People often ask me whether you need special shoes for volleyball or if regular court/tennis shoes are
adequate.
The answer is, in almost all cases, if you’re playing the game more than just 1-2 times a month recreationally, then yes you will definitely need volleyball shoes!
In this article I’m going to explain exactly what’s so special about volleyball shoes, what makes them different from other types of court shoes, and why exactly you need to invest in a pair.
Let’s begin!
Why Volleyball Shoes Need To Be Unique
Volleyball is a very unique sport with a very unique set of physical requirements. Virtually no other sports played on a hardwood court have anywhere near as much jumping involved as we see in the sport of volleyball.
Everytime you spike a ball, it should be pretty close to a maximum vertical jump attempt. And every time you go up to block it’s more of the same. As a former international level middle blocker, I’d be jumping hundreds of times every game!
Not in basketball, badminton, squash, or handball do we see anywhere near the same amount of jump volume taking place, which is where volleyball separates itself from other court sports.
Because of the huge amount of jumping in our sport, volleyball shoes need to be capable of enabling maximum vertical performance but also need to help protect our joints from the large volume of jumping.
There also needs to be considerable variation between the types of shoes different volleyball players wear. A libero should not be wearing the same shoes as a middle blocker, for obvious reasons.
Special Characteristics Of Volleyball Shoes
The first thing you’ll notice about the best volleyball shoes is that they tend to have thicker midsoles compared to non volleyball specific shoes.
Thicker midsoles means better cushioning. Better cushioning means two things: improved bounce/springiness which allows you to jump your highest, but more importantly it means adequate impact protection or shock absorption.
Volleyball tournaments can be long, arduous days often lasting 10+ hours…
If you’re playing (i.e. jumping) for 10+ hours in shoes that don’t have solid impact protection, your joints are going to start aching and you risk damaging your knees and developing or exacerbating patella tendonitis.
For spikers, I recommend seeking out shoes with a mid top design as they tend to offer slightly more ankle support than regular low tops.
The difference may only be tiny, but even if…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at VolleyCountry…