How to Condition for Sand Volleyball

"People sometimes forget where they are," says Rob Heidger, pro beach volleyball player. "Remember, you're on the BEACH! Nothing beats a 20- to 30-minute soft-sand run during a killer sunset."

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Volleyballs

1. Play as much beach volleyball as possible. Nothing beats the real thing.
2. Practice your block jump relentlessly.
3. Side shuffle in the sand, moving from one side of the court to the other. Keep your head up as if you were tracking a ball.
4. Sprint 10 yards straight forward in the sand, then stop and regain your ready position and repeat the sprint.
5. Run barefoot in the soft sand.
6. Work your abs with crunches.
7. Weight train to gain total body strength.

Tips & Warnings

• "Don't forget your upper body when you train," says Heidger. "Work hard to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles to keep your wing intact."
• Train with a partner or group.
• Set goals to keep you motivated.
• Heidger and his teammate, Kevin Wong, are the top-ranked U.S. men's doubles team in beach volleyball. Together they competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.