Peeling off the net may be one of the most underappreciated skills in beach volleyball. Yes, we all love the monster block. We all love the swat block. They look fantastic, are huge momentum plays, and are the fastest ways to score points in a beach volleyball tournament. Staying at...

You guys asked, and we're going to deliver: You wanted to hear more about defense in beach volleyball, so that's what we're going to cover today. 

The video below is our match -- Mark Burik and Ian Satterfield -- vs. Sean Rosenthal and Chase Budinger at AVP San Francisco. One of the reasons...

It's a mental game, beach volleyball defense. Doesn't matter if you're playing in Hermosa Beach or Austin, Manhattan Beach or New York City, San Jose or the South Bay. It is, as a popular saying goes, "chess, not checkers."

Which is why we wanted to show you this video. Austrian Olympian...

Are you trying to learn how to play volleyball?  Tired of having the same finishes in sand volleyball tournaments?  Trust me, we've been there too!  The following beach volleyball drills are perfect for people trying to answer these types of questions.  Whether you are trying to learn or trying to get better finishes these volleyball passing drills are perfect to help you gain the confidence to step out on the court!

If you're interested in this blog on beach volleyball serve receive and passing, you may want to take a look at our passing and serve receive course! We'd also love to have you drop by one -- or more -- of our beach volleyball classes, private lessons and training camps for adults and juniors in Hermosa Beach, CA and Salt Lake City, Utah. We run volleyball vacations in exotic locations around the world. We can even run beach volleyball clinics for your group, club or team in your hometown! Send an email to ...

If you're interested in this blog on serving and how to play defense in beach volleyball, you may be interested in our serving course, which, of course, is the first line of defense in, ahem, defense. It'll will have you serving more accurately, with more power, in just a few weeks! We'd also love to have you drop by one -- or more -- of our beach volleyball classes, private lessons and training camps for adults and juniors in Hermosa Beach, CA and Salt Lake City, Utah. We run volleyball vacations in exotic locations around the world. We can even run beach volleyball clinics for your group, club or team in your hometown! Send an email to [email protected]

The high line shot is the most common offensive shot in beach volleyball. It's the equivalent to a fast ball in baseball, or an elbow jumper in basketball: If you're going to play beach volleyball, you need to have a high line shot. 

Even Phil Dalhausser -- gigantic, physical, bouncing...

Defense in beach volleyball can get a little weird sometimes. If you were to ask someone the fundamentals of how to play defense, they'd respond, almost immediately, with: use both hands. 

"If you can use one, you can use both," is the old adage from coaches. 

While they have a point -- if you can use...

You don't always need a full team to practice against in beach volleyball. Sometimes, as is the case with this drill for serving and defense in volleyball, you only need a ball, and one other partner. 

Below, we describe the serve, dig, set, retreat transition drill. 

Serve, Dig, Set, Retreat, Transition Drill

This drill is excellent for just...

There are, essentially, three major shots and swings in beach volleyball. There's the hard swing angle, which is essentially everyone's default swing in beach volleyball. Then there's the high line, which is typically option No. 2 after the hard swing to the angle. 

Then there's the cut shot. 

The cut...

If you're interested in this blog on serving and how to play defense in beach volleyball, you may be interested in our serving course, which, of course, is the first line of defense in, ahem, defense. It'll will have you serving more accurately, with more power, in just a few weeks! We'd also love to have you drop by one -- or more -- of our beach volleyball classes, private lessons and training camps for adults and juniors in Hermosa Beach, CA and Salt Lake City, Utah. We run volleyball vacations in exotic locations around the world. We can even run beach volleyball clinics for your group, club or team in your hometown! Send an email to [email protected]

In beach volleyball, you'll get a lot of weird touches -- one-hand, opposite hand, pokie, tomahawk. You'll get volleyballs crushed at you and you barely have time to respond. It's all about reaction time, and controlling the ball in spite of having very little reaction time. 

Which is why we...