Beach volleyball is by far one of my favorite sports period! Yet, it still represents couple challenges that you need to deal with to be successful playing it …
Due to these challenges, some people consider the sport as a Hard one! However, I don’t really think that’s the case, because each sport comes with its own challenges. All you need to do, is to learn how to properly handle them and make them work for you and not against you.
In this article, I breakdown exactly what’s hard about beach volleyball and how to deal with that in the best possible ways.
What makes beach volleyball a hard sport in general?
Sand
Playing in the sand brings with it an entire world of challenges. To begin with, you have to play barefoot, meaning your feet are unprotected …
The heat of the sun on any spot of sand can feel like you are stepping on hot coals. Moving and jumping in the sand is much more difficult than on the indoor courts.
Also, if you land wrong or fall, you can get an eyeful of sand, or you can get sand in your nose, mouth, and inside the uniform.
Sand also slows down your motions, so getting to the incoming ball may not be as simple as just moving your body. Your jumping height also decreases with the sand.
Helpful Tip: If you are a beginner, then it is definitely a great idea to play sand volleyball using specialized socks that will protect your feet. For example these quality volleyball socks will help protect your feet from hot sand and any kinds of little stones that could eventually hurt your feet.
Wind
The most obvious problem with playing beach volleyball is that wind causes the distraction of blowing the sand around.
It also makes it more challenging to control your set…
For example, if you set the ball and a gust of wind comes through, the ball’s placement in the air will get displaced.
If there is wind, you will need to learn to play against it. You need to identify the wind pattern and use it to your advantage.
Sun
Just like the wind, the sun also has a huge role to play in making beach volleyball more challenging to play.
The sun also affects your ability to accurately attack or defend during the game…
For example, during a serve, the glare of the sun can easily blind you. Similarly, if the ball goes high up, trying to spot it while avoiding sunspots is another big challenge.
And when you focus on positioning yourself against potential blinding, this will indirectly affect your mental game.
Only 2 players on the field
Unlike indoor volleyball, beach volleyball has only 2 players! While this could be fun, as you will certainly be involved in all attacking and defending sequences for each point; it will also be very challenging …
In other words, you will need to be highly focused at all times as no other player will cover you for a given point.
Of course, being successful in this regard requires some important attributes, like durability, stamina and high cardio levels.
Check those interesting reasons why beach volleyball has only 2 players …
Hardest beach volleyball moves …
Jumping
Any position in beach volleyball that needs you to jump will involve you making some adjustments.
While playing indoors, you can jump up easily and go forward. But while playing on the sand, jumping up and moving forward will not be that easy.
You have to work to even just jump up. The movement in the sand from your feet and founded balls will also cause divots.
The uneven surface caused by these divots causes a lot of frustration as they warp the surface you are playing on even further.
Passing
While playing indoor volleyball, you have enough room for an off-pass. If you determine that a pass is going to be flying too far, you can start running a bit sooner and put more effort into getting it back.
However, in beach volleyball, there is no way to do this because the sand will slow you down. Due to the sand, passing skills become way more imperative.
Plus, trying to constantly run through sand and work your legs to jump will start to deplete your energy reserves much faster.
Tips to make sand volleyball easier …
Below are my best tips to help make the game slightly easier for you …
- Use sand socks (like these). Players worry about the sand heating up and causing burns on their feet. Sand socks let beach volleyball players to safely play on hot sand that would otherwise cause cuts, blisters, or burns. Unlike regular socks made of cotton, and socks are designed to use without shoes. They are usually made from a blend of neoprene material that allows for protection from hot or cold. Some abrasive surfaces also are not able to penetrate the socks. Due to the makeup of sand socks, players are able to train longer on the sand, and they do not have to worry about any injuries to their feet.
- If you are playing on a windy day, a bump set with a bit of rotation can help cut through the wind.
- Avoid blocking or setting the ball from low spots in the sand.
- Get used to building your endurance and working harder for the points that too coupled with decreased speed.
- During beach volleyball, spiked balls will just go where you are not expecting them to since your opponents know that you will move slower in the sand. You can do the same to your opponents. Additionally, you should get used to playing on a smaller court and plan your attacks to be shorter than you normally would.
- Communication is key to building a solid beach volleyball partnership. Partners who have played together for a long will be more comfortable playing together. It is important to be on the same page as you cannot quickly make up ground. So every hit needs to be thought out and calculated.
- Focus on your feet. Keep the soles of your feet flat against the sand and jump. You may need more of an angle in your knees to be able to make a strong jump.
- Use your swinging arms and back to help your jump instead of just using your legs alone.
- Try to use the wind to your advantage. Remember, the wind can provide resistance against the momentum of the ball and slow down your hit. Or it can provide a backdraft to your opponent’s hit and speed it up. So pay attention to where the wind is blowing.
- Always wear sunscreen and bring your own water. Don’t forget that the sun can be a big threat, so it is important to remain well hydrated while playing.
Does lack of coaching make the sport harder?
When you play beach volleyball, it is likely that you won’t have a coach. Many players feel that this is a really great thing as it forces a player to coach themselves and with together with their teammate.
By not having a coach, you can actually feel more motivated, efficient, and active due to lesser inhibitions and a greater sense of purpose.
You can learn more about how coaching works in sand volleyball …
Is beach volleyball harder than indoor volleyball?
Definitely beach volleyball is much harder than indoor volleyball. The natural elements involved in the game, including playing barefoot, facing the sun, sand, wind, rain, and other natural features, make it much more challenging than indoor volleyball …
Nevertheless, at the same time, the biggest advantage of playing beach volleyball is that it forces you to develop all your skills.
Indoor volleyball allows you to specialize in your position and draw attention to your strengths. However, beach volleyball forces you to become well-rounded and develop all the skills you might not otherwise develop while playing indoors.
Between yourself and your partner, you have to cover the entire court and play every position. So instead of hiding any of your weaknesses, you will be automatically forced to become a well-rounded volleyball player.
You can learn more about beach volleyball positions …
How hard is the transition from indoor to beach volleyball?
An indoor volleyball player who plays beach volleyball for the first time is going to be completely lost. They tend to struggle a lot because it is much more challenging to take their indoor skills and play outdoor on the beach.
To begin with, indoor players find it very hard to play on the sand. Playing in the sand is very difficult for such players as they are not used to playing on an unstable surface.
The sand makes it harder for them to move and get in position to make the players. They find it even more problematic if they have to play doubles or in fours because indoor players are not used to having to cover that much court space.
Furthermore, indoor players are used to specializing only in their one position, whereas beach volleyball players are well-rounded and have expertise in playing all positions themselves.
Of course, indoor players also find it very hard to battle against the natural elements they have to face out in the open. This is why most indoor players have a lot of trouble making the transition to beach volleyball.
Final Thoughts …
While some people might get discouraged by learning about these challenges that come with beach volleyball. I still believe that it very important to know about these beforehand …
This will prevent you being surprised afterwards, thus you will be Fully ready for all those challenges!
One last thing, I highly invite you to learn about these tips to become a pro beach volleyball player …