If you want to combine fitness and the beach, the sport of beach volleyball is the ideal choice. This classic beach sport originated in California and has been an Olympic discipline since 1996. No other sport combines technique, athleticism, fitness and fun as well as beach volleyball.
Establishing beach volleyball in Germany
At the same time, beach volleyball has long since ceased to be played only on the beach. In recent years, fields for beach volleyball have sprung up in almost all major German cities. Beach bars, outdoor pools and other sports facilities also often offer individual courts to attract beach volleyball enthusiasts. In metropolitan areas such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, there are even opportunities to play beach volleyball indoors, sometimes at regular tournaments.
Beach volleyball rules
Unlike the classic sport of volleyball, a team in beach volleyball consists of only two players. The rules are largely the same as in classic volleyball. To make the game fast and attractive, only the pass within a team may be played from above (pritschen). All other balls must be dugg or played in attack. After seven points, the side of the court is changed. The court is smaller (16 x 8 meters), the net is somewhat lower (2.43 meters for men and 2.24 meters for women), and moving around in the finest sand is much more strenuous and cumbersome. But that’s what makes beach volleyball so attractive to anyone who likes to get out and enjoy the sun and beach at the same time.
Playing beach volleyball makes you fit
That’s because beach volleyball players need good stamina, strength and endurance for the many quick kicks in the sand and attacking jumps. Beginners in particular will quickly notice that beach volleyball looks easier than it is. To prepare for beach volleyball and to strengthen the body accordingly, targeted strength training for the thigh muscles, trunk muscles and arm and shoulder muscles is recommended. Sprint exercises in the sand as well as endurance training are also important for this sport in order to increase one’s performance on the field in beach volleyball. Per hour, a beach volleyball player burns between 500 calories (women) and 600 calories (men). The sport trains many muscle parts, as the movements in beach volleyball are relatively complex and fast. Although beach volleyball is one of the sports without direct contact with opponents, the sport is not without danger. Most injuries in beach volleyball can be prevented by warming up, targeted training and, above all, by learning the correct playing techniques. Nevertheless, there are some risks.
Injuries in beach volleyball
As with classic volleyball, the fingers are among the parts of the body that are most at risk due to the constant blocking, hitting and sometimes very high ball speeds. Sprains, torn tendons and fractures are not commonplace, but they can happen. Proper stretching and proper warming up of fingers and hands before playing beach volleyball, reduces the risk of such injuries. If a finger is slightly damaged, medical tape can also help to bandage the finger or joint. Whether you can still continue playing should be clarified with a doctor. Thanks to the soft, sandy playing field, knee and ankle joints and the spine are not subjected to quite the same strain as in the hall. Nevertheless, there are still dangers lurking in beach volleyball, such as torn ligaments or meniscus damage. Thorough warm-up is also the best precaution in this sport.
Basic training important
Despite the heavy strain on the shoulder joints, acute shoulder injuries are rare in beach volleyball. More common, however, is chronic pain if the trunk and shoulder muscles are not adequately trained and warmed up. Therefore, consistent training of these muscles should be emphasized in this sport. After all, balls blown by the wind and therefore not hit properly can be quite painful if the momentum cannot be slowed down. For the spine, beach volleyball is rather an unfavorable sport, depending on the fitness and demands of the player. The many jumps, turns, and bending back during the attacking stroke can also cause acute and chronic injuries if played untrained. Especially the ligamentous spine is affected by this.However, warming up and strength training to strengthen the back muscles can also have a preventive effect here.
Protection from the sun during beach volleyball
However, it is not only the pain and problems caused directly by the sport that need to be considered. For a sport like beach volleyball, which is played in the fresh air, everyone should prepare accordingly: Those who play beach volleyball in the sun and high temperatures should not neglect the risk of UV radiation to the skin. As with all other outdoor sports, the same applies here: Use sunscreen with the highest possible sun protection factor (SPF) for the skin, wear light-colored clothing, sunglasses as well as headgear and spend breaks from play in the shade. It is also important to drink enough fluids, preferably unsweetened beverages or water, as you lose even more fluids in high temperatures and during sports activities than during indoor sports. By the way, you do not necessarily need a sandy surface to start. For beginners in beach volleyball, it is quite advisable to first practice the basic techniques such as hitting and digging in a park and then switch to the sand. This is because the right playing technique reduces the risk of injury and you get used to the new sport step by step.
