You may have heard of volleyball players using compression sleeves. These are sleeves which cover the bicep all the way down the forearm, almost to the wrist. You might think that you don’t have any use for volleyball compression arm sleeves. However, the best compression sleeves for volleyball can come with a multitude of benefits, so let’s take a closer look.
If You Are In a Hurry: The Best Volleyball Compression Arm Sleeves
Mizuno Arm Sleeves
Do you need a better endorsement than the US national team? World class athletes rely on Mizuno Arm Sleeves to give their best in every game.
High quality knitting technology provides a soft material that takes the sting out of the ball. You can play for several games without pain in them.
Extends from your bicep to the forearm.
Use of Volleyball Compression Sleeves
What the Experienced Have to Say
One famous volleyball player had the following to say about compression sleeves.
“Arm sleeves seem to have multiple uses. Some youth feel they cushion the sting of the ball … can’t argue with their thinking. Some advanced players love the protective feel of a sleeve when playing multiple games in a tournament. Back row players often feel that burns from the dig are lessened with sleeves. Nobody has to use them but they certainly are appearing more and more frequently. I saw many being used at the national championships in Calgary 2015.”
You might be wondering why you would choose to wear compression sleeves for your next volleyball game. There are a number of benefits for volleyball players from compression sleeves which you should be aware of.
Stopping the Sting
One thing which many volleyball players note is that compression sleeves can be very useful as a form of protection for the arms. If an opponent hammers the ball your way, and it connects with bare skin, it’s going to hurt. A volleyball hit right to the arm can really sting.
However, although it’s not a super thick layer, a compression sleeve will help remove a bit of the sting for a less painful hit. At the same time, if you take a dive and you hit either the sand or a hard surface, it’s going to hurt too. A good volleyball compression arm sleeve can help prevent possible road rash caused by sand or a hard surface rubbing skin away.
Managing Moisture
Another benefit that you can get as a volleyball player wearing compression sleeves is managing moisture. If your arms and hands get sweaty, it becomes increasingly difficult to hit the ball accurately. Slippery arms and hands don’t perform well in volleyball.
Compression sleeves can help wick away moisture and they help create a dry surface to hit the ball with. This also helps increase friction, and friction between your arms and a volleyball is a good thing.
Warmth
Although volleyball is generally considered a summer sport, it can still get a bit chilly at times. A good compression sleeve can help keep your arms warm.
Increased Performance
The other benefit is that volleyball compression arm sleeves can help increase your overall performance. The reason for this is because they help increase oxygenation and blood flow to the muscles. More blood and oxygen flowing to the muscles means that they can be used for longer without fatiguing or burning. For a long volleyball game, the longer your arms are in prime condition, the better your chances of coming out victorious.
Other Types of Compression Gear in Volleyball
There are other types of compression gear which may be used in volleyball, mainly one thing. Here we are talking about compression shorts. Just imagine all of the benefits we are talking about in regard to compression sleeves, and then imagine being able to reap those rewards for your legs as well. Volleyball players may also use compression knee sleeves to help support, stabilize, and protect the knees.
Benefits of Compression Sleeves in General
You may be surprised to find out that compression sleeves come with a plethora of benefits for your arms. Let’s talk about why you may want to invest in some, and what exactly they can do for you, both in general and for your next volleyball game.
Better Circulation
One of the big benefits that comes with using compression arm sleeves is that they can help to improve blood flow and circulation. Yes, it sounds weird, because you might think that increased pressure or compression would slow blood flow down, but the opposite is the case. In fact, the pressure helps to increase blood pressure, thus increasing blood flow. This increased blood flow comes with its own benefits too.
The circulatory benefits of compression sleeves shouldn’t be overlooked. Other indoor sports take advantage of this too. It is not a coincidence that basketball players wear compression socks also. They also wear a number of compression arm sleeves.
More Oxygen and Better Performance
Related to the first benefit we just spoke of, because compression sleeves help to increase blood flow and circulation, they therefore help to increase oxygenation to the muscles.
Muscles need oxygen to function, and the more of it is available in the blood stream, the better the performance will be. Simply put, when performing any physical activity, a compression sleeve can help to improve overall performance and they can help stave off fatigue as well.
Carrying Away Lactic Acid
When muscles get tired, a buildup of lactic acid will start to occur. Lactic acid is what muscles create when they tire and when they are not getting enough oxygen or blood. Moreover, lactic acid is what causes that burning sensation in the muscles when you use them past the point you are accustomed to.
An increased blood flow and oxygenation to the muscles not only helps stave off the buildup of lactic acid, but the increased circulation also helps carry it away faster. This means being able to exercise for longer without your muscles becoming sore and burning.
Increased Stability
Yet another benefit which compression sleeves bring to the table is that they help increase stability, specifically in the elbow. If you move your arm the wrong way or too fast, you may injure your elbow or pull a muscle.
This can be especially bad if you already have issues with your arms and elbows. A compression sleeve helps to stabilize everything and keep it in place. Therefore, compression sleeves can help alleviate pain from existing injuries, and they can help prevent further injury as well.
Some Protection
Although this is not a huge benefit by any means, the fact of the matter remains the same. A compression sleeve helps add a small layer of protection for your skin. They can help prevent minor scrapes and scratches.
Faster Recovery Time
Not only do compression sleeves help improve overall performance during physical activity, but they also help out big time long after exercise is done. Muscles need blood, oxygen, protein, and other compounds to heal after being used heavily.
Muscles get damaged and muscle cells break down during exercise, and then when they heal, they grow back bigger and better. This is how muscles grow. However, you can’t exercise heavily day in and day out and expect your muscles to have enough time to recover in between sessions. A compression sleeve can help speed up recovery time so you can get back to it much sooner.
Temperature Regulation
The other benefit you get from compression sleeves, although not a major one, is that they can help regulate temperature. They help moderate temperature to keep you from being either too hot or too cold.
What to Look for in Volleyball Compression Arm Sleeves
Before you go out to buy any sort of compression sleeves for playing volleyball, there are a few key purchasing factors you should look for. If you pay attention to the following points, there should be no reason why you can’t find the best compression sleeve for you.
Moisture Wicking
One thing to look for is that the compression sleeve in question is moisture wicking. You want the sleeve to wick away moisture from your arms to ensure that you have a dry surface to strike the ball with.
Fabric
What kind of fabric the compression sleeve is made of is going to make a difference too. It’s wise to do a bit of research in terms of the benefits of various sleeve materials, such as spandex, cotton, nylon, and polyester.
Durability
Of course, a good compression sleeve needs to be durable so that it doesn’t rip apart after the first few times of use. This means being thick and tough enough to last, but also thin and lightweight enough to be flexible and breathable.
Price
Be aware that you do get what you pay for. It’s recommended to invest a bit extra into a high-quality sleeve, rather than to get something cheap that won’t cut muster.
Amount of Compression
It is also wise to figure out just how much compression you need, what is comfortable, and what helps you the most. Some compression sleeves are designed for light compression and some provide much more.
Breathability
A breathable compression sleeve is always good too, or else you will end up getting far too warm.
Conclusion
When all has been said and done, there is just no arguing that any and all volleyball players can benefit from compression sleeves in one way or another.