Many amateurs prefer playing volleyball in the sand rather than the court, because sand offers a much better playing experience! However, this won’t be possible, unless sand has a proper maintenance …

From raking to leveling, in this article, I address the most important steps you should follow to clean and properly maintain a sand volleyball court. Thus, you will ensure a safe and enjoyable surface of playing.

Key Takeaways

• Regular maintenance of a sand volleyball court is extremely important of player’s safety & playing experience.
• For larger sandy areas, it is possible to use machines like sandboni that can collect things like rubbish, stones & other extraneous material.
• For smaller areas it is possible to rely on a rake or a small shovel with a bag to collect debris.

How do you remove debris from sand?

Sand should be regularly raked to ensure that any small stone, rocks and other debris are removed. Any trash collected should be collected in a bag for later safe disposal, because just dumping it elsewhere on the beach means runs the risk of it being blown back again by the wind.

Raking should be systematic from one side to the other, and also in the surrounding areas around the court, where players are like to encroach in the course of a game.

Another idea, although it can be laborious, is to use a large sieve. This can be used to sift out small rocks and other debris from sand, although this is useful only for small samples. It would take too long to clean an entire volleyball court in this way.

Important Tip: In case you want to play in a sand volleyball court and you are not sure whether it is clear or not. Then, I strongly recommend using sand socks. Not only they will protect your feet, but also give you a sense of confidence that should help your overall performance. You can have a look at these quality sand socks to get an idea.

Alternatively, sand can be collected in a bucket which is filled with fresh water first. Gradually pour the sand into the bucket, stirring it all the time, and then allow settling for a few minutes…

Then pour the water out, and it should have lifted some of the smaller particles and organic matter out of it. Remember also to clean the bucket out, because, inevitably, some sand will stick to the sides of it.

And those who want to use sand for purposes like arts and crafts projects may want to consider baking it.

This can be done in a normal oven at temperatures of up to 150 degrees Centigrade (300 degrees Fahrenheit), with the sand – having had excess water drained away first – placed on a baking tray and covered by a baking sheet.

Needless to say, people should never use the same baking tray as they would employ in normal food preparation.

Nor should this be undertaken whilst fresh food is in the vicinity.

After 45 minutes, the sand should be suitably sanitized and good to go.

One last point, if you don’t have time to clean sand and if you are nervous about your feet protection, then you can have a look at these helpful tips to protect your feet for beach volleyball …

Best Sand cleaning equipment…

A beach cleaner – commonly known as a sandboni – is a vehicle that cleans beaches and large sandy areas by dragging a rake or sifting device over the sand. This enables it to collect rubbish and other extraneous material. They have a scoop in front which picks the sand up, and then the rake will sift anything large enough to be considered debris or unwanted.

This includes litter, stones, rocks, and it can also help remove oil slicks if they are not too dense.

Typically pulled by a tractor or quad-bike, they are manually self-pulled vehicles on tracks or wheels.

Another popular option are walk behind beach cleaner machines, which are self-propelled and assist the operator with forward motion. They can clean much larger areas than manual equivalents, and help reduce fatigue associated with cleaning sand.

They have many similarities with garden cultivators which they also resemble. In many ways they are like a hoe with a motor, made to stir up the sand , and to break up any sections that have become encrusted.

They are compact and lightweight, but still powerful, with a smaller working area for greater precision.  Most are powered by internal combustion engines, although some of the latest models have begun to feature electric engines (which need to be recharged).

Depending on the model, they come with either tracks of tires.

The half-tracked Barracuda has become one of the most popular sand cleaning machines. This machine is propelled by tracks and features a reverse design, meaning that the tracks are mounted on the machine’s front side.

How to clean sand volleyball court manually?

The simplest way to clean a sand volleyball court is to use a rake, with a small shovel to fill in any holes or divots …

A bucket or bag will also be required to collect any debris, so that this can be disposed of in an appropriate manner afterwards (this does not mean simply dumping it elsewhere on the beach).

To clean the court, rake first methodically side to side, including several feet either side of the playing area, and collecting up any debris. Then use the shovel to fill in any holes, and consider using the flat of it to ensure the surface is even. And then rake once more for good measure.

A variation on this is to use manual sand cleaning tools which typically feature two large beach wheels and a metal basket. They are designed to be pulled by hand, so do not feature any machinery, and usually consist of a trolley on wheels.

• The advantages of such tools are they are much cheaper than machine operated ones, they are eco-friendly, lightweight, do not make any noise, and are easy to use and move around. They also require little or no maintenance.
• The obvious drawback is that they involve much harder work than using a machine, and it takes a lot longer to clean an area of sand. This also means that they have a very limited capacity, and whilst they may be an ideal choice for a volleyball court, anybody wanting to clean a larger beach area is recommended to choose another option.

Is a sand scoop a good cleaning tool?

A sand scoop is a tool commonly used by metal detectorists to find hidden objects on a beach. They come in one of three sizes – long, medium and short handle – although long handle scoops are primarily designed for retrieving objects from water, such as in rock pools.

Medium and short handle scoops can both be used on sand, although the shorter the handle the more banding over is required.  Smaller handle scoops also tend to be lighter, which is not the best option if the sand is wet or heavy.

However, whilst a scoop is a good way of picking up sand and examining it for hidden objects, it is not intended as a cleaning tool.

Instead, it allows the user to penetrate deeper into the surface of the sand, without necessarily covering a wide area. That means that, whilst it may help uncover stones or rocks hidden underneath the sand, it will require numerous scoops to ensure adequate coverage of an entire volleyball court.

And, even once this is done, using a scoop is liable to leave the surface of the court lumpy and uneven and may need to be raked over again. Any holes left by the scoop may need to be filled in with a shovel.

In other words, using a scoop may be more trouble than it is worth.

How often should sand volleyball court be cleaned?

Although sand volleyball courts do not require the same level of maintenance as grass or indoor wooden floor courts, they should still be inspected daily to remove any debris they might have collected, like paper, bottle tops and cigarette ends.

The other problem is that sand courts are usually located on the beach or in open spaces where both domestic and wild animals roam. Because they know no better, they will not hesitate to use the court as their toilet, so it is always best to inspect the court before playing to ensure there are no nasty surprises!

Regular maintenance can help protect longer-term damage to the court.

It is also a good idea to rake the sand regularly to ensure that there are no sharp stones just below the surface which could cut the feet of players.  It also helps ensure that the sand stays dry and soft.

Using a tarpaulin over the court can help keep it in good shape and cut down the period between more intense maintenance sessions. The downside to this approach, apart from making sure that the cover is appropriately secured, is that the sand underneath can become damp or wet due to the condensation that arises.

When sand should be completely replaced?

Sand should not be too coarse, and it should be free of gravel or other dangerous particles. Very coarse sand is very prone to water and air permeability, and this can affect the footing underneath for players and make the surface uneven. It also should not contain clay or silt, because this can create a dusting effect.

The FIVB has set standards for the qualities of sand to be used in their competitions, so, if these are not met, then no officially sanctioned games or tournaments can be played on it. It needs to be very soft, will not compact, and produce a minimal of dust.

Stipulations about sand particle size apply to ensure that there is good drainage, and it must be able to cope with a wide variety of weather conditions.

The particles themselves cannot be acquired from a crushed rock source, must be naturally weathered and they should be sub-angularly, or rounded in shape.

Even if all these conditions are met, it is recommended that sand should be changed periodically, because it is exposed to the elements like sun, wind and salt, and will, inevitably deteriorate in quality over time.

By the way, if you are interested in building sand court from scratch, then I strongly invite you to check this Guide to Build a Sand Volleyball Court! I’ve put things in very simple terms …

Final Thoughts …

To sum up, proper maintenance of beach volleyball court should not be taken for granted and this could directly impact not only the overall experience, but also the safety of the players.

Regular maintenance (such as raking, leveling and trash removal …) is more than enough in that regard …

If you manage to apply these guidelines, then the sand could be well preserved for the so many years to come!

Every sport comes with a set of basic or minimal equipment that you should have to be able to practice properly. Beach volleyball is obviously no exception to that …

The beauty of this sport is that you don’t need too much gear to practice. However, I’ve preferred to share all possible equipment (buying all of them is definitely not necessary) so you can have a nice idea about that.

I address equipment used by players, those used in the court and even gear used by the referee.

Let’s dive in!

Player Equipment

1. Beach Ball

Obviously that’s the most important piece of equipment you should have. There are mainly 2 types of balls that you will find in the market. Those made out of plastic and others made out of soft leather.

To be honest, I prefer beach balls much more than indoor balls, mainly because of their look. They come with attractive colors.

The ball is generally lightweight, 295 grams or even less.

If you are looking for beach ball, then you definitely need to make sure it is waterproof, in case it gets in contact with salt water. For example this quality beach ball can perfectly resist to salt water.

2. Sand Socks

I am very surprise this gear in not very popular amongst beach volleyball practitioners given its importance (at least in my humble opinion).

Indeed, they play a crucial role when it comes to protecting your beloved feet from the heat as well as sharp objects that can hurt you.

Sand socks have nothing to do with regular socks (check this quality example Here at Amazon). They are usually waterproof, or at least water resistant and can be used for things like swimming.

You learn more on how to protect your feet in beach volleyball …

3. Knee Pads

I have to admit that knee pads (Check this example Here at Amazon) are not that common in beach volleyball, unlike indoor volley when almost every single player wears knee pads …

However, I still would suggest to you to use them if you are a beginner or even an amateur simply because it adds that extra layer of protection that would promote your beloved knees safety.

For people who have had an old knee injury (even if they’ve fully recovered from it), I highly recommend using knee pads.

You can learn more about the importance of knee pads for sand volleyball …

4. Hat

Hat is often necessary for a pleasant playing experience. When playing on the beach, the sun often shines all day long…

5. Sunglasses

Sun light can make it hard for your vision, especially if the sun is on the opposite side. Sunglasses are a great tool to help correct that and give you a cleaner vision of the ball as well as the players.

Keep in mind that the sun effect in the sand is much higher than regular places, as the sun light is reflect from the sand on you, which make the sun even worse.

6. Sun Protection

Again, because of the same reasons I’ve explained above, it is very important to protect your body from the sunlight.

Sunscreen is extremely important to give you such protection. This is, by the way, one of the main reasons why most beach volleyball players look shiny!

7. Bottle of water

Do I have to mention that?! Anyway, I guess I have to because there are some people who make the ig mistake of not having a bottle of water with them while playing …

Sweating makes the body loses a ton of water, and without proper hydration you will definitely suffer and affect your performance and body as well!

8. Proper Clothing

Players from the same team or country are dressed the same. Players usually prefer to wear a swimsuit when playing beach volleyball.

If you are reading this article in the winter season, then you probably should learn about things to wear for sand volleyball when it’s cold …

9. Backpack

A beach volleyball backpack must contain all the personal equipment needed for a beach match. The backpack should be light and easy to carry.

Beach volleyball backpacks (Check this quality example Here at Amazon) are water repellent and need to protect the interior from sand.

Some beach volleyball backpacks may also include cooling to keep your snacks and drinks cool.

10. Ball pump

Ball pumps are compact, powerful and reliable equipment. It can be operated manually or mechanically to quickly inflate volleyball, basketball and other new or used sporting goods.

Court Equipment

11. Net

Obviously the net is what gives the game of the sense it has. The latter needs have a height between 6”4 and 8 feet depending on whether it is men or women volleyball. This could be lower for the youth under 18 years old!

Keep in mind that there are some foldable volleyball nets (Check this example) that you can stick to the sand and start practicing immediately.

12. Court Boundary lines

If it’s not enough to just put your foot in the sand and draw a line, gameplay requires a set of beach volleyball court borders.

The boundaries are often made of durable material that can be easily rolled up and unfolded to set up as a stadium.

Lines often have stakes to slide the corner rings to stabilize the line. The dimensions of the official course should be 8 meters long and 16 meters wide.

13. Ball Bag

Volleyball bag is a rectangular nylon bag designed to hold up to 6 official size inflated volleyball. With an adjustable shoulder strap and a place to write your team name, this bag is perfect for traveling.

You can also learn about how much it generally cost to build a beach volleyball court from A to Z …

Referee Equipment

14. Referee Stand

Beach volleyball referees have the same functionality as indoor volleyball referees, with the main difference being that they can withstand weather conditions.

A beach volleyball referee’s stand is required when entering the official competition area, allowing the referee to observe the entire court in a highly visible and vantage point.

Beach volleyball referee stands are often easy to move to different locations and locations on the beach or sandy beach.

15. Whistle

At all official beach volleyball competitions with referees, the official must be properly equipped with the referee’s whistle.

The whistle must be assertive and destructive so that players, fans and other officials can hear his whistle. The referee’s whistle is used to stop the game or make a call to resolve a controversial foul, point, or outbound call.

16. Scoring Material

A volleyball match comprises five games, which are called sets. Each set goes until one team scores 25 points, and the match consists of up to five sets. A team needs to win three sets to win the match, and if there’s a tie after the fourth, the last set will only require 15 points.

However, a beach volleyball match only has three sets, and the sets only go to 21 points. But like with regular volleyball, the third match will only go until a team scores 15 points

Final Thoughts …

Again, you don’t have to but all those equipment to start playing beach volleyball. In my humble opinion, you a ball, with a net and socks are more than enough to get started, especially if there are other partners around you that you can practice with …

Hope you’ve found this short post helpful!

Beach volleyball is a sport that relies on many skills and abilities. Vertical jumping is probably one of the most important ones. Indeed, a poor vertical jump will impact your ability to strike, block or even to serve …

In this article I breakdown some simple tips that you can start implementing today to notice a better vertical jump within a very short period of time.

Let’s dive in!

Most important muscles to jump in sand

Several muscle groups work together when you jump in the sand …

First there is the lower part which mainly consists of calves, glutes as well as hamstrings. These lower parts are extremely important because they push your body upward in a difficult environment like sand.

Each of these muscles has a separate role, yet the all work together for the same goal. Indeed, the quadriceps, or quad muscles, extend the knee when you jump on the sand. On the other hand, the hamstrings help proving good extension of your hips while jumping.

Apart from the lower body muscles, some other muscles also help you jump higher in the sand, including the muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and back.

Quick Tip: If you are an amateur and want to practice jumping on the sand, then you may want to use sand socks. These would give a little bit more stability and strength when jumping which would results in better vertical jumps for you. For example, these quality sand socks are reliable and will help in that regard.

4 Drills to increase your vertical jump for beach volleyball

All the drills below should preferably be done in sand …

1. Knee Tuck Jumps

While standing, your beloved feet & shoulder should stay width apart for better results. Try to follow these few steps …

• Try to jump as high as possible.
• Once your leave the ground, try to pull your knees as high as you possibly can.
• Right after that, try to quickly make your legs straight to make a safe landing.
• Repeat this exercise many times until you start getting comfortable.

2. The Lateral Jump

Here you need to jump to the side from quite a standing position. Try to follow these few instructions:

• Your jump needs to be hard, literally as hard as you possibly can.
• Try to land on the leg that you feel stronger.
• The other leg should however not touch the ground.
• Keep doing this exercise from side to side until you starting feeling comfortable.

3. Broad Jumps

Here you will need to stand your beloved feet a little bit apart more than the width of your shoulders. Try to follow these simple steps …

• Drop your body (slowly) into a squat situation and wait 5 seconds before you can jump as high as you possibly can.
• But once you land on the sand, try to jump almost immediately without squatting too much.
• Keep doing so for as long as you can.

This exercise is great not only for your jumping ability, but also to strengthen your legs.

4. Mountain Climbers

• Begin by putting your hands on the floor.
• Start pulling one foot to reach your chest.
• Now do the same with the other foot, but don’t forget to switch your legs at the same time.
• Your feet should only touch the floor just for a second.

Also, keep your hips low and move very quickly until the set of repetitions you decide on is completed.

Keep in mind that even if you are a tall beach volleyball player, you still need to work on your vertical jumping …

Is gym workout good for beach verticals?

Working out at the gym is a critical part not only for increasing your vertical jump but also to stay in shape for beach volleyball. When you go to the gym to train for increasing vertical jump, you should lift weights…

Lifting weights is an essential part of beach volleyball training. It helps players develop skills that help on the court, including out-jumps, out-cuts, and even out-sprinting opponents.

The biggest benefit you get from lifting weights and working out at the gym is that you develop strength and power. Strength and power only come after you build a certain amount of muscle.

Lifting weights helps you develop this muscle mass by stimulating the tiny muscle fibers that make up these muscles. These fibers start growing in size with every weight lifting session, thus producing more power and strength.

Furthermore, the pushing phase of weight lifting that mimics squats helps develop strong and powerful hip extension strength and also develops power in the upper back and shoulders.

This is a basic exercise for all athletes, especially volleyball players. The squatting in weight lifting works the muscles that are involved in increasing the power of your jumping and landing in volleyball.

Is rope jumping good for beach verticals?

Jumping rope strengthens the jumping muscles, which are your calves, quadriceps, glutes, abs, and hamstrings.

Jumping high involves a combination of strength, power, and coordination. The lower body muscles form a chain that begins with the glutes, travels to the thighs, and then goes down to the calves, which provide the power needed when the toes push off the ground.

Jumping rope activates the lower body in the same way that vertical jumping does. The only difference is that jumping rope also builds your endurance.

At the same time, jumping rope helps strengthen your core muscles, which enables you to push off your toes and propel yourself into the air.

Jumping rope requires your lower and upper bodies to be active at the same time, with the core providing stability, which frees up your arms and legs to move in a more flexible manner. All these benefits help you excel in volleyball jumping.

How often do beach volleyball players jump in a game?

Most people tend to believe that an average volleyball player has to jump anywhere between 100, 200, or perhaps even 500 times in a single beach volleyball match. However, the actual number is surprisingly not this high…

A player only jumps around 40 to 60 times per beach volleyball match. Of course, this is just an average, and the exact number changes from a player to another.

It is the quality of your jumps in beach volleyball that matters more than the number of times you jump.

How often should you work on your vertical jump?

A volleyball player should ideally repeat exercises for vertical jumps at least two to three times a week.

You should ideally give rest of at least 48 to 72 hours of rest between two jump workouts for complete nervous system recovery.

Higher frequencies of jump training than this is not going to help improve your abilities as it increases the chances of injury more.

Moderate frequency, but regular jump training is ideal for speed and power improvements and for increasing your vertical jump.

Final Thoughts …

Some people get too comfortable with their jumping abilities and stop practicing as they think that they don’t have to, simply because they can jump higher than everybody around …

That’s a huge mistake in my opinion. Indeed, their ability to jump higher could suffer from some sort of regression.

The idea here is to keep practicing regardless of how good you are or you think you are!

Finally, if you are also interested about indoor volleyball, then you can check those interesting drills to increase your volleyball jumping abilities …

Many people with a backyard are not aware that they can have a lot of fun building a sand volleyball court in their yard and enjoy this activity with their family & friends…

Even those who want to do so are a little afraid and reluctant. They think it is going to be a mess!

In fact, building a sand court is really feasible as far as you are educated about the steps you should follow.

In this article, I breakdown all what you need to have and the steps you should follow to make sure your home volleyball court project will be a success.

What you will need to build a beach volleyball court?

A sand volleyball court can be set up in any place that is free of low-hanging tree branches or cables.

While the fundamental setup is easy, constructing your own volleyball court takes some time to prepare the ground and verify that all of the court’s components are installed safely.

First of all, you need to make sure the sand you are going to use is of a good quality. Otherwise, playing there won’t be as safe and as convenient as it should be.

Now, to hold up your Net you will need to use quality poles (I always recommend stainless steel poles, especially if you are close to the coast). Poles made of Anodized aluminum or even treated wood could be considered!

Quick Tip: If you don’t want to use poles and keep it light you can consider using a portable Net. For example, this quality portable Net is lightweight and could be removed and stored easily.

If you decide to stick to the poles, then make sure to prepare a proper concrete footing anywhere between 2 to 4 feet of depth. This will allow you to have poles up to 16 feet long if you want.

Finally, while outdoor volleyball nets are usually 39 inches tall, you can of course play with the size depending on your preferences.

How much it will cost you?

That’s probably the most important question, right?! Well, this varies a lot depending on so many factors …

Indeed, based on the design and size of your yard and family size, the cost to build a volleyball court is between $9,000-$20,000.

The following 3 areas will determine how much your basic costs will be:

• Sand and gravel
• Excavation equipment rental
• Court equipment.

If you reside near a beach, sand will most likely be readily available at a reasonable price. You’ll need to buy sand from a local sand pit or milling company unless you want to spend a lot of time at the beach with a shovel and a pickup truck.

If possible, use washed plaster sand, washed masonry sand, washed river sand, or washed beach or dune sand.

You can decide what type of volleyball court you would like, such as wood, metal, or vinyl.

The sand itself costs about $2,400 and the transport costs about $2,000.

$1,000 rentals, manpower, net, lines, equipment.

The price of the net, for example, can cost from $75 to $550.

It all depends on how much you are willing to spend on building and how much space you have.

I highly invite you to learn more about beach volleyball court costs …

Step – by – Step process to build a beach volleyball court in the backyard

Step 1. Playing area

After selecting a location that supports the size of the court that you want, it is typically suggested that the court orientation be set so that the net runs east to west.

This will prevent the sun from shining directly in the eye of the players in the morning and evening.

You should also consider how neighboring structures and shadows affect the game. You had to think about wind, sand erosion, the sun, and shadows, and how these might affect you.

Brightly colored tape or rope with similar properties should be used to create the boundary lines. Because ropes can cause burns if you come into contact with them by accident, sturdy 2″ wide webbing is suggested and used by professionals. We recommend removing the lines at night for safety concerns to prevent individuals from tripping and harming themselves.

The net’s plane serves as the court’s invisible center line, separating it into two halves.

Step 2. Draining

Drainage of the court beneath the sand must be considered, and this can be accomplished by correctly grading the land and placing a range-enhancing surface below the sand.

To allow for the construction of a drainage pipe on the regular slant, the court should be excavated an additional 30cm (below the sand depth of 30cm to 40cm) (14 degrees).

At the lowest point, the drainage point should lead away from the court.

Be aware of the natural surrounding slope so that you do not trap water with your inclined viewing sides. You may get away without the drainage system if you have sufficient drainage and no rocks, but we still recommend using the semi-permeable sand/soil.

Step 3. Sand

When you build a beach volleyball court with bad sand, you’re more likely to have a court that isn’t that usable.

Most new and experienced volleyball players dislike playing beach volleyball in a cloud of dust or in sand that tears up their knees and elbows.

As a result, sand selection is likely the most essential component in court design, and any sand used should be light-colored sands because they absorb the least amount of heat.

Quick Tip: You may want to test the sand before you make any purchases. You can check how the sand feels. Whether or not it will cut you by kneeling in the sand. It would be best if you did this in both dry and wet conditions. Make sure it is not agitating, nor does it cut you.

Step 4. Pole set-up

Again, if you decide to go heavy and use proper poles to hold your Net, then the recommendation is to opt for stainless steel. This will help you avoid their erosion!

This material also help support the tension so it won’t break even under significant pressure!

Although the poles do not need to be cemented in place, they should be. In most cases, both poles should be cemented in place and free of any hazardous protrusions.

If you use wood poles, it is recommended to not use concrete, because they will eventually break and it will be very difficult to remove the concrete and install the new pole. If you like, you can wrap padding around the poles to help protect the players on your court.

Step 5. Fil it in

Spread about 4″ to 6″ of small drainage gravel uniformly around the base of the court and drainage pipe once the poles are in place.

Then, to block the gravel from mixing with the sand while still allowing water to travel through to the drainage system, cover this layer with landscape fabric.

After that, cover your gravel with at least 1′ to 2′ of sand and spread it uniformly throughout the court with a shovel and a rake.

Step 6. Set a Net and place boundary markers

Installing the equipment is the final step in constructing a sand volleyball court.

To avoid harm, boundary marks should be on a different color from the used sand. You can use black or purple or any similar color. Obviously, you should avoid colors like yellow or orange.

How deep is a sand volleyball court?

Usually, the depth of a sand volleyball court is 2 and 3ft, because of the court light pole. They are placed at 3 feet deep if draining is not ideal.

Otherwise, with compact soil, a depth of 2 feet should be enough. Also, we can insert 5 feet into the sand of the overall light pole height is just 10 feet.

Or, we could go for a series of layers to allocate the light pole base for a more stable footing. Wind resistance  bending, and tilting might be issues too.

In detail, the concrete footing must be installed as deep as necessary. Mainly to avoid any stability issues. Since the lay of the land can be extremely varied, the foundations of the building could affect the depth.

What kind of sand is used in volleyball court?

 If you set foot in a pro beach volleyball league pitch, you will notice that sand is high – quality.

Usually, first – class volleyball sand comes from deep inside the mountains. Тhe seller sources and screens the raw products for rock flakes or pebbles. In fact impurities can cut the volleyball player’s skin.

Often, high quality sand is made, rounded, and polished from freshwater rivers. But in some locations, natural beach sand works just fine.

When choosing sand for a sand volleyball court, it’s best to go with washed masonry sand or sand that isn’t from a crushed-rock source.

When you’re looking for sand, try to select the cleanest feasible because sand that contains a lot of dirt can eventually condense into mud when wet.

Keep in mind that cleaning sand court is important to make it sustainable! You can have a look at these tips to properly clean sand volleyball court ….

Final Thoughts…

Hopefully, the amount of information I’ve shared in this article is not too overwhelming for you. I invite you to read this article more than once to make sure you fully understand the steps you need to follow.

Finally, I highly encourage you to check this guide on how to become a beach volleyball player …

I’ve always liked the idea of having a dedicated beach volleyball court where I can practice & have fun with my family and friends. However, I was never really aware of how much does it cost or how the process looks like to make such a court …

So, I did my in-depth research and would love to share with you what I’ve learnt!

In this article, I breakdown in details the cost of building a quality sand volleyball court as well as how the process generally looks like if you’ve ever chosen to do so.

Beach volleyball cost – General Overview

A beach volleyball court can cost a lot if you want a private one …

In order to construct a beach volleyball court the average price is roughly 35.000$.

The expenses breakdown looks generally like this:

• Hiring a bobcat or front end loader to dig a pit
• Sanitizing drainage and water pipes
• Buying gravel and sand
• Buying poles and all different kinds of expenses that are sand court related.
• Volleyball Net (Check its price at Amazon)

The most expensive part of the investment is the sand itself, after that comes the poles and then the gravel. All other things are of lower cost than these 2 individually.

The price of sand can vary a lot, because it all depends of the region you are in. Sometimes the gravel can cost more than the sand.

What types of sand is used for beach volleyball?

The sand that is used for beach volleyball is a completely different and special type of sand that is carefully chosen for the sport. The sand goes through a lot of procedures to determine the quality and if the sand meets the required conditions.

The FIVB strictly regulates the sand for every major beach volleyball competition. The sand is required to be fine, of small grain and without any pebbles or shells that can cause possible injury.

When you get rid of the dust that sand contains, you will get perfect beach volleyball sand that does not stick to your body parts. There are special tools that help when extracting bigger sand particles and pebbles out of the finer sand.

The sand for beach volleyball has only 3-5% of dust in it, which makes it perfect for no sticking during gameplay. You can find beach volleyball sand on the market that is FIVB regulated.

What is the average cost of sand volleyball?

There is no specific price when it comes to sand. It all depends on the region you live in and if the region has plenty of sand or if the sand is imported.

(Average price in the US is 30$ per Ton, but please don’t quote me on that!)

Sometimes gravel can cost much more than the sand itself. If a region has an abundance of sand, then the price will be lower, and if a region has little to no sand, this means that it needs to import sand, making it significantly expensive.

How many tons of sand for volleyball court?

Depending on the size of your court and on the location where you live, or where the sand is being built, you will need different amounts of sand and you will get them at different prices.

There is a special formula on how you can calculate the amount of sand that you will need for your court. In fact there are two formulas, because some distributers sell the sand by yards and some by tones.

Length X Width X Depth in feet, divided by 27 and then multiplied by 1.6 (this formula is for the tonnage), while the formula for the yardage is L x W x D divided by 27, and that is it.

Example:

• Length: 59 feet
• Width: 30 feet
• Depth: 3 feet

Number of Tons: (59 x 30 x 3 x 1.6) / 27 = 315 Tons

If we pay about 30 bucks per Ton, then this would roughly cost: 9500$

Cost of Sand volleyball court maintenance …

The cost of maintenance for a beach volleyball court can vary drastically.

There is a big number of equipment that is intended for beach volleyball court maintenance. Hand tools are usually cheap and will usually cost around 100 or 200$.

Sand always attracts stuff like bottle caps, paper and even remains of cigarettes. That’s why you will always need to continually clean those things out.

Also, padding on poles need to be checked quite regularly and repaired in case it is needed.

For proper maintenance, I strongly invite you to check this guide to easily clean beach volleyball court! You’ll find it very useful …

How much time does it take to build sand volleyball court?

Building a beach volleyball court can take somewhere from 8 to 10 days depending on the surface you are dealing with …

How is a sand volleyball court built?

Day 1

There is the digging process. There are no people involved in digging the pit for the gravel and sand, this is rather done by machines.

The machine will dig out the pit in no time, it will take it half a day at worst. At best, the machine can dig the pit for a few hours.

Day 1-2

After the digging comes the sanitation of the pipelines and drainage, if there is any. The drainage and pipes need to be sanitized properly and with care. That can take more than half a day away, if not the entire day away.

Day 3-4

Next comes the poles and the gravel. If the investor has decided that he wants the poles to have a concrete bottom, in order to stand better and stronger, the hardening process of the concrete can take much time, depending on the weather, but it is usually a day or two.

Day 5-6

After the hardening the gravel is added, which is no big deal, since it will probably be poured in the pit. The straightening of the gravel is also an easy job.

After that there are only two more steps, adding the protection to the walls of the pit and the gravel, for the sand.

Day 7

This is also one of the more delicate jobs, because the screen-type protection needs to be laid out perfectly, to not allow the gravel and the dirt to find their way up into the sand.

Day 8

And the final step is the sand. It will also be poured into the pit, well, into the remaining empty space. After that it will be straightened perfectly and the games can begin.

The process of building a beach volleyball court is simple to understand, but it is not easy to build the pit itself, it is a hard job and it is best if you hire professionals.

You can learn more about the detailed steps to build a beach volleyball court …

How big should your backyard be for a volleyball court?

The dimensions of your yard will however, dictate how big the court should be. If you plan on building a smaller court that is fine, you will not play fully fledged games every day in your back yard.

If the regular beach volleyball court is 18m x 9m we can conclude that your back yard has to be at least one more court bigger …

In this case, this means that your yard would have to be 36m x 18m at least. If it is larger, that is even better since you will have plenty of room to move around.

If your yard is not that big, the solution is to build a smaller court that can support a two v two game.

Final Thoughts …

The goal of this article was to give you a clear idea on how much it would cost you to build a beach volleyball court. However, what I’ve shared is based on other people experiences, that’s why you shouldn’t prepare your budget based on what I’ve said …

Instead, I highly invite you to do your own research by checking for example with sand providers and other equipment providers to have more accurate quotations.

This will give you a clearer idea on how much you need to actually spend.

I’ve recently put together an article on how much do beach volleyball players make! I think you will find it very interesting …

Practicing beach volleyball alone, for many people, doesn’t really make sense since at the end of the day, it is a team sport and it requires at least 2 players to execute any offensive or defensive sequence …

However, there are still some solid benefits when practicing by yourself. This will eventually allow you to focus solely on some specific skills where you feel you are quite lacking.

In this article, I breakdown the kind of skills and drills you can work on solo in beach volleyball.

Practicing beach volleyball by yourself – Good or Bad idea?

Practicing alone can be sometimes repetitive but it is definitely not a bad idea.

When practicing alone you can focus on some of the skills and moves that you want to improve specifically.

The coach is looking at your performance when practicing with partners, and he can point out things you need to improve. However, you might not always have enough time with your partners to work on that. That’s why you can add couple extra hours working on those aspects of your game alone.

Also, keep in mind that some moves and skills cannot be practiced alone effectively, like spiking and receiving …

These skills can be practiced alone, but it is nowhere near as good as practicing with partners.

5 Beach Volleyball Skills & Drills you can improve by yourself …

Some of those drills require having a good grip on sand, that’s why I recommend using sand socks to help for that. For example these quality sand socks provide decent grip and can properly protect your feet from sand heat and sharp objects.

Pass, set, hit

Pass, set, hit is a fun drill that can be practiced alone.

For this drill you will need a low rooftop and a ball. The goal here is to practice your pass, set and hit, as the name implies.

To get started with this drill, you can simply hit the hit the ball, or throw it at the rooftop. When the ball starts coming down that is when the drill begins.

You will first pass the ball to yourself, then set it and then hit it, sending it at the rooftop. When the ball starts coming down again, repeat the process.

Pushup in between

Pushup in between means that you will do a pushup every time you hit the ball. This pushup is an add-on for the first practice.

Doing a pushup in combination with the previous drill can be really beneficial. Every time you do a pushup you will go down with your entire body. When you come up however, you will need to find the ball and the focus that is needed.

The goal of adding the pushup is to help your reflexes, so you can make a comeback during an intense game. This is a similar practice that you can do with your teammates.

Pass, set, head and shoulders, hand

This exercise is both challenging and fun. It will help improving your ball control.

So this drill is performed in the following manner. You will pass the ball to yourself, then set it and after that use your head and after that your shoulder to send it back into the air.

The goal of this drill is to help your overall mobility and your overall motoric skills to improve.

Improving your arm swing

For this drill you will need a tennis ball.

This exercise aims at improving your arm swing and opening up to the ball. It can also help with your hit, but that comes with the improved arm swing.

Using a tennis ball for this drill is practical because it will allow you to focus on your hand movement while holding a solid object in your hand.

You can improve your arm swing in many different ways with this drill, by using your torso or by using your rhomboids. This means that you will have to throw the ball by using your entire shoulder in a precise manner.

Start by lifting your arm at a 90 degree angle. Then try swinging it back above your head, and try to use only your shoulder while performing this action. The movement is similar as to a quarter back when throwing the ball at practice.

When using your rhomboids the movement is also similar to the last description, but your arm will stay at the 90 degree angle when you swing it back. This part of the drill has the goal of helping you open up.

Ten thirty, thoracic, shoulder blades, elbow high and release

This drill is tightly connected to the previous one …

It has the goal of helping you with your arm movement. As you can see it is a five part drill. It is also performed with a tennis ball.

• Take the ball in your hands.
• Make a 90 degree angle with your hand.
• Rotate the hand by using your shoulder.
• Swing it back.
• Release/throw the ball.

It is better to start executing this exercise with a slow pace.

It is worth mentionning that increasing your beach volleyball vertical jump is something you can also do by yourself.

How often should you practice alone?

You should practice alone quite often like 2 to 3 times a week.

Do it in combination with your practices, or the gym. An hour of single practice can help you substantially when combined with your regular practices.

Practicing alone often can help you when it comes to developing your skills, and maintaining other sets of skills.

You should practice alone on the days when you do not have regular practices, because you can improve the skills that you are seem to be lacking at practices, and implement what you have learned by practicing alone.

Beach volleyball Skills you can’t improve alone …

The first skill is about your reflexes, you can improve your speed and quickness, but the reflexes are mainly up to regular practices with your training partners.

You cannot improve your reflexes alone, because you won’t likely face difficult and uncomfortable situations that will require of you to be sharp minded and to react quickly.

In actual games, you will face certain situations that will require you to react quickly and without hesitation.

Another one is your reaction time, the conditions of improving your reaction time are the same as for the improvement of your reflexes.

This means that you will have always to be on the lookout, and be able to anticipate where and how the ball will be going, you will have to predict its trajectory precisely.

Finally, keep in mind that those drills won’t be enough to gain speed for the sport. Indeed, for this you need to check those beach volleyball speed drills …

Final Thoughts …

Practicing alone is very important for beach volleyball because it is a sport that you might not have access to throughout the year, especially during times when the weather bad.

In those cases, you can keep your skills sharp by practicing alone at home, preferably in your back yard if you have one.

It is cool to be a well-known professional beach volleyball player; however does this mean that those players are actually making money, or are they rather struggling to make a living out of their passion?

In this article, I breakdown exactly how much money beach volleyball players make, how they get paid as well as the kinds of competitions/tournaments that seem to yield the most amount of revenue for them.

How much money do professional beach volleyball players make?

Well this question will be answered accordingly to the statistics of the Bureau of Labor statistics of the US …

According to US statistics the average professional beach volleyball player annually makes between 19.910$ and 187.200$ annually. The average however is around 104.000$. There is also the fact that the average maximum during a professional beach volleyball career is around 2.6 million US $.

There is a difference between Europe and the US. Players in Europe usually play under a contract. Once it is signed, it usually guarantees them regular pay, and in some cases a flat/apartment.

The amount that beach volleyball players make per contract in Europe can vary, and there are no strict values to the amount. But we can assume that they probably make the same amount as their US counterparts.

Important Tip: If you are an amateur and not used to hot sand while practicing, the you definitely need to use sand socks. They will also give you a more stability and strength when jumping which would results in better performance overall. For example, these quality sand socks are reliable and will help in that regard.

How do beach volleyball players make money?

Beach volleyball players mainly make money by just playing games in competitions, under the condition that they win or are in the top 3.

The money that they make from winning in a competition largely depends on the competition itself and its rank, the level of proficiency and the team. If a competition is of lower rank, the prizes will be lower, if the competition is of higher rank, naturally the prizes will be higher.

The second way beach volleyball players make money are sponsorships. Sponsors are a big deal in the sports. There are team sponsors, competition sponsors, league sponsors etc.

Sponsors usually divert some of their profit to sports events and to individual sportsmen. By diverting their money to the various sport, they get a good marketing opportunity, while the players, teams, leagues etc. get a portion of that money.

Players that have sponsors usually have an agreement/contract with the sponsor. The sponsorship usually includes some benefits and a regular pay, and in return the player has some obligations towards the sponsor.

What sand volleyball Competitions provide the most rewards …

There are many beach volleyball competitions out there that are held throughout the entire season. Accordingly to their rank the competitions have different prizes and rewards.

The lower ranking competitions often do not have money prizes or high amounts of rewards, they usually have medals and diplomas. The high ranking competitions however have all kinds of money sums as rewards.

The competition with the highest prize is the FIVB World championships games. The FIVB World championships has a reward of 500.000 US $ per gender, making it a staggering 1 million US $ for the first places, for both genders. One more reward that goes with this is the automatic qualification to the Olympics for the gold medals.

There is also the FIVB men’s nations league with the prize money set again to 1 million US$ for the first place, 500.000 US$ for the second place and 300.000 US $ for the third place. This is just one more example of how much players can make in volleyball.

When it comes to the competitions that can reward players the most, then the FIVB sponsored ones are the best ones. The other competitions are of course rewarding players too, but not as much as the FIVB sponsored competitions.

Do sponsorships help beach players make money?

Yes, sponsorships help beach volleyball players make money. The only thing is that it is often not known publicly how much beach volleyball players make from their contracts with their sponsors.

The sponsor is the one who makes the first contact even with very good players. After the contact is made, the sponsor then proceeds to ask the player and negotiate with the player, or his manager about the price and the terms under which the player will accept the contract.

The third step is to sign a contract with the player. A player-sponsor contract has mutual benefits and responsibilities. The player has certain responsibilities towards the sponsor, while the sponsor has also certain responsibilities towards the player.

The player will usually wear the logo of the sponsor on his shirt, and in some cases on his forearm, like a sticker.

You can learn more about how popular actually is beach volleyball …

Who gets paid more, males or females?

In the previous section we can see that the FIVB sponsored events have the same awards for both males and females. That is the FIVB World championship has a prize of 500.000 US$ for both genders, meaning that 1 million $ is distributed equally.

However we can speak of there are variations when it comes to individual players pay gaps, no matter the gender, that all depends on the sponsors, their ability to win games and competitions, their contract as well as the level of proficiency they are at.

If a player is not on a satisfactory level of proficiency, that is, if he plays low to mid rank games and competitions, he will get paid less, no matter the gender. We can say with confidence that males and females are paid equally.

Do beach volleyball referees make money too?

Yes, beach volleyball referees make money, that is, they have a regular salary, even more regular than the players, because they do not play the game, they do a completely different job.

However, referees tend to have a low average pay in the sports world. The average salary of a referee is around 30.000$ annually. Meaning that the referees make around 2500$ monthly.

The US Bureau of Labor has some official statistics that have various numbers regarding the salary of the referees in beach volleyball. The lowest salary is around 16.310$, the middle number stands around 18.810$ while the median number stands at around 22.000$. That is not much.

However we need to take into account that this is not the case in the FIVB. The FIVB pays the referees daily wages, or we may say that the referees get additional money when attending an event in beach volleyball. The numbers again, vary but, the daily pay oscillates between 80$ and 150$ in the US.

How does this compare with indoor volleyball players?

When it comes to the comparison between indoor and beach volleyball players salaries there are not so many differences as there are similarities. In the US the professional volleyball players salary is looked at annually, while in Europe, the case is the same as in beach volleyball, a contract is signed and the player gets a yearly salary, with some other benefits.

A professional indoor volleyball player in the US has an average annual salary of about 104.000$, as of 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor. Again, the total annual salary of indoor volleyball players is determined by the team’s ability to win.

If the team is winning on tournaments, or if it is going in the top three, there is a chance that the team will get a reward. Do not forget the sponsors and all the other revenues the players get during a professional career.

In Europe, the situation is different. Players that play volleyball professionally will have to sign a contract that usually decides the amount a player will be getting paid monthly. The contract will also establish mutual responsibilities of the player and the team he is playing for.

Players in Europe may also get a paid flat, a car to use and a person/helper to guide them through the city, if the city is not their native city/town. Players in Europe may get paid up to 10.000$ a month.

Final Thoughts …

So as you can see, the payment situation is not that bad. Of course it could of been better, because when we compare that with how much soccer players are making for example, we can see that there is a huge gap …

However, I won’t be surprised if the numbers I’ve just shared here in this article double or even triple in the next few years. Beach volleyball is only getting popular year after year and this should definitely be reflected on the players pay.

Finally, I would love that you check this simple guide on how you can become a professional beach volleyball player …

Becoming a professional beach volleyball player is not an easy task. Indeed, it requires high levels of awareness of what you need to do to play at the highest level …

In this article, I breakdown what it takes to reach the pro level. I share some helpful tips that you probably should be aware of as well as some facts related to the professional life that you need to know so you won’t be surprised later on!

Hope that helps.

11 Tips to become a Professional Beach Volleyball Player

#TIP 0: Protect Yourself

A huge problem that holds back some players from perusing a professional career are injuries. So, my tip here is to learn how to play safely and, overtime, develop a playing style that won’t represent too much risk for you.

A common beach volleyball injury is often related to the knee. That’s why I highly recommend you consider playing with knee pads (Check this example Here) from time to time, even if you don’t have bad knees, this will help prevent potential injuries.

Also, if you are a beginner, think about using sand socks (like these). They will help protect your feet from sand heat and sharp objects.

You can learn more about properly protecting your feet for sand volleyball …

#TIP 1: Self-Discipline

Self-motivation and self-discipline are extremely important. Beach volleyball is a collegiate sport and as such it requires discipline and enough motivation to keep you going.

Indeed it is very easy to lose focus in collegiate sports if you are not disciplined enough.

#TIP 2: Be an Athlete

One of the key factors is to play as much sports and to have many different activities when you are “young”. Basically you need to be an athlete and by experiencing other disciplines.

This will shape your athletic abilities!

This does not mean that you need to get carried away and lose your focus. The primary goal will still be beach volleyball, but the other sports can help your overall physical and mental abilities.

You can learn more on how you can stay in the best possible shape for beach volley …

#TIP 3: The more Games the Better

Play as many games as you can and go to as many tournaments as you can. Indeed, the experience you are going to gain from playing competitive games is far better than just regular practice.

So make sure you have as many games under you belt as this will shape the great player you will, hopefully, be in the future.

#TIP 4: Move forward

Losing games in your career may be devastating to your self-discipline and self-motivation. You should know that loosing is part of the game and you will eventually lose games even if you are part of the best team out there.

Win or Lose, forget about it and move forward and think about the next game.

#TIP 5: Learn from your losses

Moving forward doesn’t mean that you should learn from your losses. Indeed, takeaways from lost games are usually more beneficial to you than winning games.

That is because when you lose a game you become more self-critical. You will start analyzing your mistakes and think about what you can do differently.

By doing so, you should rely on your coach point of view, this will certainly help!

#TIP 6: Listen to your coach

Your coaches are simply there to guide you and make you aware of your mistakes. They are the passive observer and active teacher.

Your coach will know you and your playing style more than you know it yourself. It is best to listen to his advice most of the time.

You might not agree with some of it, yet you should always consider what he is telling you. Because he has certainly seen something you probably didn’t.

You can learn more about the role of coaches in beach volleyball …

#TIP 7: Hunt for opportunities

Always be on the lookout for new opportunities that can leverage your career. It may seem like it is hard, but when you are constantly moving around in sports circles, you will eventually stumble uppon a few connections that might help you in the future.

You never know, this will lead you to the opportunity that will change your life.

#TIP 8: Be patient

You will certainly face some tought times. For example, you might join a team and have a hard time being in good terms with your new coach and new teammates …

Don’t rush and decide to leave, instead be patient, give it time to sink in. You might be dealing with a new culture or a new perspective …

Usually, all it takes is to give yourself some time to aclimate.

#TIP 9: Hunt for a contract

When you hunt down some conections, you will have opportunities for signing contracts, well, not immediatelly, but there will be opportunities eventually.

Having a club presenting you an offer with a contract is possible, but it is not usualy.

So, don’t expect somebody to present a contract for you. Instead you should literally hunt for it.

If you are able to do so, then at that time, things will start to be interesting!

#TIP 10: Smart beats Hard every day, all day!

Work smarter, not harder. Hard work is not always the one that pays off the most. If you work smarter you will not have to work harder for the goal that you want to achieve.

hat does not meant that you do not have to work at all for your goal, this means that you need to be tactical in your decisions, by making „long term investments“.

#TIP 11: Allocate TIME for Practice!

This might sound obvious! However, this is a huge trap that most people fall into, let me explain …

Indeed, there is a huge difference between saying „I will practice today for couple hours“ and saying „I will practice today for 3 hours, between 6pm and 9pm“

Your brain won’t interpret the first sentence as a time committement. Instead it interpret it as an option or possibility.

Unlike the second sentence that you brain consider as your full time and effort committement.

Approach each practice session just like that and you will do just Fine!

Best age to get started!

The best age to start beach volleyball would be, just like in the case of indoor volleyball, around 9 to 12 years of age. Indeed …

First and foremost kids are more likely to embrace new things than adults. It is easier for a kid to learn playing volleyball than it is for an adult.

Would indoor volleyball help for your beach career?

If you have an aim on becoming a professional beach volleyball player than your place is at the beach and not in an indoor court.

However, there are some parts of the year when whether doesn’t allow practicing on the beach. At that time, it is totally Ok to resume your practices in indoor courts to keep the momentum.

Can you make a living as a pro beach volleyball player?

Yes, you can make a living off of beach volleyball, but it is not as easy as you may think. Competition in beach volleyball is very high, and beach volleyball players are not „empolyed“ by anyone, and they do not have regular salaries.

There is an estimate that the yearly number is between 19.900$ and 187.000$, that number varies from player to player.

It is worth noting that sometimes, in order to make money in beach volleyball you need to win, if you win you get the money, if you lose you go empty handed.

You can learn more about the amounts of money that sand volleyball players make …

How hard is it to become a professional volleyball player?

Beach volleyball is not as popular as indoor volleyball, but that does not mean that people do not have aspirations of becoming professional players.

The college period is where the competition becomes fierce.

It may be a little easier to become a professional beach volleyball player than a professional indoor volleyball player, but that does not mean that it is easy all together.

You will need to poses a wide range of skills, good knowledge of the game, strong will and a sense for success mentality.

Countries where it is easier to become a pro beach volleyball player

Naturally there are some countries where it is easier to become a professional beach volleyball player than other. Those countries are usually the ones you would not even imagine.

The best countries to try out your luck when hunting a professional beach volleyball career are France, Brazil and Poland.

Final Thoughts …

I totally understand that becoming a pro requires hard work and great sacrifices. However, I don’t want you to worry too much on that by trying to force things …

Instead let it come naturally. Of course do the work, but don’t be attached too much emotionally …

Being too much emotionally invested in that will cause more harm than good for a potential professional career.

Finally, I highly invite you to check this list of professional beach volleyball equipment. I think you will find it very interesting …

Beach volleyball is not only about skills and physical abilities (like endurance and strength). It is also about Speed and how quickly you can execute the moves to surprise the opposite team …

In this article, I breakdown some key elements that are necessary to build speed for sand volleyball, as well as some helpful drills that should stimulate your moves and make you even faster.

How important is Speed in beach volleyball?

Speed is essential for beach volleyball because the team is able to build up momentum especially during offensive sequences.

Also for defensive sequences, you can help save some points if you are quick enough, even if your timing is not on point!

Keep in mind that there is a difference between mindless speed and coordinated speed.

Indeed, coordination is often key to winning a game, while mindless speed is often a formula for disaster!

To gain speed in beach volleyball you will need to practice running, swimming and all kinds of arm workouts. Using small weights while performing some of these exercises is definitely helpful!

You can also check this article on the most important volleyball skills!

Key elements to become faster in beach volleyball.

The key elements to become faster are mainly physical, but there are some of the more technical elements that are also important when it comes to beach volleyball.

Physical elements are mainly related to leg muscles!

Leg muscles are maybe the most important part to reach the speed and explosiveness levels you are looking for.

To train your leg muscles different exercises are needed like crunches, running, sprinting and even swimming.

When it comes to your overall body speed/quickness/explosiveness, you also need to utilize a lot of different practices and many more drills. Those are practiced on regular practices and you can also do them individually.

Quick Recommendation: There are other attributes than speed that you need to consider to be an overall better player. To learn more about these attributes I invite you to check this helpful resource.

Crucial Drills to become faster in beach Volleyball …

Cone Sprinting

Cone Sprinting is a mainly outdoor practice and is tightly connected to running, but it can provide your body with the needed short bursts of high blood pressure, active lungs and intense heart beats.

So basically, you need a set of cones or anything that can make a border or end line for you, some grass or concrete.

Place the cones on a distance of about 15 to 20 meters. Start from sprinting from one set of cones to the other.

When you reach the other side, quickly reverse and start sprinting to the starting point.

This exercise helps you with the endurance you need in such short bursts of energy that are frequent in volleyball.

Before the exercise starts it is important to set a timer, let us say, 15 to 20 seconds. The goal is to beat the time, meaning that you need to be faster than those 15/20 seconds.

Foot Work Exercises …

Next we will see two drills that can provide you with more than enough trained foot work. The muscle drills are up to you, since there are many ways in which you can train them.

Both of these foot work exercises are done by utilizing an agility ladder (Like this one). The first foot work drill on this list is the step – run exercise.

• Stand in front of the ladder and start by entering the ladder with the right foot, which is followed by the left foot, in a semi running manner. Your arms should be on the opposite side of the active foot.
• It is essential to break the leg at the knee, when it is in the air, going to 90 degrees (when you start running through the ladder). Try putting both feet in the square, working your way gradually up the ladder. The goal is to put both feet in the squares in order to enhance your coordination.
• After finishing the ladder in one way, try going back, down the ladder, in the same manner as before.

The second exercise is done also on the ladder. It is somewhat different, but the goal is the same, putting your foot in every square, down and up the lane.

• For this exercise you will stand parallel to the first square (let us say on the right side), taking a stance like on the previous exercise.
• When starting the exercise, your right foot will move to the side, going into the square, while the left foot stays outside, in place.
• After putting your foot in the square, get it out as fast as you can, and then move quickly with your entire body to the next square repeating the process. The goal is basically in and out with your foot as fast and precise as you can.
• After finishing one leg, move to the next one repeating the whole process.

It is known that sand can help extensively when it comes to building your leg muscles and your overall speed. Indoor volleyball players use it during some practices, so it would be best if you practice on the sand every time you get a chance.

Volleyball quick reaction and reflexes drills …

Here we will list two different drills that can help enhance your reaction time …

Drill 1

The first drill is basically a small competition between two teams of players.

The drill is performed in the following manner. The coach will split the players in two groups/teams. He will have the ball and will set a timer.

2 players from each team will go forth and lay on their stomach in an upward pushup. The coach will then start the timer that he has already set to a number according to his will.

After starting the timer the coach will blow his whistle and the players are then required to jump up, land on their feet and expect the ball as soon as they touch the ground.

The coach will throw the ball randomly at one of the players making them go for the ball in a spiking throw, the player that misses the ball or does not perform the spike well goes behind the end line and his place is taken by another player from his team.

Drill 2

The second drill is about receiving. It can be performed with a teammate, or the entire team. Receiving is one of the most important things in volleyball, a good receiver can be a game saver.

When you play with your teammate you can do it interchangeably. For example, you will take a receiver stance and your teammate will serve the ball in any manner he sees fit, in order for you to not know where and how he is going to serve. This will also help you with your ability to read the server.

You will receive the ball or not, depending on your skills. The interchangeable part is that you can also serve the ball back to your teammate, and he can practice receiving, so this is basically a 2 in 1 practice.

The second option is for your entire team to line up, everyone with a ball in their hand. Every teammate will perform a serve and you will try to receive the balls they send towards you. This practice is beneficial because not everyone has the same serve, and practicing with different serves can help you a lot.

Is sprinting enough to help your speed for beach volleyball?

No, it is not enough. Sprinting can be, just as swimming or regular running a filler discipline. You can always practice sprinting mixed with some other disciplines to enhance your speed.

If you practice all the drills that we have already mentioned in this article, a fast build-up of your speed is almost guaranteed.

Sprinting is not enough for speed. Utilize different approaches and mix and combine different disciplines and exercises, and you will make speed your ally. Sprinting is just one of the many tools that are required for reaching sufficient levels of speed.

Finally, It is worth mentionning that it is quite hard to increase your speed by yourself. It is better to have coaches or/and partners around. BTW, you can learn about those beach volleyball skills you can learn alone.

Final Thoughts…

My main advice for beginners is not to worry too much about speed at the beginning. Indeed, when you first start practicing beach volleyball, you will have a weird feel that you are very slow …

This is totally normal!

Your body (and especially legs) needs some time to get used to the movement restrictions caused by sand. Within couple weeks you will get used to it.

Finally, I encourage you to learn those helpful tips to get better at volleyball FAST!

Blocking rules might be a little bit confusing for some new players. Indeed, some of them think that a block would count as a hit in some cases and wouldn’t count as such in others.

In this article, I breakdown all those nuances around blocking in beach volleyball as well as other rules related to this move so it will become second nature for you.

Does a block count as a hit in beach volleyball?

No, a block does not count as a hit in beach volleyball. Indeed, beach volleyball is a sport that has the rule of three…

In other words, each team has three possible contacts with the ball before sending the ball over the net to the opponent’s side.

The first and second contacts are basically positioning of the ball, while the third is intended to reach the opposing team.

A block however is not considered a hit. If 2 players collide over a ball, and a player performs a block and the ball falls over to his side, then his team (his teammates and him) have three hits available (aka: the rule of three).

The condition that has be met for a move to be called a hit is that the block must be performed over the height of the net.

There is however, a soft block which counts as a hit in volleyball. This is contrary to the condition that must be met when performing a block. A soft block is performed under the height of the net and it is considered as a hit in volleyball.

It is logical that a block is not considered as a hit in volleyball. A block is a defensive move that forces a player to have contact with the ball in order to save his team from the opponents possible scoring of a point.

Important Tip: If you are an amateur and not used to hot sand while practicing, the you definitely need to use sand socks. They will also give you a more stability and strength when jumping which would results in better performance overall. For example, these quality sand socks are reliable and will help in that regard.

What counts as a block in beach volleyball?

In beach volleyball blocking is considered as a first contact, so the team of two has two contacts left after the block. That is of course under the condition that the ball goes over the net to the blocking player’s side.

It may seem unfair, but there is a reason for this. If a block is not considered as a hit in beach volleyball, a player could theoretically block the ball, have the first contact, setting the ball right for him and then hitting it for a point. This has been avoided by setting the rules in a way that a block is considered as the first contact.

As unrealistic as it may seem, high level beach volleyball games and players have the ability to do that. The second contact can be executed by any player after the block, which is considered as the first contact.

However, multiple blocking contacts during a single blocking action are considered as the first contact which is logical, since the player that is blocking is defending. When the ball falls over the net to the blocking player’s side, the next contact is regarded as the second contact.

The rules for coed (4 vs 4) and six player team beach volleyball are a little bit different. The block does not count as first contact, but instead after the block the team has three possible contacts, just like in indoor volleyball.

What is an illegal block or screen in volleyball?

Beach volleyball does not have illegal blocking …

We know that indoor volleyball is played six on six, there are two rows of players, the first row has the offensive role, while the back row has a purely defensive role. There are, however fluctuations of the players, where the defensive, back row players get mixed up with the front row players during gameplay.

When this is the case the back row players have no possibility of going in front of the net to perform a block. A defensive player is restricted from blocking the ball, similar to the libero, which may not engage in offensive action.

The defensive players cannot have contact with the ball above the height of the net on the attack line, meaning that they can be stationed near the attack line, but that they may not have offensive contact with the ball.

Another rule that refers to an illegal block is in regards with the interference of the opponent’s attack. A player cannot penetrate the vertical plane of the net while the opponent is attacking, or when the opponent has a chance to attack. The block may take place only after the opponent has attacked.

This rule is fair and it enables the opponent’s team or the team that has the ball to successfully exercise the rule of three, meaning that the entitlement to the three contacts with the ball is guaranteed.

What are the blocking rules in beach volleyball?

Beach volleyball, although similar to indoor volleyball, has some different rules that are crucial to the gameplay and the knowing of the sport.

The illegal tactics when it comes to the interference with the opponents chance to strike stand here as well, because the rules grant the right to three contacts with the ball, and they are guaranteed.

When it comes to legal tactics and performance of a block, there are few things different than those in indoor volleyball.

In beach volleyball blocking is considered as a first contact, so the team of two has two contacts left after the block. That is of course under the condition that the ball goes over the net to the blocking player’s side. The second contact can be made by any player on the team, meaning that the player that blocked the ball can have the second contact.

When it comes to coed and six versus six beach volleyball, the rules are a little bit different. They are the same as in indoor volleyball. The rules state that a block is not regarded as a first contact, but rather as a defensive action. This is because there are more players and the gameplay is stiffer than in 2v2 beach volleyball.

Are those rules similar to indoor volleyball?

A block is not considered a hit in indoor volleyball. If two players collide over a ball, and a player performs a block and the ball falls over to his side, then his team (his teammates and him) have three hits available, the rule of three.

The condition that must be met for a move to be called a hit is that the block must be performed over the height of the net.

The FIVB rules for a block as of 2020 are as follows:

14.4.1. A block contact is not counted as a team hit. Consequently, after a block contact, a team is entitled to three hits to return the ball.

14.4.2. The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who has touched the ball during the block.

There is however, a soft block which counts as a hit in volleyball. This is contrary to the condition that must be met when performing a block. A soft block is performed under the height of the net and it is considered as a hit in indoor volleyball, making it similar to beach volleyball.

Final Thoughts …

I totally understand that these rules and nuances might sound a little bit confusing when you first read about them. But I promise you that this is totally worth it, because this will not only help you understand the rules …

But also, it will help shape even better your style of playing as you will adapt it so you won’t break those rules.

This will make you overall a better player.

Finally, keep in mind that your beach volleyball skills can well help with your indoor skills …