Fans to quiz legend Tom Hoff

  • Volleyball fans will be given the chance to ask Olympic champion and former USA captain Tom Hoff anything they want after the latest issue of VolleyWorld was released on Friday with supporters around the world asked to send in their questions for the next edition of the magazine.


    Hoff, who blogged for the FIVB website during this year’s World League, will answer questions on anything from technical queries to how professional players prepare for big games.


    Sumbit your questions to ask@fivb.org

  • Q: I am a volleyball player in Mozambique, Africa. I used to play volleyball, but now also play beach volleyball. I'd like to ask about preparation, what you used to do physically and mentally, how many hours of training you used to put in and some good exercises before games.
    TH: We used to practise roughly 20-32 hours of volleyball-specific training per week. For physicial fitness, body building and recovering it was anywhere from six to 10 hours. I always enjoyed watching videos so I could easily watch a couple of hours per week. Good exercises before games might include active/warm-up. I was never a sit and stretch player; I wanted to increasingly move my body through a great range of motion, and more dynamically as I prepared myself for practices and matches. I also wanted to allow ample time for handling the ball. This comes from my srtong belief that controling the ball, especially in serve receive, is the foundation that all great teams share.


    Q: What type of supplements did you used to take to help you play?
    TH: I never really relied on supplements to play. Instead I focused on my meals being based in moderation across all food groups and staying well hydrated. I would almost always come prepared for training or matches with a snack selection in my bag that I could nibble on to give me energy and ability to preform at a high level.


    Q: How can I improve my jump and spike?
    TH: Improving the jump and spike will help volleyball players, but it should not be your initial or main focus as you develop your skills. Volleyball is a highly coordinated series of individual physical actions symphonised by the other five players around you, all in an effort to control the ball better than the other team. Ball control (and making it fun!) is the premier skill that all young people should focus on, as well as people who want to conquer the Olympic arena. If you would like to improve your vertical leap, jumping rope seems to be the simplest way to "awaken" quick-twitch response in your legs. Any type of dynamic sprinting/bounding work generates the kind of explosive power a volleyball player needs to consistently jump during a two-hour plus match.


    Source: FIVB VolleyWorld 4/2011