Volleyball: Classic in Popular Sports

It is always said that you have to be tall to play volleyball successfully. However, this widespread opinion is a misconception. While there are advantages in attacking and blocking to not being too short, even people under 6 feet can become excellent volleyball players. Volleyball is a team sport. Its history is young. Only at the end of the 19th century volleyball has been developed as an alternative to the popular basketball in the USA.

Rules and tactics

In this sport, two teams of six people each play against each other. The rules are quite simple. The playing field is separated by a 2.43 meter (men) or 2.24 meter (women) high net. Within one’s own playing field, the goal, according to the rules, is to receive the ball from the opposing team. The accepted ball is then played to the pass player and then volleyed into the opponent’s field with an attacking shot so that the other team cannot accept it. If this succeeds, the attacking team is awarded a point and the next serve. In volleyball, once a team has regained the serve, that team rotates positions. So, theoretically, in volleyball, every player must be able to play every position.

However, in amateur and professional teams, position changes take place immediately after the serve, when the ball is in the opponent’s half. Servers are then back at the net after this change, and attackers are on the attack. This tactic has the advantage that each player can specialize in one position. For example, larger players usually hold the attacking positions, while smaller but perhaps technically cleaner players pass them the ball to attack. This approach makes volleyball not only a sport where you need to be fast and fit, but where strategic considerations are also required. The movements in the opponent’s field and also, for example, their substitutions must always be considered.

Volleyball: fitness is required

Volleyball is popular not only with players, but also with spectators, because the movements look very elegant and come with a certain ease, depending on the level of play. However, what looks so easy is often the result of years of training and perfect technique, which is what matters in volleyball. When volleyball is played at a professional level, many muscles of the human body are used. Depending on body weight and gender, calorie consumption ranges from 200 to 300 calories per hour. Compared to other sports, this is relatively little. If you add the required sprinting and strength training, you get about twice the number of calories. Strength training in the arm and shoulder area is particularly important for the sport of volleyball, since fast-flying balls have to be slowed down and hit back. The jumping muscles should also not be neglected. After all, many a jump at the net can decide decisive points in a game of volleyball. Volleyball is also about speed. Fast approach and sprinting exercises are therefore recommended. Endurance training should not be neglected, although it is not nearly as important as in other sports with a higher proportion of running. Here, however, it is sufficient to jog for fifteen minutes before the game or training session so that the body can warm up.