31. Get better at volleyball (May 2019 Update)

Quick volleyball update: it is still definitely awesome. However, it can also lead to some physical issues, which are not awesome.

Since I've decided to really focus on volleyball, I think I've made some improvements: I believe my passing has gotten much better, my setting is a little more consistent, and my serving has somehow become more reliable. There are two areas on which I still need to work a lot though, and they are, of course, hitting and blocking.

Unfortunately, these two aspects of the game are the ones that demand the most jumping, and thus are the ones that are causing me problems. I'm pretty sure I have developed patellar tendonitis, or "jumper's knee". This is a pretty common inflammation of the tendon that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone, and is especially affecting athletes who play sports like volleyball and basketball (because of the repeated jumps they require, hence "jumper's knee").

It's not really a huge deal so far - the pain isn't bad and I'm doing exercises to prevent and alleviate it - but it is still annoying, and thus slows down my work on my spiking and blocking. Not to be deterred though, I will also focus on my landings (to soften them and prevent rough impacts) and on my arm swing, a very important part of hitting which can be improved by staying on the ground. But it's definitely not as fun as crushing a ball after a perfect set!

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