Total Body Defense

Table Of Contents

Creative "Total Body" Defence

By Tadashi Yoshida (Aichi University of Education Japan) & Vic Lindal

1. Body Awareness

Be aware of very specific body parts

A. Axis (the centre line of the body going vertically)

B. Centre of gravity = the lower core (Japanese Hara)

C. Upper core (Japanese Mune)

D. Ball of foot

E. The coccyx

The Hara (lower core) is located 2 inches below your navel. This is a centring spot used in many Eastern Martial arts such as Karate, Qi Gong and Judo. Players must be aware of this lower core and be able to focus their energy there for defence.

The upper core is locate in the centre of the chest near the heart. Focusing on this spot can be effective when blocking or spiking, but for defence the player must empty the energy from this area and have it drop to the Hara.

The ball of the foot is an important contact point and can be thought of as more than one area (inside and outside and forward and back), but it is important to note that it does not mean going onto the toes. Players must feel the natural position of the ball of the foot. Coaches must watch to see how players are placing their weight when they get tired.

A special Qi Gong breathing technique gives players a sense of the key awareness points. As you breath you must sense the breathe going through each spot and following the midline axis.

Method: (5 to 10 deep breathes)

Have the players stand tall and feel that they are being pulled up straight from a spot at the top and back of their head.

Next have them breath deeply and visualize the breath circulating from the heel up the back of the legs to the coccyx, up the back bone to the head and then down to the chest and on down to the Hara and out at the ball of the foot.

2. Natural Posture (upright) We must be thinking of playing the ball in a 360 degree range. This new range has become more important with the rule change allowing double on the first touch. This has meant that our posture can be more upright in preparation to contact the ball in a full circle.

Important to note that this posture is relaxed and, free and in good balance.It means that we are looking at and feeling the aesthetic value in this posture. We want to be on the balls of our feet and feel very little effort or tension in our muscles.

Method to achieve this "Natural Posture"

3. Awareness Through Movement (material from Moshe Feldenkrais)

The eye movement initiates all body movements. This is particularly important for blockers as they come off the net to follow the attacked ball

We need to relax the muscles around the neck and shoulders.

4. To ensure good posture.

Coaches can train players on low beams, this can be rails of wood 8 cm by 10 cm. Players are asked to walk on the beam for balance they can also be asked to pass the ball while on the beam. This helps in proprioception. Knowing where we are in space comes from signals generated in the balls of the feet.

From Professor Peter B.C. Matthews, Professor of Sensorimotor Physiology. "Proprioception, the unobtrusive sixth sense from the muscles, affects everything that we do. Destroy it and we are lost, (note from Vic, sprained ankles have a major deleterious effect), unable to control our movements and ignorant of the position of our body parts; proprioception is for, example, crucial in standing. The stretch reflex, by which our muscles resists when it is pulled upon, is an integral component of such proprioceptive control. It has been proved to be surprisingly complex in man. largely because the cerebral cortex may be involved as well as the spinal cord."

A wobble board can be of great value in teaching the great posture giving us awareness in space.

This is a rough sketch of a wobble board. There are professional wobble boards available and if you want more information contact Vic Lindal

Ball Control:

Factors to consider.

Body Control:

Practice Drills

Rebounding of the ball (feel the weight of the ball) This can be done against the wall with one hand and two hands.

Change of direction can be achieved by passing in 3's.

Passing from various distances;

Key to passing is to keep the arms very calm and keep moving into the ball. We must be able to get the soft ball (tip and wipe off) so we must be moving into the ball. Also with the new rules allowing the volley on first passes, means that we can be more daring in moving into balls.

To learn to adjust the ball contact you practice forward movement walking, running and jogging (with the pass).

Basic #2 (passing footwork) The coach will throw a hard ball in this phase

Move forward to ball and make a pass with no arm swing, follow this by a second contact from a tip. Important for the coach to lead the player. We must teach the idea of moving into the ball.

Basic #3 Same as above but the coach will hit the ball.

Basic #4 Change of direction and now you have two coaches and the coaches may be elevated or on the floor.

Basic #5. Change the distance of the pass. Players must feel the various distances that they are to pass. In this drill it will not be an exact simulation to a game situation but it will teach the important concept of whole body control

The coach is on the bench and hits balls to the player in down the line position. Player is about 7 metres from the net. The first pass is only 2 metres, then 4 metres and and finally 6 metres. have a target in place for each pass.

Now you do the same drill from the serving position. You may want to gradually move the coach back and have the coach stand on a chair about 6 metres from the net and then then go to the serving position. This drill is designed to teach ball control and even though it is not a direct simulation to a game the players will feel comfortable that they can make the various passes. If we use a game simulation we have to be careful not to create fear in players, particularly if they are close to the net and are asked to pass a short ball from a spike. In this drill the player learns to use the ankles and the knees as shock absorbers.

Controlling the ball is an essential skill:

Key factors:

Special practice to get the feel for ball control

Restrict some joint movements (when you restrict some joints it allows you to focus on the contact and only on the rebounding)

1. have the players stand with their backs to the wall with their seat and the the backs of their legs touching, from this position have them rebound a thrown ball.

2. with the player knelling on the floor toss the ball and again have them only rebound the ball.

Restricting the space.

have the players pass the ball in an area with a low ceiling

Narrowing the space

Have the players pass in a narrow alley. This can be done standing next to a wall, and define a line on the other side.

For team defence, players must become aware of their positions. These positions are not points but rather lines of responsibility. Players must learn to cover the whole range of responsibility for each position. When they are waiting in their area they need to be bouncing or creating a dance like movement as they read and get reading to move into the ball.

Examples of areas of responsibility for a 6 back defence

Footwork considerations:

Players must receive on certain points but must consider these points as being on curved lines related to each position.

  [PHOTOS] [VOLLEYBALL]