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Volleyball is such a physical sport and it involves a lot of movements like tennis. They have a lot of things in common and at the same time a lot of differences.
As an athlete or even a beginner, it is essential that you wear the appropriate shoe in any sport you decide to participate in. If not it could lead to poor performance or injury.
In this post, I want to shine some light on what are some of the difference between tennis shoes and volleyball shoes.
Also, I would be answering some of the frequent asked questions such as Can I wear running shoes for volleyball? Are volleyball shoes good for walking? etc. If you are excited about this post, let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
What Makes Tennis Different From Volleyball?
As I said earlier, tennis and volleyball are similar and different in many respect. Let’s look at some of the similarities and differences.
Similarities
Firstly, both sports are about hitting a ball over the net. This is one of the key elements between both sports. When you are watching both sports, you would see the ball going back and forward over the net.
Secondly, both sports require you to use your hands. What I mean by that is with tennis you have to use your hand to hold the racket and hit the ball.
And with volleyball, you have to use your hands to hit the ball over the net and serve with it.
Differences
Despite their similarities, there are still a lot of differences between the sport.
First and foremost, volleyball normally requires a total of six players on each side of the team. Whiles tennis, on the other hand, requires two players to play singles and four players to play doubles.
Secondly, the scoring system is different. With tennis, you normally play three or five sets. If you are playing three sets, you need to win two sets and if you are playing five sets, you need to win three sets.
Moreover, in tennis, each set requires you to get to six games. If it is six games all, then it goes to a tie-break. However, in the fifth set, if it’s six games all, you have to win by a marge of two games in the tie-break.
Volleyball, on the other hand, has a different set of scoring rules. Most matches have five sets, so to win a match, you must win three out of five sets. The last set goes up to 15 points and a team must win two-point apart.
If you want to learn more about volleyball and it rules, please check this awesome post.
Can You Wear Tennis Court Shoes For Volleyball?
Now let’s tackle the ultimate question that everyone has been asking, can you wear tennis court shoes for volleyball or what is the difference between both shoes.
The history of sports shoes emerged as one under the category of SNEAKERS. However, over the years each sports shoes has taken its own form and labels.
This is why it is essential that you do your homework very well so that you wear the correct shoes for whatever sport you are participating in.
If not you are going to have a difficult time on the court.
The simple answer to this question is NO! Here are the reasons for the answer by looking at the different part of the shoes.
Midsoles
Generally speaking tennis shoes midsoles are specifically designed to have an aggressive sole. This way it gives the player a good grip on the tennis court and good movement.
Volleyball shoes, on the other hand, are designed to give you good support, cushioning and rapid side-to-side motions on the court. This allows them the freedom to start and stop at quick interception throughout the match.
Also, volleyball shoes are built very strong to give them good performance and decrease the risk of injury.
Soles
Normally volleyball shoes are designed with gum rubber soles.
This gives them good traction on the court and prevents them from sliding on the court.
As I said earlier, tennis shoes have aggressive sole to give you a firm grip and traction on the court.
This way you don’t slip away and lose your balance.
Price
From my perspective, it looks like tennis shoes are more expensive than volleyball shoes. This is one indicator you can use to tell when you are looking for the difference between tennis shoes and volleyball shoes.
Volleyball shoes have the price range from $80-$150 and tennis shoes have the a price range of $100-$160.
Weight
Overall volleyball shoes are lighter in weight than tennis shoes. This allows them to jump up and down with ease. Also, it enhances their ability to move quickly on the court.
However, tennis shoes and running shoes weigh a little heavy due to the leather and material used. This is to provide stability and cushioning.
Design
Generally speaking, tennis shoes are elegant and small looking. Whiles volleyball shoes sometimes look a bit big and less stylish.
FAQ
So let’s look at some of the questions that people tends to ask regarding this topic.
Is It OK To Wear Basketball Shoes For Volleyball?
The court both sports use looks similar but it is not advisable to wear basketball shoes for volleyball. Both sports shoes are specifically designed in such a way to accommodate the needs of their respective sports.
Can I wear running shoes for volleyball?
The simple and straight answer is no. This is because when you wear running shoes to play volleyball your speed and movement are likely to slow down due to how the running shoes are designed.
Are volleyball shoes good for walking?
Honestly speaking, you can wear volleyball shoes for walking and have a lovely time. However, if you want to make your volleyball shoes last very long then I would recommend you to get another shoe for walking.
What should I look for when buying volleyball shoes?
Some of the things to look out for include the size, outsole, midsole, and price depending on your budget.
How often should you get new volleyball shoes?
Generally speaking, there are no fast and hard rules when it comes to how often you should get new volleyball shoes.
Overall if you take good care of them it could last you for many years.
Final Thoughts!
As this post comes to its conclusion, I hope you now understand the difference between tennis shoes and volleyball shoes.
Both shoes may seem alike but they are vastly different. If you are going to buy one of them, make sure to do your diligent research and make sure you select the right one.
This would allow you to perform very well on the court and prevent you from getting injury.
If you enjoy this post, please feel free to comment below. And if you have any questions regarding tennis shoes feel free to contact me.
