Exercise of the Week: Scapular Protraction-Retraction

Level: Beginner to Advanced

Specificity: Shoulder stability and strength

Goal: Injury prevention

Equipment: None

This week we'll continue our series on shoulder stability with Scapular Protraction-Retraction. I apologize if the name of this movement brings back haunting memories of high school geometry. The Scapular protraction-retraction movement is designed to promote stability and strength in the shoulder joint. The shoulder joint provides the greatest range of motion of any joint in the human body, but you already knew that from my last few posts. Right?

Anatomy of the shoulder and rotator cuff can be seen here:

Maintaining a healthy shoulder is crucial to success and longevity in volleyball as the shoulder is involved in all the major skills - serving, setting, digging, blocking and hitting. Research shows that weakness and fatigue of scapular-stabilizing muscles (trapezius, rhomboids, serratus anterior) can lead to pain and a decrease in rotator cuff strength. Our exercise this week will promote proper functioning of the scapula.

Start position: Assume a push-up position with hands directly under shoulders and back flat.

Keeping arms straight, retract shoulder blades by squeezing them together as if you were squeezing a tennis ball between them.

Do not go all the way down as you would with a regular push up. This is a rather subtle movement, designed to isolate and strengthen the scapula stabilizers. You will only move a matter of 1-3 inches for this exercise.

Complete the movement by protracting shoulder blades (spread them apart). Now that was easy wasn't it?

Begin with 10-20 repetitions and work up to 50.

To stabilize your scapula and reduce the strain in your neck and upper shoulders incorporate this movement into your routine 1-2 times per week.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check back next week for more beach volleyball conditioning exercises.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA, CSCS

Exercise Physiologist and Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

"We're all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training."

Pictures from crossfitinvictus.com fitnessspotlight.com

Exercise of the Week: Subscapularis Stretch

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Specificity: Shoulder stability

Goal: Injury prevention

Muscles Used: Subscapularis, Pectoralis Major, Deltoids

Equipment: Broomstick

This week we'll continue our series on shoulder stability. The shoulder joint provides the greatest range of motion of any joint in the human body. Maintaining a healthy shoulder is crucial to success and longevity in volleyball as the shoulder is involved in all the major skills - serving, setting, digging, blocking and hitting. However, frequent use of a joint that provides such a wide range of motion can increase our risk for injury.

Any program designed to promote the health and longevity of the shoulder should include a balance of strengthening and stretching exercises. For many of us the value of stretching is often overlooked. One of my clients put it best - "stretching is like the flossing of the exercise world, it's something that we know we should do but don't do enough." If it's been a while since you've "flossed" your shoulders, I encourage you to try this weeks exercise.

The anatomy of the shoulder and rotator cuff can be seen here:

Our focus this week will be on maintaining/increasing the range of motion of the internal rotators of the shoulder, including the subscapularis, pectoralis major, and deltoid muscles.

Start position: Stand and hold a broomstick or pole in your left arm.



Place your left arm against your abdomen with your left thumb up, pinky down.

Raise your right arm and reach back to grab the broomstick with your right pinky up, thumb down. The broomstick should rest against the back of your right arm.

Position your right arm so that your upper arm (humerus) is parallel to the ground and your forearm is perpendicular to the ground. You should have a 90 degree angle at the elbow.



With your left hand slowly pull the bottom of the broomstick forward until you feel a gentle stretch along the front of the shoulder and underneath your right shoulder blade (scapula).

Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.

Stretching is best performed at the end of a workout after you are thoroughly warmed-up. Include the Subscapularis stretch 2-3 times per week when you get back from the beach and while you're at it, sweep up all that sand you just dragged in!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check back next week for part III of our series on shoulder stabilization for injury prevention.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA, CSCS

Exercise Physiologist and Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

"We're all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training."

Exercise pictures from www.floota.com

Exercise of the Week: The Superman

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Specificity: Core strength and stability

Goal: Injury prevention, power

Muscles used: Erector Spinae, Trapezius, Anterior and Medial Deltoids, Gluteus Maximus

Equipment: none

This week we'll continue our series on torso/core conditioning exercises with the Superman. This is a great movement to develop muscle balance for the often neglected spinal erectors and trapezius muscles. Remember, the torso or core provides the link between upper and lower body strength and power. Including core conditioning in your training will provide you with a more stable platform for that perfect pass and develop the power necessary for the third hit.

Click here for muscles of the core

Start position: Lie on your stomach with your legs and arms fully extended, palms facing one another. Point your toes (plantar flex) toward the wall behind you. Maintain a neutral cervical spine by looking down toward the floor.



On an exhalation slowly raise both legs 3-6 inches off the ground while simultaneously raising your hands and arms 2-3 inches off the floor. Reach through your fingertips and toes to make your body as long as possible. Maintain a neutral cervical spine by continuing to look down at the floor. Hold for a count of 5. To increase the intensity of the exercise gradually increase the time you hold the up position.

Slowly release your legs and arms to the floor as you inhale.

Beginners should perform 1-2 sets of 10 repetitions. Intermediate/Advanced athletes should perform 2-3 sets of 20 repetitions.

Incorporate the Superman into your conditioning routine twice per week for best results. Be sure to check back next week as we start our series on agility training for the beach game.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Picture from the American Council on Exercise

Exercise of the Week: The Bicycle

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Specificity: Core strength and stability

Goal: Injury prevention, power

Muscles used: Rectus Abdominus, Transverse Abdominus, Obliques

Equipment: none


This week we'll continue our series on torso/core conditioning exercises with the Bicycle. The bicycle has been shown to be one of the most effective exercises for developing muscles of the core. Remember, the torso or core provides the link between upper and lower body strength and power and including core conditioning in your training will provide you with a more stable platform for that perfect pass and develop the power necessary for the third hit.

Click here for muscles of the core

Start position: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Place your fingertips on the side of your head with your elbows held wide. Bring knees toward your chest at a 90 degree angle.



As you contract your abdominal muscles raise your shoulder blades off the floor and rotate your torso to touch your left elbow to your right knee while straightening your left leg. Repeat on the opposite side by bringing your right elbow to your left knee and straightening your right leg. Continue to alternate sides in a smooth pedaling motion. Remember to keep your breathing even and relaxed throughout the movement and keep your elbows wide to avoid pulling on your neck.

Beginners should perform 1-2 sets of 10 repetitions. Intermediate/Advanced athletes should perform 2-3 sets of 20 repetitions.

Incorporate the Bicycle into your conditioning routine twice per week for best results. Be sure to check out the additional core training exercises in the coming weeks to develop a well balanced conditioning program.


See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Picture from About.com

Exercise of the Week: Stability Ball Bridge

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Specificity: Core strength and stability

Goal: Injury prevention, power

Muscles used: Erector Spinae, Rectus Abdominus, Transverse Abdominus, Gluteus Maximus, Obliques

Click here for muscles of the core

Equipment: Stability ball

This week we'll continue our series on torso/core conditioning exercises with the Stability Ball Bridge. Remember, the torso or core provides the link between upper and lower body strength and power and including core conditioning in your training will provide you with a more stable platform for that perfect pass and develop the power necessary for the third hit.




Start position: Lie on your back with your heels and lower legs hip-width apart on top of the stability ball. Contract your abdominal muscles gently to flatten your lower back. Place your arms out to your sides in a T position for stability.


While maintaining a flat back, exhale and press your heels into the stablity ball. Lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your lower legs to your shoulders.

As you inhale slowly lower to the start position.


To increase the intensity of this movement raise one leg off of the ball in the top position. (Advanced)

Remember, keep your back flat and breathe.

Beginners should perform 1-2 sets of 8 repetitions.
Intermediate/Advanced should perform 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

Incorporate the Stability Ball Bridge into your conditioning routine twice per week for best results. Be sure to check out the additional core training exercises in the coming weeks to develop a well balanced conditioning program.

Until then, see you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Pictures from American Council on Exercise

Exercise of the Week: Russian Twist

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Specificity: Core stability and power

Goal: Injury prevention, power

Muscles used: Rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, erector spinae

Equipment: Volleyball or 2-6 pound medicine ball for intermediate, advanced

This week we'll start our series on torso/core conditioning exercises with the Russian twist. The torso or core provides the link between upper and lower body strength and power and including core conditioning in your training will provide you with a more stable platform for that perfect pass and develop the power necessary for the third hit.

The muscles of the core can be seen here:



Be sure to perform a thorough warm up (click here) before performing the Russian twist.

Start position: Begin seated with your knees bent, feet together, heels on the floor. Sit upright with your chest raised towards the ceiling and back erect. Extend arms in front in a dig position.





Without leaning backwards rotate the torso from side to side keeping your arms extended and pausing briefly in the start position each time. Concentrate on keeping your back flat, chest out and making full rotations. Repeat the movement back and forth for the desired number of repetitions.

Beginners: 20-30 repetitions
Intermediate: 30-50 repetitions
Advanced: 50-80 repetitions

To increase the difficulty of this exercise hold a volleyball or medicine ball (2-6 lbs) close to the torso while performing the movement. Additional variations include leaning back at a 45 degree angle to the floor while keeping your knees bent and heels on the floor. To further increase intensity of the movement lift the feet 3-6 inches off the ground.

The importance of training the abdominal and lower back muscles is often overlooked and as a result injuries can occur. Adding the Russian twist to your routine is a great start to reducing your risk of injury. Be sure to check out the additional exercises in the coming weeks to develop a well balanced core conditioning program.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Pictures from American Council on Exercise and www.healthican.com

Exericse of the Week: Box Jumps

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Specificity: Power

Goal: Improving vertical jump

Equipment: Plyometric box, 6 to 42 inches high

We’ll continue our plyometric training this week with the box jump. For those of you new to plyometrics, these movements are designed to enable a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest time possible, a crucial factor in the beach game.

Before adding plyometrics to your routine here are two things to consider. First, it is recommend that you practice bodyweight and back squats with weight to develop lower body strength and proper technique before attempting jumping movements. (Click here for proper squatting technique). The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends you should be able to squat a least 1.5 times your body weight one time before engaging in high intensity plyometric exercises.(1) Individuals with preexisting orthopedic conditions (such as osteoarthritis or knee surgery) should perform plyometrics cautiously.

Be sure to perform a thorough warm up (click here) before performing the box jump.


Start position – stand about two feet away from the plyometric box with your feet shoulder width apart. Maintain a flat back as you draw your shoulder blades together and down. Engage your core by gently flexing your abdominal muscles to support your spinal column.

Begin with a 1/4 squat by bending at the hips and knees while keeping your weight in your heels. Look straight ahead or slightly up to maintain a flat back. Draw your arms back while continuing to bring shoulder blades together and down.


At the bottom of the downward phase quickly reverse directions by exploding upwards and simultaneously extending through your ankles, knees and hips. This movement is referred to triple extension and is key to maximizing the height of your jump. Explode upwards and slightly forward to land on top of the box. Swinging your arms forward and up will add height to your jump.


As you land on the box focus on landing softly and quietly. Land on both feet simultaneously and be sure to keep your knees soft. Allow your hips to drop and push backwards to absorb the force of jumping. Think about landing in the middle of the foot and quickly allowing your weight to shift back towards your heels. Maintain a forward gaze with your torso inclined slightly forward.

Carefully step down from the box and repeat 8-20 times.

Beginners: Start with a box height of 6 inches and 8 jumps. Add two jumps per week until you can perform 20 box jumps. You may then choose to increase the height of the box.

Incorporate one or two plyometric movements like this into your conditioning routine twice per week for best results.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

(1) Essentials of strength training and conditioning / National Strength and Conditioning Association (3rd edition), 2008.

Pictures from http://magazine.stack.com/

Exericse of the Week: Tuck Jumps

Level: Beginner

Specificity: Power

Goal: Improving vertical jump

We’ll continue our plyometric training this week with the tuck jump. For those of you new to plyometrics, these movements are designed to enable a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest time possible, a crucial factor in the beach game.

Before adding plyometrics to your routine here are two things to consider. First, it is recommend that you practice bodyweight and back squats with weight to develop lower body strength and proper technique before attempting jumping movements. (Click here for proper squatting technique). Also, the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends you should be able to squat a least 1.5 times your body weight one time before engaging in high intensity plyometric exercises.(1) Individuals with preexisting orthopedic conditions (such as osteoarthritis or knee surgery) should perform plyometrics cautiously.

Be sure you perform a thorough warm up (click here) before performing the tuck jump.


Start position – stand with your feet hip to shoulder width apart. Maintain a flat back as you draw your shoulder blades together and down. Engage your core by gently flexing your abdominal muscles to support your spinal column.

Begin the downward phase by bending at the hips and knees while keeping your weight in your heels. Look straight ahead or slightly up to maintain a flat back. Draw your arms back while continuing to bring shoulder blades together and down.

At the bottom of the downward phase quickly reverse directions by exploding upwards and simultaneously extending through your ankles, knees and hips. This movement is referred to triple extension and is key to maximizing the height of your jump. As you explode upwards drive the knees as high as possible towards the chest. Swinging your arms forward and up will add height to your jump.

As you return to the ground think about landing softly and quietly. Land on both feet simultaneously and be sure to keep your knees soft. Allow your hips to drop and push backwards to absorb the force of jumping. Think about landing in the middle of the foot and quickly allowing your weight to shift back towards your heels. Maintain a forward gaze with your torso inclined slightly forward.

With the slightest pause possible immediately explode upwards again, overemphasizing driving the knee towards the chest.

Perform 4-6 consecutive tuck jumps without stopping between jumps.

Repeat 1-2 times after with a 3-5 minute rest between sets.

Incorporate this movement into your conditioning routine once a week for best results.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

(1) Essentials of strength training and conditioning / National Strength and Conditioning Association (3rd edition), 2008.

Exercise of the Week: Squat Jump

Exercise of the Week: Squat Jump

Level: Beginner

Specificity: Power

Goal: Improving vertical jump

This is a simple and effective exercise to increase your vertical jump. This exercise is a great movement to start your strength training workouts. Be sure to include at least a 10-minute warm-up prior to performing this exercise. Surfaces like rubber gym mats, grass or sand are safest for squat jumps. Avoid performing this movement on harder surfaces like concrete. If you are new to the squat, I recommend practicing bodyweight squats (without jumping) to learn proper technique before attempting jumping squats.

Go here to see proper squatting technique.

Start position – stand with your feet hip to shoulder width apart, toes angled slightly out. Maintain a flat back as you draw your shoulder blades together and down. Engage your core by gently flexing your abdominal muscles to support your spinal column.

Begin the downward phase by bending at the hips and knees while keeping your weight in your heels. Look straight ahead or slightly up to maintain a flat back. Draw your arms back while continuing to bring shoulder blades together and down.

At the bottom of the downward phase quickly reverse directions by exploding upwards and simultaneously extending through your ankles, knees and hips. This movement is referred to triple extension and is key to maximizing the height of your jump.

As you return to the ground think about landing softly and quietly. Land on both feet simultaneously and be sure to keep your knees soft. Allow your hips to drop and push backwards to absorb the force of jumping. Think about landing in the middle of the foot and quickly allowing your weight to shift back towards your heels. Maintain a forward gaze with your torso inclined slightly forward.

Perform 6-12 consecutive squat jumps without stopping between jumps.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Pictures from American Council on Exercise.

Eight Essential Strength Exercises for Beach Volleyball

With the rainy days of January, February and March the winter months are the perfect time to focus on other components of our game. One of the most important and often overlooked aspects of beach volleyball conditioning is strength. Strength is the maximum force that can be applied by a muscle to perform a given task. Developing a solid strength base is crucial to for improved performance and injury prevention.

As a strength and conditioning specialist one of the most common questions I’m asked is “how can I improve my vertical jump?” Improvement in jumping ability is dependent on two key components: strength and quickness. Quickness training like plyometrics (“jump training”) and explosive lifting exercises are important, but they are also very demanding on the body and if we have not developed a strong enough base we are increasing our risk of injury. Strength training is where it all must begin.

So, how can you build that solid strength base? The key to results is dependent on one key ingredient, QUALITY! The quality of the exercises you perform will determine your success. Not all strength training exercises are created equal and as you might imagine the movements that work for a football player, a baseball player or a bodybuilder may not deliver the results an avid volleyball player desires.

So, what are the best exercises for developing strength and creating a base for power development for the beach volleyball game? I’m so glad you asked.

Eight Essential Strength Exercises

Here are my Eight Essential Strength Exercises listed in the order in which they should be performed during your workout.


1) The Back Squat – this is the granddaddy of lower body exercises. Not only is it very effective for developing lower body strength but the movement also closely resembles key movements for the beach game.

2) The Lunge – this exercise not only develops strength in our lower body but will also help develop balance and core strength


3) The Step Up – this is a great alternative for volleyball players with hip or knee problems. The height of the step can be changed to modify exercise intensity.


4) The Push-up – this exercise is great for developing upper body strength and shoulder stability. Incorporating this exercise enables us to pop back up out of the sand and be ready for that always gratifying third hit.


5) The Pull-up/Horizontal Pull Up – What the squat is to the lower body the pull-up is to the upper body. Pull Ups are an essential exercise for developing upper body and overhead strength. Hoisting our body weight up repeatedly takes significant strength however, and if we’ve been avoiding the gym like the plague we may need to work up to the pull up. The horizontal pull up (think opposite of chest press) is a great alternative for developing strength in the upper and mid back.


6) The Military (Overhead) Press – this is an important movement for developing overhead strength and shoulder stability.


7) The Russian Twist – a great movement to develop the obliques which are crucial to rotation and follow through on the serve and third hit.


8) The Reverse hyperextension on ball – this is a very effective exercise to strengthen the lower back and glutes and a crucial movement to balance all of those crunches and situps we’ve done through the years.

Pictures from American Council on Exercise and Men's Health. For detailed instructions on each exercise visit the American Council on Exercise website.

To determine the appropriate training volume (frequency, sets, reps)
for you see below. When you can successfully complete 12 repetitions of an exercise for two consecutive workouts increase the resistance 5% for upper body exercises or 10% for lower body exercises.

Beginner (less than 2 months of strength training experience): 2-3 sessions per week, 1-3 sets per exercise, 8-12 repetitions per set

Intermediate (2-11 months of strength training experience): 3-4 sessions per week, 2-4 sets per exercise, 8-12 repetitions per set

Advanced (1 year or more of strength training experience): 4-7 sessions per week, 3-5 sets per exercise, 8-12 repetitions per set

Keys to Successful Strength Training

1) Consistency is key – your progress and results will be directly affected by your training consistency

2) Focus on Form - it’s important to remember to never sacrifice your form and technique simply to lift a heavier weight. Not only does it increase our risk of injury but as Roland says “you just look stupid.”

3) Remember to Breathe – you’d think that by the time we’ve reached 20, 30, 60 years of age we’d have this one down, but put a weight in someone’s hand and you’d be surprised how quickly they forget. A good breathing cue to remember while strength training is to exhale on effort.

4) ROM = MORE – to maximize the benefit of the movement work through a full range of motion (ROM) as much as possible.

Perform these movements consistently for an 8-12 week period and you’ll be well on your way to developing a solid strength base which will be crucial for our next topic – Developing your Vertical Jump.


These simple and effective strength training exercises will help you build a solid foundation of strength and prepare your muscles for the high demands of the beach game. Your opponents won’t know what hit them. Straight down!

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CSCS
Exercise Physiologist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Rainy Day Workouts

Remember when you were a kid and you would play for hours and hours? We’d play not because it lowered our cholesterol, or blood pressure or because our doctor told us to. We simply did it because it was FUN!!!! I wonder what the magic age is when play becomes “exercise”?

I would venture to say I’m not the only one who plays volleyball because it’s fun and gives me the opportunity to “play” for hours.

Well, how can we keep that fun feeling on those rainy days when we can’t play at the beach and don’t feel like hitting the gym?

Here’s a quick 30 minute workout you can do at home that will keep the fun factor high (and oh yes, it will improve your conditioning too).

Equipment you’ll need

Jump rope
Volleyball or medicine ball for extra resistance
Mix of your favorite songs to keep you movin'

Rainy Day Workout (Circuit #1)

• Knees to Elbows for 30 seconds

• 12 Squats (see proper squatting technique in the Volleyball Conditioning posting)
  
• 20 Jumping jacks
• 10 Pushups
• 25 Crunches
• Jump rope for one minute
• 15 Skaters to each side
  

• 15 Medicine Ball Pops

• 50 Bicycle crunches (similar to crunches but alternating knee to elbow)
  
• Jump rope for one minute
• 8 Lateral lunges in both directions (see proper lunge technique in the Volleyball Conditioning posting)
• 12 Triceps extension with medicine/volleyball (pacefit.com med ball)

• Foot to foot crunches (15 to each side)

• Jump rope for one minute
• 15 Medicine Ball Pops (see above)
  
• 8 Burpees

Phew! Nice job, Now take some well deserved water and a few minutes to stretch.

Hope you enjoyed this workout and I'll see you on the beach when the sun returns!

Eric Hand, MA , CMT
Exercise Physiologist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

All the information presented on the FastTwitchFitness Blog is for educational and resource purposes only. It is there to help you make informed decisions about health related fitness issues. It is NOT a substitute for any advice given to you by your physician. Always consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any exercise program. Use of the programs, advice, and information contained in this website is at the sole choice and risk of the reader.
In no way will FastTwitchFitness or any persons associated with FastTwitchFitness be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur due to the use of this blog or the advice contained within. FastTwitchFitness will not be held responsible for the conduct of any companies and/or websites recommended within this blog.

Kick, stretch and kick!

When to stretch? Before? During? After?

One of my clients said it best, “stretching is the flossing of the exercise world.” We know we probably should, but rarely take the time. How important is stretching and when is the best time to stretch?

A warm-up for beach volleyball should prepare us for training or competition. This preparation time ideally improves our performance and reduces our risk of injury. Stretching used to be considered a vital part of this warm-up. However, there is little to no evidence that stretching before training or competition prevents injury or muscle soreness. In fact, recent research suggests that stretching can actually hinder our performance by impeding force, power, speed and reaction time. I don’t know about you but I don’t need anything else to slow me down or reduce my ability to jump.

While the ideal warm-up does not include stretching, don’t throw out the floss quite yet. Stretching does play a role in our conditioning program, because inflexibility and imbalances in flexibility can increase our risk for injury. So when is the best time to stretch? For optimal benefits we should stretch 5-10 minutes post-training and competition. At this point our muscles are warm and more able to stretch. We may also want to include a separate session for stretching each week if we’re inflexible. The day after a competition is a great time for this. For some examples on stretches to include visit: http://volleyballpr.tripod.com/id2.html

In summary, here a three things to keep in mind about stretching:

- Ideally, stretching should not be included in our pre-training or competition warm-up
- The best time to stretch is 5-10 minutes after training or competition
- Inflexibility and imbalances in flexibility can increase our risk for injury

Until next time…See you on the beach Stretch!

Eric Hand, MA , CMT
Exercise Physiologist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”

Volleyball Conditioning

Beach volleyball is a very dynamic game that requires strength, agility, flexibility and power. If you want your body to be ready to respond for that first dive onto the sand or that first joust at the net, it is crucial that you are properly conditioned.

When you arrive at the beach, before you even touch a ball, I recommend you include a few dynamic warm-up exercises. A dynamic warm-up involves sport specific exercises that involve moving the body through slow and controlled ranges of motion. I know that it can be tempting to just “dive” in and start playing, however, a good warm-up can be completed in as little as five minutes. Think of this time as an investment to both reduce your risk of injury and prepare your body for the explosive demands that will be placed on it as soon as the first ball is served. A dynamic warm-up will also awaken your nervous system and help you focus on the upcoming game.

You should perform these movements to your own ability and do not attempt to match someone else’s strength or range of motion. Find your own edge and gradually work to improve it. This month we’ll focus on developing lower body strength and flexibility. Be sure to start at the appropriate level. If you perform these warm-ups regularly you should see improvement and be able to advance to the next level within a month.

Squat with arm extension (Beginner)

Stand with feet slightly turned out, shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Reach arms out to form a flat platform as if you were going to pass or dig a ball. Inhale deeply and slowly bend your knees to squat down. Think about sitting back and placing your weight on your heels. As you squat be sure to keep your chest high, upper and lower back arched and tight, gaze forward, and weight on your heels. Allow your knees to spread outward toward the toes. Be sure your knees do not move past your toes, however, and do not attempt to go deeper than a thighs parallel to the ground position. Complete the movement by exhaling slowly and pressing through your heels to return to a standing position. Repeat 8-12 times.

You should feel this movement in your quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings, not in your knees or lower back. If flexibility is a problem try using a wider stance. When done properly the squat is a safe exercise and critical to developing speed and vertical jump. Injuries occur when athletes are rushed or not focused and forget to adhere to proper form and technique.

Net Duck (Intermediate)

Stand perpendicular to the net, feet 6-12 inches apart, right shoulder next to the net. Reach arms out as if you were going to pass or dig a ball. Inhale deeply and step your right foot to the right as you slowly bend your knees to squat down underneath the net. Think about sitting back and placing your weight on your heels as you squat down. As you squat be sure to keep your chest high, upper and lower back arched and tight, gaze forward, and weight on your heels. As you squat be sure to keep your arms extended, chest high, gaze forward, , upper and lower back arched and weight on your heels. Complete the movement by exhaling and standing up on the other side of the net. Repeat, this time squatting under the net toward your left. As you squat underneath the net visualize getting low to dig a hard driven ball.

Lateral Squat with arm extension (Advanced)


















Stand on the left side line facing the net, feet shoulder width apart. Reach arms out as if you were going to pass or dig a ball. Inhale deeply and step your right foot several feet to the right as you slowly bend your knees and squat down and to your right. As you squat think about sitting back and placing your weight on your heels as you squat down. Be sure to keep your chest high, upper and lower back arched and tight, gaze forward, and weight on your heels. Visualize getting low and digging a hard driven ball as you squat. Complete the movement by exhaling and returning to a standing position. Repeat until you reach the right side line. Repeat by leading with your left foot and squatting to the left side line.

These exercises will help improve your lower body strength as well as the flexibility in your hips, knees, ankles and inner thigh.

Have a blast with these exercises this month and I welcome your questions and comments.

See you on the beach!

Eric Hand, MA , CMT
Exercise Physiologist
Fast Twitch Fitness

“We’re all athletes. Some of us are just farther along in our training.”