“Let me tell you a secret that led me to my goal. My strength lies entirely in my perseverance. ” - Louis Pasteur
Pasteur is right. For some, perseverance stays on the field longer than anyone else, and it’s harder to build than the rest of your team. However, let it be realistic. No one has the time in the world to work out a few extra hours a day, and no one has an unlimited amount of energy. So what can you do?
Training is more efficient. But how?
Simple ... fill the old volleyball with sand.
One of the most important things in volleyball is the strength of the wrist. The attackers need it for snapping to the ball, setters to install, passers-by on the upper aisle and blockers to block tall balls. Each position requires wrist strength.
So ... why sand filled volleyball?
First, it was not my idea. I was working on a high-quality SCVA team, and one of my teammates Lisa Weintraub told me about it. Secondly, it is better than a medicine ball, because it is the same size as a volleyball, with the same sensation and sensation. Third, while I use setter weighted balls that you can buy, they are only a few ounces heavier — and although it helps, my sand-filled volleyball weighs more than 17 pounds.
How do you use it?
At night, when you are on your back or sitting, watching South Park or the Simpsons, pick up this “elegant” sand ball and start with a ball over your head, with both hands on it in the setting position. Do not place the ball or release the ball because it is dangerous; rather, move your wrists up and down in setup mode for about 2 minutes without letting the ball leave your fingers. As you grow stronger, you can do it longer.
You may also want to fill the ball only a quarter of the way with sand to start, and then when you get stronger, add more sand.
It doesn't seem to be too much exercise, but in my personal experience I significantly increased my wrist strength after a day for two weeks — I probably added 4 feet to my maximum distance in a matter of minutes a period of time.
The weight ball helped me not only in tuning - I have more peaks on my hits, and I attack more than ever.
Put these old volleyballs into use!
All that is required is a few minutes at night with your own sand ball.
How do you make a ball of sand, you ask? Follow these steps.
1. Find an old volleyball that you do not use too often. Check out garage sales or eBay if you don't have an old ball. Do not use a new ball - they are too pleasant.
2. Cut a 4-inch hole in the ball, both from the skin and from the inner rubber bladder, and make sure that it is large enough to insert sand.
3. Take the adhesive tape and insert the tape inside the hole and attach it to the bladder so that the bubble does not fall and become covered with sand. Then put the other end of the tape on the ball.
4. Bring the ball to the beach or anywhere else, you can find sand and start pouring sand. I took a paper plate and put it in the shape of a funnel and started pouring a cup of sand into the bowl.
5. Sometimes, gently bounce the ball to precipitate the sand — keep filling the ball until it is completely full.
6. Take those scraps of duct tape that were on the outside of the ball and stick them between the skin and the bladder as a kind of cover. Take a large adhesive tape and secure it between the bladder and the skin, pasting the top of the superimposed ones under the flaps to further seal.
7. Pull the hole and press the cutting edges together, as you do when you repair the tears of clothing. Personally, I then took some maid glue and poured it over the entire area in order to "sew." I covered the glue with plastic baggy so that I could take more adhesive tape and use it to give tension on either side of the stitching, pulling it out of the seam and over the transparent plastic. I thought plastic would make it easier for me to pull out the adhesive tape to get the glue out of the adhesive tape.
8. After it dries, DO NOT do this; the ball is heavy. Start with a cup of the ball and just move your arms. As you get stronger, move the ball with your fingers, then start using your wrists very much, but only after you are comfortable, it is VERY HARD and you don’t want to hurt yourself. After a couple of weeks, I set a sand ball about 5 feet tall to my father, and he caught it just a few feet away, and then returned it to me. It is tiring. It is hard work, but it makes you very strong.
And remember, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work.
