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The Best Mens Volleyball Shoes

If you are looking for the best mens volleyball shoes, you have come to the right place! I am going to review some of the top selling volleyball shoes for men right here. It makes searching for volleyball shoes online as easy as possible!

Mens Volleyball Shoes The first shoe that I want to review is the Mens Asics volleyball shoe that is part of their GEL lineup, the 1130V.

This is an unbelievable shoe and it is probably my favorite shoe. The Gel line of shoes from Asics features a shock absorption/reduction system. When you are playing volleyball, you are experiencing a lot of impact from jumping and quick movements. These shoes will help reduce the amount of impact that is caused to your feet and ankles.

These shoes are also very lightweight and airy. In fact, there have been times that I have worn these shoes elsewhere because they are so comfortable. I did not have to break them in at all and they fit great right out of the box.

Quite honestly, I think this is the top of the line where volleyball shoes are concerned for men. I highly recommend them. You can pick up a pair here from Amazon: ASICS Men’s GEL-1130V Volleyball Shoe

The next pair of mens volleyball shoes that I want to review would be more along the lines of discount volleyball shoes. These shoes will still perform okay, but are for more of a tight budget.

The Mizuno Wave Lightning 3 is the shoe that I would recommend. They are much cheaper if you are looking for something more affordable.

These shoes are also lightweight and so it makes moving on the court very simple. The major difference with this pair of shoes and the ones listed above is that these shoes do not have the impact reduction system.

In my opinion, the impact reduction system is worth the extra $20-30. Your feet will really thank you.

I also really like Mizuno volleyball shoes, but in my experience, they are not very wide. You might want to keep shopping if you need shoes for wide feet.

You can pick them up here: MIZUNO Wave Lightning 3 Volleyball Shoes

The last pair of mens volleyball shoes that I will review is the Adidas Top Vuelo volleyball shoe. This pair of volleyball shoes is the top of the line that Adidas offers.

As with most volleyball shoes, these are also very lightweight which is a major factor for me when I am shopping for volleyball shoes.

The specific technology associated with this pair of shoes is the Climacool 360 from Adidas. The whole purpose of this technology is to provide air flow to the feet and keep them cool regardless of circumstances.

I have never had much of an issue with keeping my feet cool during playing to really notice much about this shoe. Personally, I would rather have the impact reduction and benefit from having additional energy while playing.

Some people really love the Adidas brand, and if you do, you will probably be really pleased with this volleyball shoe.

You can purchase them here: Adidas Top Vuelo Volleyball Shoes

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The Top Womens Asics Volleyball Shoes Reviewed

If you are looking for the top womens Asics volleyball shoes, then you have come to the right place! Here, I am going to review a few of the best Asics volleyball shoes and you can get an idea on whether it would be a good match for your needs.

Asics Gel Rocket 5

When it comes to womens Asics volleyball shoes, the gel series of shoes is what they are best known for. The first Asics gel volleyball shoe is the Rocket 5.

The gel shoes feature a cushioning system. This is extremely valuable for volleyball players that are constantly jumping to hit and block the ball. Many players have commented how this cushioning system has made a difference on the impact on their feet and legs.

This shoe also features a removable sock liner. For someone like me that has to wear ankle braces when playing, this is a valuable feature as it can accommodate most ankle braces.

The gum rubber sole also offers outstanding traction on the indoor court. Even though this is their basic version of the gel shoe, it is still an outstanding volleyball shoe.

You can pick it up here from Amazon.com: ASICS Women’s GEL-Rocket 5

Asics Gel Domain 2

The next pair of womens Asics volleyball shoes are the Domain 2. This is the second generation of Gel series. The domain two offers all of the features that the Rocket 5 includes. This includes the gel cushioning system, the removable sock liner, and the rubber soles.

There are also differences in this upgraded shoe that are worth noticing. First of all, this shoe has the Gel technology in both the toe and the heel. This advancement in the cushioning system provides more support and comfort.

This shoe is also lighter than the first generation of shoes. I like light volleyball shoes as it makes it easier for me to move to ball with less effort.

There is also technology called Personal Heel Fit. This means that there are two layers of memory foam in the heel of the shoe. The memory foam will mold to the heel of the athlete for maximum comfort and support.

All in all, this is an exceptional volleyball shoe. It is available here: ASICS Women’s Gel Domain 2

Asics Gel Sensei 3

The last pair of womens Asics volleyball shoes that I will review are the Sensei 3 line of shoes.

The Sensei 3 is the top line of shoe that Asics has to offer and you will see that it is the highest quality.

This shoe features the same features as the Domain 2, yet with additional features as well. The gel cushioning system, the Personal Heel Fit, and a lighter shoe are all part of what the Sensei 3 provides.

One of the additional features for this shoe is something that is called Impact Guidance System. This technology provides improved transfer of energy from the point that the foot strikes the ground to when the toe lifts off. This system provides a more fluid motion to volleyball players.

This is an exceptional volleyball shoe. You can find them here: ASICS Women’s GEL-Sensei 3

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The Best Volleyball Shoes For Men And Women

In all of my research, I believe these are the best volleyball shoes that are out there. If you have found a better pair, I would love to know about it.

Mens Volleyball Shoes

Best Volleyball Shoes - Men When it comes to the best mens volleyball shoe, I found this pair to be exceptional. It is the Asics Men’s Gel-1130V shoe. Why do I like it so much?

They have one of the best shock absorbing systems that I have experienced. That is the primary reason I think they are among the best volleyball shoes on the market.

The shoes are also very lightweight, and the mesh makes it easy for your feet to breathe.

I found the soles of the shoes to be great when it comes to traction on the court. I found them to be much better quality than other shoes that are available from other makers.

If you want a top notch, high quality volleyball shoe, I highly recommend this Asics volleyball shoe for top performance. You can pick it up from Amazon here: ASICS Men’s GEL-1130V Volleyball Shoe

Womens Volleyball Shoes

Best Volleyball Shoes - Women There are some great women’s volleyball shoes that are available as well. Which ones are the best in my opinion?

I like the Mizuno Women’s Wave Lightning 6 shoe. It also has to do with the shock technology that is used. This pair uses what is called Pebax Parallel Mizuno Wave Technology. I have no clue what that means other than it is way for them to sound cool and justify the price they charge!

In all seriousness, the technology disperses the shock amongst the foot and reduces the wear and tear on the legs from repeated jumping. The sole of the shoe provides stability and traction on the court.

Plus, this particular shoe comes in all kinds of sizes to accomodate any team’s colors. Of course this is a key feature. It is important to not only play good, but to look good while doing it.

If you like this shoe, you can also pick it up from Amazon here: Mizuno Women’s Wave Lightning 6 Volleyball Shoe

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Spandex Volleyball Shorts

Spandex volleyball shorts are the main piece of clothing used by women’s volleyball players. So, I thought it was only appropriate to add a page featuring my favorite pair of shorts.

These spandex shorts are made by Mizuno. They are my favorite maker of volleyball spandex shorts.

This particular pair of shorts features DryLite technology for rapid evaporation of moisture and comfort. If you are playing in a long match, it is not uncommon to have a lot of sweat and perspiration. I have found that this material helps the most under those kinds of conditions.

I also like the fact that they took the time to make these shorts tagless. There is nothing more embarrassing than having a tag sticking out of your volleyball shorts. It isn’t that big of a deal, but it sure looks better and is more comfortable without the tag.

The inseam on the shorts is 4″ and you can’t go wrong with black shorts. Comortable, classy, and fashionable. What more can you ask from a pair of volleyball shorts?

Even though there isn’t such a thing as a piece of clothing that will make you a volleyball player, these shorts come close. Even though they won’t make you a better player, you will have more confidence on the court because of the way you look and feel.

Pick up a pair of these shorts as soon as you can. They are made available through Amazon.com, a trusted business.

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Outdoor Volleyball Net – You Need One That Will Be Sturdy…

Your outdoor volleyball net must be the right kind in order to make the most of a volleyball game. You have played on those cheap volleyball nets just as I have.

What has always happened on those cheap volleyball net systems is that they totally collapse when the ball hits the net. Or, that they end up not being the right height to have any kind of a normal game.

When you are hosting a volleyball party, it is critical to have the right kind of net. I have played on nets that were too low because it was a cheap, low price net. When the net is too low, people try to impress others and spike it and I have seen people get hurt that way. The game will not be as fun as desired. The right volleyball net makes all the difference in the world.

When I look for an outdoor volleyball net, I look for the following things:

1. I want to purchase a net system. I do not want a cheap net that will break when the ball hits it or flimsy poles.

2. The poles need to be adjustable to different heights. That way, I can use the system for women’s, men’s, or co-ed height. I want my net to work in all situations.

3. I want a net that I can play the ball out of. The system needs to be able to create enough net tension so that if the ball goes into the net, it is possible to play the ball out of the net.

With those points in mind, I highly recommend this volleyball set made by Park and Sun Sports. It really addresses each of these points above:

1. You are purchasing a system. The set includes poles, net, stakes, and boundary lines. That way, you have everything you need whether you are playing on grass or sand.

2. These poles have three adjustable heights for men, women, and co-ed play.

3. This outdoor volleyball net also includes net tension poles so that a ball call be played out of the net. This is something that is hard to find in most of the cheap outdoor sets.

If you are needing a beach volleyball net, this set will serve you well. This net is so well put together, you could even use this for tournament play. Check it out!

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With All The Volleyball Balls Out There, Here Is How To Know Which One Is Best For You…

Volleyball balls are an important part of your needed equipment to play. Most people think that there isn’t much of a difference from one ball to the next. There is a difference that we will discuss here.

Here is a quick tip on selecting the right volleyball. Some volleyballs have different “touches” (especially Wilson which is one brand of volleyball I really like) labeled on the ball.

Selecting the right volleyball balls One label will say “Super Touch.” The super touch balls tend to be just a little lighter and softer to the touch. Personally, I do not like these balls as much as they are too soft in my opinion. They tend to not bounce as much when hit, and they do not play the same when passing or hitting. Since the ball is softer, I feel like I have to swing my arms to get the ball where I want it to go when passing.

Another label says “Pro Touch.” The pro touch is a more solid, slightly heavier ball. It may end up being a little rougher on your arms when passing, but it gets a lot more reaction when you are hitting the ball. I really like the pro touch because when I really smack the ball, it bounces higher from the reaction. I always like to see the ball bounce high after I hit it. 🙂

Many people ask about the brand and if it matters when selecting volleyball balls. I have used Wilson, Mikasa and Tachikara in the past and have been pleased. Personally, I think the touch is more important than the brand.

Indoor volleyball balls are usually harder even though it may take some time for your arms to become accustomed to them. For outdoor, the volleyball is usually softer as a preference.

Keep in mind that it is all completely up to your preference and how you will be using the balls.

Here is a good indoor volleyball that I would recommend for competitions:

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Volleyball Ankle Braces Keep You Off Of The Bench And In The Game

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…

Volleyball Ankle Braces 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!

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Volleyball Defense Will Win Games

Now that volleyball scoring is the rally point system, great volleyball defense results in a point. This places added emphasis on not letting that ball hit the ground. Here are some strategies and ideas on how to improve your defense.

If you were to analyze where a hitter would hit the ball, it would look something like this:

For the most part, the hitter would either hit down the line, hit to the middle of the court, or hit cross court. So ideally, your defense on the back row would be positioned as shown above.

There are some specific things you can do to improve your volleyball defense. Let’s start with the player at the net that is NOT blocking.

Very few hitters are going to be able to hit at such a sharp angle to get the ball where they are standing. As a result, their responsibility is to cover the middle of the court if the hitter tips over the block. If there is not a tip, they need to get off of the volleyball net so that the setter has room to move to the front and get in hitting position.

Volleyball Defense For the players that are on the back row, usually they have a tendency to keep moving forward in anticipation for the ball. They need to stay in their spots to be prepared to dig the ball. When digging, remember that the ball is going to have enough momentum that they are not going to need to swing their arms to pass it. Let the momentum of the volleyball do the work for you and just guide the ball to the setter when digging.

Also, those players need to stay on their toes instead of standing on their heels. If you are up on your toes, movement is easier and you improve your reaction time.

The players on the back row MUST be able to see the hitter. If you cannot see the hitter, that means that the blockers have taken away the line from the ball to you. You need to adjust where you are standing so that there is a path between the hitter and you. Otherwise, you will not be in position to dig anything.

Watch the arm swing of the hitter. If they jump and have their arm fully extended while jumping, be prepared for the tip. This is the other reason that you want to be on your toes so that you can move to the ball.

Lastly, I like to see my players dive for a ball even if it is unplayable. The reason for this is that it sends a message to the rest of the team. If you are willing to hustle to get the ball, the rest of your teammates should be prepared to do the same thing. It also sends a message to the other team to let them know that you are going to do anything you can to keep the ball in the air.

I hope these volleyball defense strategies will help you prepare your team for killer defense that wins more points.

Where to go next?

Basic Volleyball Drills – These drills will help you improve your fundamental skills.

Volleyball Statistics – Learn how to improve your efficiencies through statistics.

Volleyball Spandex Shorts – Read these reviews on top rated volleyball shorts.

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New Balance Volleyball Shoes Review

New Balance volleyball shoes are a good choice for the volleyball player. This page is all about my review on their shoes and whether or not it is a good fit for players.

New Balance has a long history and reputation of building sports type shoes, especially cross training shoes. So, you should know what you are going to get with this type of a shoe. Although New Balance is not one of the major players in the sports world, they do put out some quality footwear.

Pros

New Balance Volleyall Shoes These shoes do offer quite a few features that are important for volleyball players:

Abzorb® cushioning in both the toe and heel. Perfect to reduce the impact and stress when jumping.
Stability Web® delivers mid foot support and reduces the weight of the shoe. This will make it easier to move and get to the ball.
Forefoot flex grooves allow for greater shoe flexibility.
N-Durance® rubber sole provides maximum durability. I have also found that this type of sole provides better traction on the court.
Very reasonably priced.

Cons

Lower name brand recognition. Although this isn’t very important to me, some people are “name brand oriented.”
This isn’t the most eye catching shoe design.
There really aren’t a lot of cons. Most of the questions about the New Balance volleyball shoes are about the brand as a whole.

This is a great option if you are in need of a solid pair of volleyball shoes. It may not have the name recognition of, say Nike volleyball shoes, however, they are reasonably priced and worth considering.

If you would like to pick up a pair of these shoes, you can get them from Amazon.com here: New Balance Shoes

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Volleyball Jump Training Plan

Having a volleyball jump training program is all about a specific workout that you can do to improve your vertical jump. A great vertical jump in volleyball will give you an unfair advantage over the competition. Here are the steps for these volleyball workouts…

Volleyball Jump Training Outline

Before you do anything, you will need to warm up for about 5-10 minutes. This could be jogging, jogging in place, jumping jacks or whatever else you want to do to warm up your muscles.

The reason that you want to warm up is that we are going to stretch right after warming up and warming up before stretching prevents injury. You do not want to stretch a cold muscle. It is much easier to pull a muscle if you stretch when it is cold.

Why is stretching so important for improving your vertical jump? There is a relationship between jumping high and flexibility. The more flexible you are, the easier it is for your muscles to contract and increase your jumping ability.

Now that you are warmed up and have stretched, let’s get to the exercises. Here are the ones that I recommend:

Jumping Rope

Jumping rope is a great workout for a volleyball player. It focuses on foot speed, coordination, timing, and leg strength. When you are doing this, the biggest key to jumping rope and improving your vertical is keep on your toes the entire time. You will have the best results if you do not let your heel touch the ground while jump roping.

This will help you focus on developing your calves and the explosive muscles that are there.

Sprints

Sprinting is an important part of a volleyball jump training program. When you sprint, you are focusing on powerful, explosive muscles which are required for jumping. I recommend that you do sprints like this:

Start off by running very slowly (slightly faster than walking). This is just to get started and get your heart rate up a little. Once you are warm and ready, explode into the fastest sprint that you can. Sprint for as long and as hard as you can. Once you are too tired to maintain that level of sprint, go back to your slow run (do not stop moving).

Right now, you are trying to slow down your heart rate and regain your energy. Once your heart rate comes down and your wind has returned, it is time to sprint again. You should repeat this 3-5 times.

Lunges

Lunges are a great way to build leg strength for your powerful jumping muscles (quads and hamstrings). I recommend doing anywhere from 50-100 lunges for each workout.

Repeat Jumping

Find a wall and jump as high as possible and touch the highest point possible. As soon as you land, immediately jump again and try to touch the same point. When doing this, you should be jumping anywhere from 10-20 times and try to hit the same height each time.

This type of workout program should be repeated at least 3-5 times per week. You should begin to see results after 2-3 weeks of this type of exercise schedule.

Where to go next?

Vertical Jump – This is one of the best programs I have seen to increase your vertical.

Funny Volleyball Quotes – If you need a laugh, these are some great quotes for you to read.

Asics Gel Volleyball Shoes – If you are in the market for some great volleyball shoes, take a look at these reviews.

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