Ace Your Beach Volleyball Game

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OLYMPICS

by Cassie Shortsleeve August 10, 2012, 12:03 am EDT

Hit the sand—we’ve got you covered. While your beach volleyball game may be more low-key than the sand at the Olympics, no one wants to look like a noob on the court.

Take a lesson from 2008 gold medalist and member of Team USA’s beach volleyball squad Phil Dalhausser, and give your skills an instant spike. (Want to know how he became a champion? Check out Phil Dalhausser’s Journey to Olympic Stardom.)

1. Perfect Your Form
Think of your arms as a platform—the flatter the platform, the more accurately the ball bounces. With your hands out and palms up, place your right thumb in your left palm and wrap your fingers around it. Extend your elbows straight, maneuvering your forearms and wrists as close together—and as flat—as possible. You want the ball to hit between your forearms and wrists.

2. Master Your Movements
A rookie mistake: “swinging your arms up and down when you’re passing,” Dalhausser says. Good ball control comes from your legs and feet. And if you have good ball control, “you’re going to be a half decent player,” he says. To play like the pros, keep your arms still, bend your knees, and lift with your legs. Dalhausser’s number one tip: “Square your shoulders and point your feet in the direction you want to send the ball.”

3. Ace Your Serve
The float serve is called the knuckleball of volleyball, because it requires no spin. Toss the ball above your head a little bit in front of you, and punch at it with your palm without breaking (or bending) your wrist in a follow through. Why it’ll work: “Breaking your wrist puts a top spin on the ball, giving it more of a true line,” Dalhausser says. “If you don’t break your wrist, the ball floats a little, making for a tougher pass.”

Dalhausser making it look easy,

4. Block Your Opponent
Standing in an athletic stance with your butt down and hands out in front of you positions you for a dig (volleyball lingo for bumping an opponent’s spike), a pass, or any quick movement. “A lot of people make the mistake of standing too far into the court,” Dalhausser says. Your move: Stay 6 to 7 feet in front of the service line—that’s where most people hit the ball. “It gives you an extra split second to react.”

BONUS: Impress Her
Hitting straight down is the slam-dunk of volleyball: “It’s the sexy thing to do,” Dalhausser says. And with sexy comes risk: being blocked, hitting the ball into the net, or struggling to jump high enough in sand. The upside: “It’s the hardest hit to dig. You barely have any time to react.” Have your partner set you very tight to the net. Position yourself almost under the ball and jump straight up. When you contact the ball, make sure you snap your wrist, which will send the ball straight down. (Use these skills to impress the women on our list of the 12 Sexiest Olympians.)

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