Volleyball is the third most popular team sport after football and basketball. This game has many fans in Iran, and every match in which the Iranian volleyball team participates draws people to the television. In this article, we will learn more about this fascinating sport and explain a little about some technical issues such as volleyball techniques and volleyball skills, then we will examine its wonderful advantages for physical and mental health. Stay with us.
How to play volleyball?
To play this sport, you need a volleyball net and ball. Each team stands on one side of the net and tries to pass the ball through the net into the opponent’s field. The opposing team must return the ball to the opponent’s field with a maximum of 3 moves. This attack and defense is repeated until one of the teams fails to return the ball or one of the volleyball errors occurs.
In official competitions, each volleyball team has 6 players, but in recreational games, this number can be more or less. This sport is held all over the world in both indoor and beach forms, both of which are part of the Olympic Games and have professional leagues. In 2020, the Iranian volleyball team qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, but was eliminated from the competition.
Volleyball rules
- Only 6 players from each team should be on the field, 3 in the front row and 3 in the back row.
- A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice in a row. (This is one of the mistakes of volleyball.)
- If the ball lands on the boundary lines, it is considered in and the opposing team scores a point.
- If the ball hits the antennas or the inner part of the net or lands outside the boundaries of the field, points are given to the opposing team.
- Players are allowed to hit or receive the ball with any part of their body, such as the foot, chest or head.
- Carrying the ball, holding it or catching it are among volleyball fouls.
- Once served, players can change their position on the court.
The history of volleyball
William Morgan invented volleyball in 1895. A sports coach at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), he wanted to design a sport that was less violent than basketball and could be enjoyed by middle-aged and non-professionals. Fortunately, people liked this new sport and it gained many fans. Volleyball became part of the Olympic Games in 1964, when the men’s gold medal went to the Soviet Union and the women’s gold medal went to Japan.
The benefits of volleyball
1. Burn calories
According to research, we can burn 126 calories by playing volleyball for 20 minutes. The more the player moves on the volleyball court to hit the ball, the more calories burned per minute.
2. Increase body metabolism
To increase metabolism, the body needs to constantly use energy, and exercise is a great way to do this. When a player dives to catch the ball or jumps to hit a waterfall, the muscles are engaged and the body uses more energy. In such a situation, energy distribution between body organs is in the most optimal possible state.
3. Strengthening the vital organs of the body
Scientists have found that physical activity ensures the health of vital body organs such as kidneys and lungs. When we exercise, the body must send more blood to the muscles to receive the necessary oxygen. This encourages the heart and lungs to work harder. A healthy heart prevents many diseases and is beneficial for the general health of the body.
4. Reduce stress and anxiety
In today’s world, there are many issues that constantly stress us. If we do not do anything to reduce stress, it will have many adverse effects on our health. Exercise, especially exercise that requires concentration, is a great way to overcome stress.
Volleyball requires constant concentration, which makes the player forget his problems and focus all his attention on the game. Therefore, the player has a calm mind during the game and the pressure of anxiety is reduced.
5. Prevention of excess fat accumulation in the body and obesity
When we exercise, we constantly consume energy, which prevents the accumulation of fat in the body and obesity. Accumulation of fat in the body increases the risk of heart attack and other heart diseases. Volleyball is a dynamic sport that requires a lot of energy and prevents the player from becoming obese by preventing the accumulation of fat in the body.
6. Improve coordination of muscles and nerves
To move any muscle, the brain sends a message to that muscle through nerves. The implementation of volleyball techniques requires very fast and sudden movements, which improve the coordination of muscles and nerves.
7. Prevention of osteoporosis
Inactivity causes osteoporosis, which weakens the bones and, as a result, weakens the muscles and the whole body. Exercising and strengthening muscles strengthens bones by continuously working them. Interestingly, strengthened bones also support muscles and a positive cycle is created to strengthen the whole body.
Some volleyball skills, such as serving and diving to receive the ball, gradually strengthen the bones and increase their density. According to research, the bone density of players in this field is higher than the bone density of those who exercise less.
8. Increased focus
A volleyball player should be aware of many things, for example:
- the position and movements of his teammates;
- ball movements;
- The movements of the opposing team’s players.
The player’s brain must analyze all this information so that he can perform volleyball techniques well, so this sport increases the player’s concentration.
9. Increase speed and agility
When you first start learning volleyball skills, you will find that you are a bit slow, because the execution of volleyball techniques requires a lot of speed and flexibility. With practice, your reaction speed and flexibility will increase over time.
10. Increase physical fitness
Chronic inactivity causes a decrease in physical fitness, physical limitations, muscle cramps and pain. Exercising by increasing physical fitness prevents these complications and strengthens the body’s immune system and increases a person’s strength.
11. Strengthening personal discipline
Creating a habit of regularity is one of the advantages of volleyball, because one has to regularly participate in practices and coordinate with other players.
12. Strengthen emotional control
As in many sports, controlling emotions is essential in volleyball. If players are not in control of their emotions, they will easily lose their morale and lose the game. According to research, the performance of volleyball players is excellent when controlling anger and overcoming anxiety.
13. Improve the function of the respiratory system
When playing volleyball, the body needs a lot of oxygen, and by increasing the heart rate and breathing, more oxygen reaches the muscles. This activity leads to the strengthening of the respiratory system and healthy breathing.
14. Increase hand-eye coordination
When the player’s eyes are on the volleyball ball, the body moves instinctively, and it is necessary to perform volleyball techniques such as receiving the ball and hitting it, coordinating the hand muscles with the information received through the eyes. Our eyes often make mistakes in estimating distances and speeds, but volleyball practice increases hand-eye coordination over time.
15. Mood improvement
When a doctor diagnoses a person with anxiety or depression, they often recommend exercise to relieve anxiety and overcome depression. Exercising relaxes muscles and improves mood by relieving body tension.
16. Memory Improvement
According to researches, those who exercise have less memory loss in old age. Exercise strengthens the brain, especially volleyball, which takes a toll on the brain and engages the brain cells to coordinate the eyes and the body. Any exercise that works on brain cells will strengthen memory.
Some recommendations for starting volleyball
- Having a proper diet and nutrition: athletes’ bodies need a lot of energy, and consuming a lot of carbohydrates and fluids is recommended for them.
- Sufficient rest: Sufficient sleep is necessary to improve the condition of the body and restore it.
- Warming up before exercise: Warming up before exercise is very important, especially a heavy sport like volleyball.
- Having perseverance: becoming professional in volleyball requires concentration and perseverance.
- Drink enough water: the athlete loses a lot of water during exercise, which must be compensated by drinking fluids.
- Join local teams and clubs: To improve your volleyball skills, you need to practice regularly, so why not join a local club or join a school team?
you say
Volleyball is a popular sport that has many benefits, from increasing physical fitness to improving memory and improving mood. The attractive game of the Iranian volleyball team has made this sport very popular in our country.
How well do you master volleyball techniques? Are you a team member and do you train regularly? If you have any advice to improve your volleyball skills, please write it to us in the comments section.
Great post.