Proprioception and Volleyball
Interesting looking over some studies from Italy on fitness preparation from a National Conference (3rd Corso Nazionale di Preparatori Fisici per la Pallavolo” Cavalese ) and there seems to be quite a lot of work done with core strength development and proprioception in volleyball specific settings. In fact some of the videos available look a bit dangerous. But the take home message is that proprioception work can be done in sports specific settings, and thus a coach can do a circuit with young players ( development players) that involves bodyweight strength work and core work and balance work, all in one session after Skills.
Some of the exercises that were outlined
1. Some basic prone holds ( on elbows and in push up position) and also on a swiss ball holding a ball in prone and doing a back raise and holding in a block specific pose.
2. Doing a half sit up on a swiss ball and holding a weight and holding the 1/2 sit up simulating a block position with arms extended and strong upper back.
3. On a bosu ball with 2 legs and hold a swiss ball against a wall at varied angles. IE 30 secs hold or less at varied angles.
4. On a bosu ball but without a swiss ball and holding the arms up for 30 seconds in varied positions a few cms away fromt the wall without touching. Do the same exercise but with 2 Bosu Balls. IE One foot on each.
5. Standing on one leg in front of a wall the player can lean to the left or right and roll/hold a ball in an extended position to simulate these positions in volleyball.
6. Do the same exercises on a court in front of a net.
7. Then 2 players can face each other with one on 2 legs and the other on one and balance and simulate blocking over the net.
8, Then in front of the net and on one and two bosu balls do small stable jumps working on core strength and balance Eg: 3 sets of 5 to 6 jumps. ( be careful!)
9. An extension of this could be to do sideways movements across the net and “mount” a bosu ball and then plant and hold and do a block ( even with a coach there) or do the sideways movements, move onto a bosu ball and jump carefully and land on it with balance.
Adding skipping and small hop scotch type activities and landing activities to a full circuit can mean that the coach works on proprioception, strength work and core strength all in a volleyball setting and all in 10 to 20 minutes. Bodyweight squats to pushups to balance work as discussed to lunges to medicine ball work/core work and so on. Use lots of variety but always good technique and relevant to the group you are coaching.
And as always be very careful and don’t do anything stupid or something one would see in Jackass and make sure it is all supervised by a good coach. Thats a disclaimer!
Secrets of Loris Bertolacci
This is from 1988 and I wrote it at Essendon Football Club so all history now.
Also I am not sure if anyone read it. I would write these things then shelve them. I must admit I was always very impressed with Brian Donohue who was Sheedy’s right hand man. He always listened intently to what I had to say and really embraced concepts like 3 weeks hard and one easy. Also he was computer literate and kept strict statisitics well before John Orchard did anything. And they were very well organized. He was ahead of his time.
These sheets are a bit like the dead sea scrolls, really but I hope of some historical interest given the development at the time of the 1990 team and the 1993 flag and the implementation of these concepts in those days long gone now that Hird and Sheedy are ready to go.
Hard to read but if of interest have a look. In a way all stuff volleyballers should do in theri development anyway.
I was giving Mateyev a bad wrap in 1988. And functional cycling then was hot off the press from Bondarchuk. Track and Field training techniques were miles ahead in the 70’s and 80’s. In fact all that has changed now with sports science and the information revolution is that lots of fine tuning needs have been studied that help the specific needs of individuals and situations like heat stress and osteitis management for example. These developments are fantastic but the basics remain.
And long term physical development of juniors. HA. Big business now!
loris bertolacci 