Beach Volley And Wellbeing: A Qualitative Research On Psycophysical Efforts

Purpose: Beach Volleyball (BV) is a sport derived from indoor volleyball, but with different rules and gameplay dynamics. Over time, it has gained popularity for both its recreational and competitive aspects, requiring a balanced aerobic-anaerobic energy effort. Its growth has led to an increasing demand for specific practice and dedicated sports facilities, including urban areas. Given these characteristics, BV can also be used to promote psychophysical well-being. However, scientific literature lacks studies analyzing recreational BV in terms of perceived psychophysical benefits and practitioners' opinions. This study aims to assess the perceptions and opinions of recreational BV players regarding psychophysical, motivational, and social-relational aspects. Methods: The convenience sample consists of 34 amateur players (24 males, 10 females) aged between 21 and 45 years, who have been regularly practicing BV for at least one year at a non-competitive level. Participants completed a 10-item closed-ended questionnaire divided into two sections: the first identifying the sample characteristics and the second evaluating opinions and perceived enjoyment of the sport. Results: Fifty-eight percent of participants highly appreciate BV, 58.9% perceive psychophysical benefits and 53.3% consider their motivation for practicing the sport as optimal. Chi-square test revealed a significant relationship between perceived psychophysical benefits and improved social skills (P = .036). Another significant relationship was found between motivation to practice BV and perceived performance (P = .025).Conclusions: Practicing BV provides psychophysical benefits including improved physical fitness, increased motivation, enhanced self-esteem, and better body composition. Moreover, a strong link was observed between higher motivation and improved teamwork and social interactions among players, as well as contributing to the improvement of decreased stress of daily routine.