The recent Olympic Games in Athens rewarded us with many exciting moments. In many cases team sports involved incredible matches celebrating both the technical performances and physiques of top champions. A good example is volleyball, an extremely popular sport with countless amateur enthusiasts.

In recent years a number of rule changes have prejudiced both the technical and physical approach to the game. If we want to deepen our knowledge of the functional model of this sport firstly we need to analyze exactly what happens on court in order to understand which aspects to concentrate on from a physical point of view. Let's kick off with the different roles: in each team there is a dribbler, two centres, two hitters, a server as well as a new position, the reserve, who is free to take the place of any player at the end of each play action on court.

What happens during a game?

A game can last from 80-120 minutes with the number of average jumps totaling from 100-200 for each player. Each play action lasts an average of 9 seconds and the heart rate is maintained stable between 75% - 95% of maximum heart rate (maximum theoretic heart rate, 220-age).

With this simple summary of the stimulus that our bodies receive when playing volley ball we can see that the ability to maintain elevated peaks of power and strength during prolonged periods of time, together with the ability to control different areas, is extremely significant.

As far as top players are concerned each single position needs to adapt to these abilities in a specific, organized way, but this sport can also easily be carried out on the beach, in the garden or in the park with friends, aiming for enjoyment and relaxation whilst getting fit.

The main thing is the ball, but it's just as important to be prepared to carry out moves that we are not used to in our daily lives, like jumps, throws and dives. For example, the shoulder is put under pressure a lot in volley ball (passes, presses, reception and strikes), but a few specific, simple exercises can help (pic. no.1).

Rotations with ELASTIC BAND (Wellness Bag) With arm close to chest and elbow at 90° rotate outwards using an elastic band as resistance, without changing the elbow or arms position, until the wrist reaches the shoulder line.Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per arm, with a 1 minute rest between sets.

The spine is also put under pressure when jumping, both when beginning to jump and the final phase, when falling. Toning up the trunk not only avoids overloading the area but is also useful for general health (pic. no. 2).

Picture n°2

Abdominals with BALL (Wellness Ball) Sit-ups with trunk pointing outwards and pelvis resting on ball. Hands behind head and feet on the ground.Do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions, with a 2 minute rest between sets.

Another essential area for this sport are the knees which, apart from in jumps, are used in fast shifts such as dives, recoveries and changes of direction. To avoid being unprepared for overloading the knees there are several useful exercises to prevent problems such as muscular sprains and fatigue (pic. no.3).

Picture n°3

Lunges with DUMBBELLS (Wellness Rack) From a standing position grasp the dumbbells, leaning forward with one leg and bending down until the leg is parallel to the ground; return to starting position. Carry out the exercise 10-12 times with each leg, 2-3 times, resting for 2 minutes between legs. Finally, don't forget that before and after any physical activity muscles and joints need a few stretching and flexibility exercises. In conclusion, it is important to carry out cardiovascular training such as running and/or cycling 2-3 times a week at intensity between 70-80% of one's maximum heart rate frequency (220-age).