More Equipment

This review is all about finger supports and how they can protect your hands from injury. As a middle blocker, my fingers would frequently be injured from blocking the ball. If the ball would hit a certain way off of your hand, it could bend your fingers back and mildly hyper-extend them. Would these braces help?

Finger Braces

The first type of finger brace that I will review is the Tandem finger sleeves.

These are just like bandages that will slip on over the joints of your knuckles and act like finger braces.

They are constructed of elastic material and they just slip on over the knuckles of the finger. One box has ten finger bandages in it.

One of the biggest complaints about this particular product is that they are quite small in size. People would put them on their fingers and because of how small they were, it would cut off the circulation on their fingers.

When I am looking for a brace of any kind, I want it to be tight but I do not want it to be a tourniquet. Comfort is a key factor (besides protection and support) and most people complained about the comfort level of this product.

I wouldn’t recommend it. You can read more about it here on Amazon.com: Tandem Finger Supports

Flents Finger Sleeves

This product is much more useful than the finger supports listed above.

One box contains 12 finger sleeves for your use.

These braces will provide the same support and protection during play as the ones above. However, there are two major differences with these supports.

First of all, they are more comfortable. Most people find that they do not restrict their movement and do not cut off their circulation. The other thing that people like about these braces is the price. They are less expensive than the ones listed above.

For me, these products are all about keeping my fingers safe. When I jam a finger, there is quite a bit of swelling and pain in my knuckles for quite a while. Depending on the severity of the sprain, it can really limit my range of motion and what I can do with my hands. For a few dollars, I can protect my hands and avoid that pain and discomfort.

You can pick them up here on Amazon.com: Flents Finger Sleeves

How well do Jump Soles work, if at all? That is the whole point of this review is to see if people are really able to increase their vertical jump using this volleyball training tool.

This vertical jump training tool can help people increase their vertical jump. But, let’s face it…like most training tools, this is only as effective as the amount of use people give it. There is not some magical potion that will make you jump higher just by taking it. The Jump Soles will require work to see the results. If you do not mind putting in the work and effort, then read on…

How do they work? The whole point of this tool is to get you on your toes more often. By doing so, you isolate the muscles in your calf used for jumping and specifically your fast twitch muscles.

When you workout using these shoes, you can strengthen very quickly the primary muscles used for jumping and increase your vertical jump over a short period of time.

The biggest drawback is that the soles are not actually shoes. It is something that straps on to your existing shoes. Because you are strapping them on, it can become loose during the workout if they are not tightened properly.

While they do provide a great opportunity for people that want to increase their vertical jump, the straps do take away a little bit from the effectiveness of what this tool could be.

Many people have reported that the Jumpsoles were effective for them to increase their vertical jump. There is no question that people receive results when using them with their workouts.

Volleyball players that have a higher vertical jump have such an advantage on the court. They are able to hit over the opposing blockers and have better court vision when hitting because of their viewpoint. There are so many advantages to jumping higher that you really should consider this option if you need to increase your jumping ability.

You can pick them up here from Amazon.com: Jumpsole – Increase Your Vertical Leap

This review will focus on the volleyball spike trainer equipment and how it can benefit a volleyball team in training.

Spiking is one of the hardest skills to learn and master when it comes to volleyball techniques. There are so many moving parts to the skill. You have to do the approach correctly, you have to jump the right way, you have to focus on the ball, and also be aware of where the defense is at.

When you think about it in those terms, there is a lot going on every time a player jumps up to hit the ball. And that is one of the reasons that I like this piece of volleyball training equipment so much.

The volleyball spike trainer keeps the ball in a static position so that players get to focus on the fundamental skills of getting their footwork for their approach correct, they can focus on jumping when they are ready, and hitting the ball correctly.

I remember when I was just learning how to play volleyball, our coaches will have us do drill after drill after drill where we would do our approach and they would toss us the ball at the net. In the beginning, it was so frustrating to get the footwork wrong, the timing wrong, sometimes their tosses were off the mark and so the drill was not as effective as it could have been. 

This equipment can improve the learning curve on how players hit the ball. They can focus on getting everything else on their hitting technique correct.

The spike trainer can adjust from 7.5 feet to 10.5 which is the perfect range for any kind of hitter. You can use this training equipment for any age and any team.

The plastic base can be filled with sand or water for stability. There are also wheels on the base to make it easy to move to the desired location and for storage when not in use.

You will also not waste time chasing down the volleyball after hitting. Since the ball stays in place, it is like getting the perfect set every time. The players are able to do more hitting drills rather than chasing a ball. Your training efficiency improves dramatically with this tool.

I highly recommend this training tool. It will make a tremendous difference in the hitting of your team, or it is also great for personal use at home. You can pick it up here from Amazon.com: Volleyball Spiking Trainer

There are some very high quality volleyball training equipment that is available today. This particular tool is one of my favorites because of its many potential uses.

The tool is the Tandem Sports Volleyball Target Challenger. The whole purpose of this tool is to give an accurate tool for setters and passers to hone their skills and get instant feedback on their performance.

Here is how it works: The target is attached to an adjustable pole that can be set either vertically or horizontally. That means that it can be adjusted for both setting and passing drills.

There really isn’t anything else that compares to this as far as teaching players accuracy and placement. I have found it to be extremely valuable for setters so that they get immediate feedback on how they did with the set. There isn’t a need to tell them to set it higher, or lower, etc.

This training tool has a 30 inch target with a net that is attached to retrieve the balls. That means you will not have to spend your time chasing volleyballs (assuming they are hitting the target).

You can also use this very effectively with your passers by setting the target where your setter would run the offense and have them pass to the target. There are so many passing drills that you could use this with.

Make sure you check out the passing drills and setting drills for ways that you can use this tool effectively to improve your team’s abilities.

You can pick up this amazing tool from Amazon here: Tandem Sports Volleyball Target Challenger

Do you have ankle problems that require ankle braces? If so, you will want to take a look at this review of Active Ankle Braces since they are considered one of the leaders for volleyball players.

The fact of the matter is that they are one of the leaders in the industry for a good reason. Active Ankles are one of the best choices that you can make for a volleyball player?

Why?

First of all, they are very lightweight. This is important for a volleyball player as it will allow you to move freely and you will not feel weighed down. This is extremely important for players that are hitters as jumping will be a frequent activity during matches.

The brace has been made thinner so that it will fit inside volleyball shoes better than before and will be more comfortable. Most of the major volleyball shoes (Mizuno, Asics, Adidas) are very small for volleyball players. This will allow the brace to be worn comfortably with pretty much any kind of shoe that you wear.

The design of the Active Ankle braces allow the maximum level of support while providing flexibility in the brace. It is hard to find ankle braces that offer support and flexibility at the same time. I always wanted to be able to move while wearing braces but still have the needed support.

I have to wear ankle braces when I play any kind of sport, especially volleyball. As a middle blocker, I sprained my ankles frequently over the years. Spraining an ankle is a very painful injury. Wearing ankle braces for me is a requirement or I risk injury again.

Ankle braces are a must and these Active Ankles are one of the best options for me to use.  These are the premier choice among volleyball players. I highly recommend them.

You can pick them up here from Amazon.com: Active Ankle Volt Ankle Brace

I have always wondered if athletic insoles would provide any kind of benefit to a volleyball player. That is why I wanted to take some time to review them for the benefit of all.

These Dr. Scholl’s sports insoles are among the best I could find for athletics. What makes them useful?

As a volleyball player, you are constantly moving, jumping, and sustaining a lot of impact on your feet. You will also notice that many of the best volleyball shoes contain insoles in the shoes that are designed to comfort the foot and reduce the stress of impact on the feet. Some of these insole systems are not as effective as these insoles.

So, how do these insoles fill the gap that some shoes fail to deliver on? Quite well honestly…

These gel inserts work to cushion the foot and provide support to your arches. Many people reported added comfort to their feet, reduced impact and stress on their lower body, and the massaging gel cushioned their feet.

I play middle blocker and I noticed a big difference with my insoles on the impact my feet and legs would sustain from a normal practice of jumping a lot.

You can pick them up from Amazon.com here: Dr. Scholl’s Massaging Gel Sport Insoles

I highly recommend these insoles as I believe it is a perfect way to take care of your feet and legs on the court. Volleyball is a high impact sport and these volleyball insoles will make a huge difference in your performance.

Volleyball ankle braces have made a huge difference for me as a player. My ankles have been sprained so many times from playing basketball. When I was younger, I played a lot of basketball and have sprained both ankles at least five times each.

So, I invested in some basketball ankle braces. They worked well and I could feel them preventing my foot from rolling when I was wearing them. I wore them for years and they worked well. I thought my ankle problems were a thing of the past now that they were stronger. Boy, was I wrong…

It seemed like every time I took them off, I would sprain my ankle that first time I wasn’t wearing them. I realized that volleyball ankle braces for me were not an option. They were a must have…

In fact, there was one year that I broke my foot playing basketball and I was forced to sit and watch my team play without me. Even though I was young, that broke my heart that I had to spend time on the bench because of an injury. Braces can help you avoid not only the pain of the injury, but the pain or sitting and watching…helplessly.

I play middle blocker in volleyball. So, I am frequently jumping to block and hit. The times that I usually hurt my ankles playing volleyball is when I have too much momentum and land on someone’s foot under the net. Or, I will land on a teammate’s foot as I am blocking. There have also been the times that I just land wrong for some reason and it tweaks my ankle.

Ankle braces have done a fantastic job to help minimize these problems for me. I now wear volleyball ankle braces every time I play and I never have to worry about hurting them. I can only speak for myself, but sports braces have allowed me to continue to play sports in spite of weak ankles.

What To Look For:

My ankles usually roll to the inside of the foot. So, it was important for me to find a brace that offered lateral support. This will help prevent the foot from rolling to the inside.

I also like to wear braces that have velcro. I like velcro because it easily adjusts to any type of body. It is almost like having a custom brace without having to pay custom prices.

I prefer smaller braces for a couple of reasons. I need to rely on foot speed and I do not want a large, clunky brace to slow me down. I simply want the brace to prevent injury. The other reason I prefer smaller volleyball ankle braces is because I want it to fit well inside my shoe. I have larger feet (Size 14) and large braces do not fit well inside my shoes.

With these characteristics in mind, here is a brace that I would recommend for any player. The other thing I really like about this product is that there are two braces included. This means that it is very affordable to buy ankle braces. Here it is:

I hope this information on ankle braces will help you prevent injury and keep you where you belong…in the game!

Weight training is an important aspect of volleyball training. So, which weight lifting equipment is the best? Does it make sense to use free weights, kettlebells, or a full home gym system? This webpage will answer those questions.

How Is Weight Training Essential?

The importance of weight training should not be ignored. When you are working on developing explosive power and strength, it requires that you use weight beyond your own body weight.

When you use the correct form and control, lifting weights becomes a quick way to increase your power. Power is important for a volleyball player. The explosive power can mean that you jump higher, hit harder, and block better. There are also studies that show that athletes who use weight training are also more resistant to injuries on the court.

For personal reasons, I like to use free weights when training. I do not like the huge bars, weight plates, and such. I feel that those weight training systems slow down my workout and it is just bulky to store around the house. As a result, I prefer weight lifting equipment that will allow me to move in an out of exercises quickly.

When I am training, I like to do interval training.  Interval training is where you go quickly from one exercise to the next without resting. Your heart rate will shoot up, and it is almost like getting a
cardiovascular workout while lifting weights.

I like to share this because it plays an important part in my mindset when I am looking for weight systems that will allow me to train that way. I find that my body responds much better to interval training than anything else I have found so far.

With that in mind, I will be sharing some of the best weight training equipment I have found for volleyball players. These tools will include things like kettlebells, dumb bells, training bands, among others.

Here are the reviews:

Bowflex Adjustable Dumbells

Kettlebell Weights

Which volleyball sunglasses are the best? I get asked that question often. On this section of the website, I will give a few reviews of sunglasses that are highly favored and give you my review of how they work.

As with any type of purchase, it all depends on what you are looking for. Are you looking for something that will stay on your face during the heat of battle? Do you need sunglasses for beach volleyball that will keep the sun out of your eyes? Or, is it all about style and the way you look?

The good news is that with today’s sunglasses, you can get all three of those options if you find the right pair of sunglasses.

I have used sunglasses that were too loose and they constantly fell off while I was playing. It was more of an annoyance than a help from the sun. Sure, I could have gotten some of the straps that secure the sunglasses around your head, but that does not look very fashionable.

That is the main reason to have these reviews on various sunglasses. I do not want you to have the same problems that I did when I was looking for the right pair of sunglasses for beach volleyball.

I will review beach volleyball glasses from the major manufacturers. That would include Nike sunglasses, Smith Optics, Sky Optics, and others.

When you have a pair of sunglasses that are comfortable, useful, and fashionable, you will feel more confident on the volleyball court.

Take a look at each of these reviews to see which ones are the highest rated.

There are a lot of volleyball training aides that are available for purchase. Some of them are very helpful, and others are…well…not as effective.

That is why I wanted to review them for you before you spend your hard earned money on something that was not going
to provide you with the training benefit that you were looking for.

I have reviewed things like hitting/serving aides that will assist you to develop those skills.

I have also reviewed volleyball passing training equipment that can help you become a more proficient and consistent passer. This volleyball training equipment is also perfect for setters and passers to learn accuracy.

There are also a lot of high quality training programs that are on DVD, CD, and books that are available. I have also included the best of the best that are available here.

Spiking can be one of the hardest skills to learn. This volleyball spike trainer is a perfect way to teach the skill effectively.

Many volleyball players are looking for training tools that they can use to increase their vertical jump. Take a look at this review of Jump Soles to see if it makes sense for your needs.

A jump rope is a piece of equipment most people have forgotten about but it is one of the best ways to exercise. Take a look at the best jump rope I have seen.

Another thing that will help you while training and playing are finger supports. Many players will have their knuckles bent back by blocking the ball and these braces can help.

If you have been training very hard and you have some minor injuries or sore muscles, you should look into Kinesio Tex Tape. It is an alternative way to promote circulation for faster healing, and providing pain relief.

The whole purpose of these volleyball training aids are to help you and your team become better on the court and performing at a higher level.

You will definitely want to check these out.