.e. at least a season off the court) and, potentially, corrective surgery.
Jumper's Knee isn't a pleasant condition, but proper prevention and management can ensure that it remains a glitch in your game rather than a complete show-stopper.

Come check out our extensive collection of training materials and equipment at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Volleyball Hall of Fame Welcomes New 2008 Inductees

The date of the new inductees has long passed, but when browsing the web for current events to put on this blog I realized that I had managed to neglect the induction of a new season's worth of MVPs into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the birthplace of volleyball itself.

The Volleyball Hall of Fame first opened its doors on June 6, 1987, a day that was celebrated by a two day tournament following the induction of inventor William G. Morgan posthumously. Douglas Beal, the coach of the 1984 U.S. Men's Olympic Team, was the first keynote speaker to welcome the new inductee.

In October of 2008 the hall welcomed six new international greats into the hall, including beach player Randy Stoklos, five time Olympian Andrea Giani, former Turkish team captain and national coach Sinan Erdem, Japanese captain Masae Kasai Nakamura, world record holder and Russian captain Yuri Poyarkov and Soviet champion Vladimir Savvine.

Not all of these players lived to see their induction day. Vladimir Savvien passed away in 1975. His induction was acknowledged by Viktor Sviridov, head of the Russian Volleyball Federation Secretariat Department.

"This year's six-member Volleyball Hall of Fame induction class is a remarkable, diverse group of individuals that has impacted our sport in so many parts of the world," said Doug Beal, co-chair of the Volleyball Hall of Fame Selection Committee and chief executive officer of USA Volleyball. "This induction class, on par with its preceding inductees, truly shows the global reach of the Volleyball Hall of Fame and its significance as an institution capturing the international history and honors of this great sport."

The Hall of Fame will be inducting the next group of players to make history on October 29, 2009.

Information and quotes found at the Volleyball Hall of Fame website at www.volleyhall.org.

Don't Let Spring Fever Get the Best of You: Add Strength Training Onto Your Spring Training Program

It's just about that time of year again-the snow's melting off the trees (in some parts of the country), the sun's starting to peek out from behind the clouds, and the birds are starting to make the first legs of their long trip north. With all that life in bloom it's hard to resist the urge to spend your days luxuriating in the crisp newness of spring. But don't let your need to be out in the great outdoors bring your strength training program to a grinding halt.

It happens to all of us. We spend the dark, gloomy winter in the gym, spinning on artificial treadmills and pumping iron. When spring gets here we just want to be out, and as a result we often find ourselves neglecting the strength training portion of our training programs. Walking, biking, hiking and running are so much more appealing in warm weather than sitting around in a gym breathing recycled air, and before you know it your well rounded strength and cardio program is leaning heavily on the cardio and not so heavily on the strength.

Because cardio training isn't going to get the ball over the net any harder, it's important that you not let spring fever get the best of you and annihilate the benefits you worked so hard to build. Toss in a day or two in the gym, and add weights or other strength training devices to your cardio workout. No reason to sacrifice the sun just for the sake of building up those arm muscles! The important thing to remember is that strength training is important. Don't let yourself be lured away by the appeal of a pretty day.

Come check out our collection of training devices and equipment at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.