Mark Burik (00:00.526)
What is up you guys? This is coach Matt here. Thank you guys for tuning in every week. This week we have a very special guest. His name is Miles Partain. But before we jump into that, I want to drop in some very fun dates coming up. We have some better beach camps coming up November 30th through December 6th. We're going to Punta Cana Dominican Republic. If you guys are not signed up for that, I highly recommend checking that out ASAP. It's getting close to the last second to be able to sign up for that.
And then starting out the new year, we're going to be heading to Loveland, Ohio, January 24th through the 26th. And then we're heading to Washington after that one. That one's almost sold out. I highly recommend. If you're thinking about signing up for that one, do it ASAP because I don't think there's very many spots left. And that's the same with a lot of our mini camps. They sell really fast. So just make sure if you're debating it, definitely reach out ASAP to get you registered for that.
So yeah Tacoma Washington January 31st through February 2nd, March 7th through the 9th we're heading to Ozark, Missouri and then June 20th through the 22nd Virginia Beach, June 27th through the 29th Milwaukee, Wisconsin. So guys if you guys don't know where these dates are they're on our website at betterbeach.com-events. So check that out and try to keep an eye on that daily we're adding
new events to that every single day. Just to kind of open it up, Miles, just give a little intro of who you are. Obviously, I'm pretty sure all of us know who you are, but just in case there isn't anyone, just give a rundown of who you are and your accolades and everything like that. So, what was yours? I grew up in Los Angeles and I've been playing volleyball since I was 11. Played the normal club.
male club indoor volleyball route in SoCal. Went through that, then went to UCLA for volleyball indoor and studied math there. And then, yeah, I guess we got like ninth or something and then fifth and then third in the national championship. And then I left the team my junior year, but they won that year. But I left early to go to the Olympics for beach volleyball.
Mark Burik (02:19.617)
or to try to go to the Olympics and then ended up qualifying in 2024 in like May or something is when we found out. then, yeah, like three months out from the Olympics and then playing the ABP stuff too. And then this volleyball stuff, to basically do some volleyball teaching, through, hopefully through stories. like world building kind of like a...
Lord of the Rings volleyball world kind of, think that'd be fun to teach the game inside of. So trying to figure out how to do that. Yeah. Thank you. So that brings up a few questions for me. Going into that decision to drop UCLA and just pursue the Olympics full time. How can you dive into that a bit more and just kind of share a little bit how, you know, some things that you might've been wrestling with, with that decision and.
how you came to the decision to chase after the Olympics full time? Yeah. Let's see. Yeah, guess my brother had gotten a great job. So he was expected to come back. He ended up just taking the job. was, so anyway, so that was like one setter down and then it was left me and two more on the team.
It was a hard decision because we only had three, three setters is a good amount. And it would have been, I probably wouldn't have done it if there was only, well for sure if I was the only setter, but they had two other good setters so that helped a lot. And they were good, they really good. So I knew I wasn't leaving the team like all my friends and stuff like totally alone. So that helped a lot. And then just.
I don't know, cost benefit analysis sort of of playing. Like I had to start to qualify. it would have been a huge blunder to wait and finish out the season. So yeah, I decided to do that as a tough decision, but I'm glad they won. So they had no like what if type of things. yeah, it was really a simple decision mostly. It's just like, do I play the Olympics or finish the season and then get a late start to...
Mark Burik (04:44.973)
doing it and actually that early start was pivotal in our process. So yeah, I think it was good. So that's it. Yeah. Nice. Anastasia asks, so you were a setter at UCLA? Yeah. Nice. Did you option a lot of indoor too or did you guys run a 6-2? I tried to, I actually got an
I wouldn't consider myself like this just flowy, like natural setter. was always a very grind for me, but my open hand tip like dump onto was like, in my opinion, one of the best in the world. was like, I got really good at it. Like really, really good at it. So I like doing that. if I had ever played pro, like I, I would have been a big asset for me, but I don't Maybe I could still, I still kind of now with this VoilΓ‘ Knowledge stuff, I'm hoping to.
teach potentially like the entire game. So it'd be cool to play pro somewhere potentially. Maybe after the next Olympics, if I can do that for beach, that'd be like really, really cool. If I could just play pro in Switzerland or India or something for like three months, setter, not really hit my shoulder too bad. So. Just go setter dump every ball. I that's a good lie. I mean, yeah, you need a tight set. Being good at dumping isn't that valuable. I mean, it's location and decision making is like.
95 % of it and then highlight plays for dumps, but so fun. That's awesome. Jay, Jay wants to speak up to ask his question. He's driving right now. So Jay, go ahead and unmute yourself and go ahead and ask some questions. Great miles. Man, listen, my question, and I wish I could have typed it, but it had been four pages long. The positions you get yourself into to actually utilize your hands is absolutely amazing. Right? I mean,
You torch your body or you run a full sprint and then back set what like what is the key to? building in developing to that level of handsetting because I mean 90 % of the people if they're not in kind of typical standard set form, you know, it gets just Annihilated right? Yeah, it's a great question. It's incredible. We talked about you all the time So it's an honor to be on here with you
Mark Burik (07:05.326)
yeah, this is great. I've already subscribed to Better Beach. So like, you know, I could have just joined this as like a, well, I don't know. But like, could have just joined like as a player. but yeah, I mean, with the setting, definitely like the contortion or like body manipulation. So you can get your sort of center line and energy like centered on the ball. So you don't double or whatever. Like that's super important. So.
There's a ton of footwork drills you can do the wall volleyball Instagram, like at wall volleyball. love that Instagram. Like I did a ton of wall drills growing up. So, and still do like yesterday I was doing wall drills for like, not even really, I wouldn't call it a drill. It's just fun, but it's like 30 minutes of that yesterday. Just procrastinating my workout, but like still getting better too. So I really liked the wall drills. I think that helps a lot. You can throw it against the wall.
and put yourself in all those situations where you think it's difficult to double or like, you know, get messed up or lose your sense of place. So I think that's super important that all those wall drills, you can just derive all of the answers yourself from that. But I mean, definitely just playing it would help. think the, especially the wall drill, you have to go around the world. I bet you could type it in on YouTube, like around the world wall setting volleyball.
and it would show up the drill. But you just set the ball against the wall and you try and do that, basically. And it's pretty hard, especially from this zone to here. And then it's kind of easy for the front part. But if you really don't skip the hard part, that helps a lot with the contortion. then seeing if you can toss the ball against the wall and you're not allowed to move your feet and you have to figure out a way to side bend and arch your back or lean forward.
kind of get it on your nose so it doesn't look like a lift. So it's just like a perception thing, like you could set it anywhere, it just can't look like a lift or a double. The actuality of it is irrelevant. yeah, that's another thing. So like purposely putting yourself in those chaos situations too, like if you're doing the triangle drill or just like sitting with your friend and Pepper, like have it land.
Mark Burik (09:29.464)
two feet to the right of you and then see if you can stand here and then set it like that. And it's not, as long as you get your head in the same relative position to the ball in your hands, it's just a normal set. So you still import the skill into a new analogy. And then that's huge for jump setting, because the ball moves a few inches either way. I mean, even with normal setting with the wind, it does that. So you already do it, but just.
Embracing it and seeing the limits. I think like finding the opposites of anything philosophically like volleyball to if you can find the opposites of something the limits within which you can exist so like for setting like find the limits of where you could could possibly set it without it being a You know impossible and then like just keep trying to expand those limits
That would be my answer for that. That would be like go to for learning a jump set and then just set in general. So the wall drills are way better bang for your buck than playing twos. Really anything else for a lot of things. Yeah, that's great. That made me think of another question when it comes to obviously your I mean your trailblazer in a lot of ways in your game.
It's very impressive to watch and it's so fun to watch and it's so good for the sport and as you were Thinking through jump setting and I'm sure there's probably a podcast out here where you answer this question But if you were trying to narrow down jump setting into Maybe three to five key components to it What could you put in those three to five key components?
It's definitely possible with some prerequisite knowledge to helpfully boil it down to that. I think the approach angles are curved.
Mark Burik (11:39.982)
your steps trace out when you begin your approach and end it. Like that is really important and it depends on your, if you're like wrist away or cut back dominant and Andy and I's opinion. figuring out that approach angle that's beneficial to your hitting mechanics that are already there is huge and then taking that approach angle to the option is important. So like
Step one, guess, is like figure out your approach angle or curve and then.
like figure that out, that's like step one. So there's sort of multiple places you could start from as your partner is passing the ball. So finding that like the best one that maximizes your chance of like successfully striking it and an option would be good. So like you could just kind of, if you're passing, you can just open up, like some people do that. Some people will kick out a little bit farther away from their partner or they could kick into the court like what I do. So there's,
multiple ways to do it. Andy's a little more just opening up. I like kick into the court a little more because he's cutback dominant, I'm wrist away dominant. that like appeals to your dominance more or favors it. then so figure out the approach angle once you have that then that do you guys talk about the point of hesitation or like the beginning of your approach ever? Is there some word for that? Yeah, we mean like point of preparation is preparation. Okay, sort of break between each.
Yeah, so I think it's yeah, I think it's great to have a really defined point of preparation like very noticeable if you watch Taylor crab hit he's like You see him take this like timing step or point of preparation sort of step or right after that And that step is huge for the option. So like every time at some like consistent Queue like something should happen. So I think when like the ball strikes the
Mark Burik (13:43.628)
your partner's platform for them to pass it. Like you should do something physical to like initiate the process. So I'll just step with my right foot and like, just make sure it like step like right when I'm open up and then I time it. So right when it hits him, I'm also stepping and then you get like the music of it going and the rhythm. then after you take that timing step or right after the point of you get to that point of preparation, step one, get to the point of preparation with the approach.
that like facilitates the approach angle. then step two is take that timing step with probably your fifth to last step. And then three is like take a four step approach to the ball. But big thing is like make sure you got to save at least really you got to save four steps to get to the ball because it could kind of go anywhere. So having four in the tank is really nice. A lot of people would take like that first step.
as the timing step and then they have three after the ball like leaves the platform and they can actually just sort of assess where it's gonna be. And then they only have three steps though. So it's gotta be like really good pass and even then you're still kind of stressing it. So saving four and then learning how to sort of musicify all of it so it becomes a, because people they don't remember like.
You never memorize like a lecture, but if that's why I want to do volleyball through stories a little bit is because people remember stories like they don't remember. They won't remember this. Like what I'm saying, like if I, if I put it in a story and I was like, like cutback Carl was in the land of volley land. And then suddenly his partner was struck by a shaped rock from the moon and decide what to do. Something like that would be anyway, but.
Similarly, with playing, you want it to be like music. People remember music that's way easier to remember the tunes of a lyric than just a straight up transcript of the lyrics.
Mark Burik (15:52.184)
finding the music of it. then so that's like with those five steps, like figuring out a repeatable pattern. And I've thought about making like a theme song or something with those, cause the steps are very rhythmic and like the same every time. So, and so is volleyball in general, like all the steps and the contacts, it's all like a sort of song. I would wonder if I could like close my eyes and then like predict what's going on, like based on all the sounds. I'm sure anyone could do that.
But then finding the rhythm of that with the four steps and then, so you have that point of preparation, like taking wherever that is, like getting to that spot. Then you have your timing step is like the second thing. And then four step approach. Once you kind of know where the ball is going to go, you can maybe take that first step like blindly, but then the last three, they have to like know where the ball is going to go. You can't like take that third to last step and then it's not where you thought it was going to be. And then you have two steps. Like you need at least three.
At least in the four is like good, it's better. So a lot of times you'll see me take like a timing step and then like four quick steps as opposed to three steps, you know, that four is super helpful. And I think that's, that's expand Andy's range a lot on. I can pass it. Like he has, I think he was more like using three steps and he was so great at it, but four has really unlocked his window. think.
And then my passing's gotten a bit better too. There's a whole thing with the passing too. It's just difficult to pass for it, especially in a way that's like a repeatable cadence, similar with the music thing. They have to see your platform and kind of know where it's gonna go before it hits you. You can't just change the angle a second. You need to present it so they can see it and then line up where they think it's gonna go and hopefully that's where it actually goes.
And that way you can actually start cooking like Sweden. They're like passing angles are just phenomenal. So they're probably the best passers of all time. And I'll be 12. want like I wonder what would happen if they played indoor, but they're just great passers. So they're passing angles like you could be fine with probably a two step approach. I get so easy to read. So you could you don't have any you don't need really any variability. The ball could go anywhere. It's just you need it needs to be like
Mark Burik (18:15.34)
It shouldn't surprise you that it went there. Like you should be looking at their platform. And that's a big thing in indoor setting too. You're supposed to like some coaches say like watch the passer platform and then like predict where they're going to pass it. Like don't wait to just see it. and, everyone does that unconsciously. You know, you're forced to otherwise if you have no visual input of like what's going on, you just see the ball like bounce up for a pass, like off of a like a
Silhouette like you wouldn't be able to just the visual inputs huge so you're reading the platform to and like trying to figure out where it's gonna bounce just like a set and and Then and then you just and then I guess so now you're approaching to the ball You sort of jump just like you're gonna hit it and then that body contortion thing like that first question is huge like you have to learn how to Like the balls anywhere within like a two-foot circumference like
or two foot diameter circle, like you gotta figure out how to like get that center of that circle to be like on your nose or the ball to like land, you know, sort of centrally and then also have the power to like push it out and like not double or lift it. So all those things come into play, but you can combine them and it really is, it's not like a impossible skill. You know, it's very reasonable. Like people already do athletic feats much,
you know, of similar complexity. it's not, it's just like, takes reps. It takes a lot of courage. So, cause it just sucks for a long time, unless you grew up playing like that, or there's a way to like force serves that are easy. Cause the passing is super hard too. Which is I've heard people talk about like youth volleyball, like starting with two on two mini court, then three on three, like slightly bigger court. Like it's crazy that they just play two on two big court, like when you're 10.
And even if you're an adult beginning, you should not, there's such a waste of, you don't sprint before you can crawl or even walk. It's just an interesting concept. In general, a lot of life is that people just go right in. Like me, I wanna do this content stuff. Better Our Beach is this giant, I'm not gonna just create this giant website right away. I gotta start small or else I'll just suck.
Mark Burik (20:42.978)
You know, I could do it and it'll just be a horrible website. Well, I mean, it looks like you're really well so far. so just keep that same track. But one thing I loved about that is I, it almost sounds like you're describing your timing step as a completely different entity of your actual approach. and I think that is something that I have had confusion with in the past of that first step in your fourth step.
is your timing step. So I want to experiment with that and see if I can separate that into its own entity. And then the approach can just kind of flow after that. I am excited to experiment with that. Yeah, it's pretty easy. It's I mean, like, it'll take some time, but it's like, it's not that hard. Maybe there's some codes to it, like that you can crack. But it's just like, if anyone ever gets good at anything, they're like, this is actually like pretty easy. Yeah, it's like,
even rocket scientists, I'm sure they're like, this is like actually pretty easy. Not that hard. Really? No, seriously. It's just all, it's one plus one level brain things just happening like in a certain order. Yeah. And I'm sure you would appreciate this too. Have you ever read Pilgrim's Progress? Yeah. Yeah. The way you're describing this reminds me of a Have you read that book? Love it. Yeah. One of my favorite man. Yeah.
The way you're describing what you're trying to build. That's literally the full inspiration, like the most close inspiration to what I'm trying to do. Yeah, I think that's a brilliant idea. Yeah, it's so I remember like early in my faith, I was trying to figure out what it looks like. that was just such a piece of my walk that I remember it. You know, I like I don't remember it like I was saying with memory, like I remember it. Yeah, it's a brilliant thing. Brilliant idea. Five years later. Yeah.
Yeah, that's awesome. I think Selton had a question for you. Yeah, I was trying to type it out, I was like, the drum. So the first step before the four steps that you mentioned, is it the same step repeated to like right, right, or is it like a left? Great question. Yeah. Yeah, the preparation, I guess before you get to the point of preparation, you have to do some things to get there.
Mark Burik (23:07.916)
you just have to move or maybe it's in the same spot. like whatever you're doing, like there's some way to do it and you should do it the same way every time. So I think what I do, I'll open up, like I think I'll have my pivot or like the.
The fixed, what do you, the hinge is my right foot and I'll like open up so my left foot will move out of the way. And then I'll be facing Andy. But this is from the right side. And then I think I'll open up, kind of do this. I'm trying to think what I do. Also everyone, he's left-handed. Yeah, yeah, that's important. It could be different. Yeah.
I think I just open up, literally I just open up and then just take, I'll open up to the inside of the court. This is for like the inside hand side where your dominant hand is on the inside. So it's like a left side for the righties, left, right side for the lefties, but I'll open up and then my timing step will just be,
Can I share my screen? Yeah. Yeah. There's a share button at the bottom. Yeah.
Okay. Yeah, I actually have, I've just been, there was a time when I was trying to make some,
Mark Burik (24:34.318)
some videos, I actually have some options already like loaded up somewhere on my computer. Might as well just pull one up. Yeah, for sure it's way more efficient than a... And one thing you mentioned earlier that I think is very valuable is, correct me if I'm wrong, but your starting point is to set up your strongest attack. Yes, for sure.
just for third contact hitting, second contact hitting, serving, I mean, probably passing to like, you're just trying to bias towards your strengths. they not work on your weaknesses, but really just try to hide them or make them impossible. So this is one of the, is, can you guys see it? Okay, nice. Yeah, so this is like an option.
I guess this is an interesting one because I didn't actually move into the court. Usually I'll move in, but I took a split step like out, which I've tried to stop doing. Dustin Watton mentioned to me that that's like not a good thing to do. then, but anyway, so I see the ball's going to Andy. Like I moved my head at him. watching his platform. I think I step out because I kind of see his platform like pointing there, but you can see with my right foot, which is like my outside foot by the sideline, like sort of picks up in place.
and then hits the ground again. Can you see that? It's kind of subtle, but it's like very important. So that's that timing step. I'm like, boom, right when it hits it, like you can see my knee kind of goes into the floor or into the ground, you know? So it's a very subtle timing step. Extremely subtle. can be. Yeah. Unless your point of preparation is like somewhere else, which usually it is, usually I'll move to the middle, but Andy got served like in such a way where I think I saw it and
I mean, it does, it looks like his platform might kind of go like to the my side of the middle, but then it doesn't. But I have four steps. No, I kind of did. That's a different. This is like the same principles here, like even with that quick play, but there's that first step and then see I take left, right, left, right, or like dominant, non-dominant, dominant, non-dominant. That way, like, it doesn't matter if you're righty or lefty, but.
Mark Burik (26:57.902)
Yeah. So it's that first fifth last step and one, two, three, four. So to answer your question, it's, it's a right, it's, it's, it's alternating steps. Right. Yeah. It's, it's alternating, but maybe there's a way where there might be two in a row to get to the, I can imagine sooner or two in a row, you'd have to like jump off one foot. don't feel myself do that. Sure. So that's another thing. And then Andy, Andy covers this and then I still get back.
to a timing step, but it's my fourth to last step, because I just didn't have time. And then I took three and then I hit it. So that's like, that one, you I only had three, but I was a short play like, yeah. I mean, there's more, there's like, I have some other ones, if you want me to pull them up that are like, content. And just as you're pulling that up,
Do you, know you're talking a lot about the pastor's angle and that's setting up your point of preparation. Do you consider where the serve goes as another factor to add for sure. Yeah, like where that angle is like exists on the court for sure. Yeah. That's, that's cool. like if Andy is more served into a seam, like
Do think it's more so a distance thing from Andy or a... Like how would you describe that?
Okay, here's a more generic one. This is the one that I just normally feel like I do. So I don't really go to the middle even for me, but if it was served on a sideline, would. Yeah, what were you saying again, Matt? said about the... I was just asking if, like, do you think of it more so as a distance from Andy? Yeah, like maintaining the same distance, like a string between us. Yeah, yeah, I think that's probably what I kind of do. So yeah, if he moves to the side... Well, I didn't do that here.
Mark Burik (28:57.966)
It depends. think if he moves to the sideline in such a way where he's not like this, like he's diving, like he's not diving right now. So I think like if he was, I might move in more. But you can see, so even with that point of preparation, like I'm like just deriving this right now, but like my left foot moves. no, my right foot comes in.
I'm just trying to rotate, but the right foot comes in and then that left foot goes back and see how it plants. Yeah. That's like the sixth to last step. then. Boom. Like that's the timing step right there. The fifth to last step. Hitting, hitting right there. But even before that, there's one, two timing step. So that right foot moves and the left foot moves then timing step. So, you know, you're three steps in, I have four left. So it's like a seven step process. Usually that is what I usually do. And then.
It's like, see where the ball is going and then this is my fourth to last step and then last step. then I, and then I hit it. so yeah, that's, that's sort of one in the middle, but there's other ones, like if it's in the left, it's good that I, I didn't even, I don't have any yet. I actually have these little folders for different zones. I was thinking of using that ball time or is that a different app?
It's volumetric screen recordings. But this is like another one. There's so many little, not really so many. There's literally like, there's only seven steps you can take. that's not, you you can learn that. then there's like an optional eighth step in this example. And then that's it. It's just seven or maybe eight. So this is one where it's like another one. Let's see if I can use my arrow.
So, that one I move in, because I kind of think it's Andy's, but then even then you can see, I take that timing step with that right foot. It kind of goes up and then down that outside foot. And then I'm off to the races one, two, three, but I know I can't get there in even four steps. So I do like three, four, and then I go goofy footed with that extra step. I call it the goofy extra, because I went right left, which is
Mark Burik (31:16.994)
non-dominant dominant, is like a goofy footed approach. And then, and then I hit that, but that's like an easier one. If it gets farther than you were expecting, like the passing angle changes last second, can, know, you can see like even now, like try and say it. it's like point of preparation time, one, two, three, four, five. Usually it's one, two, three, four jump hit, but this is like one, two, three, four, five hit. So like in my head, like I'm sort of.
It's
And then five steps is like one, two, three, four, five. So the three are like pretty fast. And then sometimes if it's in transition, it's sometimes like seven steps just to like, you have to kick out and then like come back in. So it's like one, two, three, four, five, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Yeah, guess. Man, it sounds like the five step.
is such a cheat code to such a struggle for so many players, which is timing. Yeah, it helps with timing a lot. You'd have to set it really high to be early with a high step approach. Yeah, that's awesome. Do you think that, for example, on this play in particular, you end up going goofy-footed? Yeah. Is it better for you in this situation?
Think about it like going the right way, like trying to set up your approach the right way, for example, just so you knew that you'd rather get to the ball and then just have like a closing steps, no matter what. Like, you saying, do I prep the everything before differently if I know it's going to be a goofy foot approach? No, not goofy foot approach, but more like you.
Mark Burik (33:37.76)
So for example, I think that's a struggle for a lot of players. And I do think I see that in my personal game. It's like, I'm trying so much to have the right approach that I don't even think that I could take a goofy approach at the end if it's me getting my feet to the ball. Yeah. Well, it's when your body like says, I can't get my feet to the ball. Like you'd have to bump it over that it'll like trigger the goofy step. It should like trigger it.
So you won't know until your body tells you that. And then your response to the, it's like a question and answer type thing. Your body's like, Hey, like I can't get there. What do I do? And then you need to train the answer to be like, like take this extra step. So I'll just do it. Like you could even just do it in your room, imagining it and like get the reps. but yeah, I guess if you're super focused on getting your feet to the ball, it aligns with that.
Like it's still, the point is to get your feet to the ball. just.
like the only way to do it, because it's so far away. Because you try and predict where the set's gonna go and then start your approach four steps away from that or whatever amount of steps you are. So it's like one more step than you were thinking, but it's nice to have that in the bag. Chase Budinger does the goofy extra too. I think Sweden does it as well. Andy's done it a bit. Trevor Crabb does it if there's a really tight set.
You have to do it. Even for like a third contact approach, it's a super useful skill. If you can be easy to set like my number one complaint, which I plan to make skits making fun of it about, but my number one complaint and like my entire volleyball experience is people complaining about the set. It drove me crazy. It's like so crazy. was, which as a setter, I think some of it was some maturity like things too, but like,
Mark Burik (35:32.918)
man, I got so mad as a setter, like when people complain about the set. And I was like, you don't even know about the goofy extra. Like no one's training bad sets on purpose. Like all of you guys should be doing that. Like I do that. I was just, they were like, it me better. was like, learn how to get a bigger like window and let me know what's going on. Like, which is what it was hard for me to complain back because I'm also trying to take this ownership mindset too. So like.
It kind of insulates. It was hard. It was weird. I can't really like defend against it, but I've heard of setters who when they complained, they just, if it was like a shoot set and they complained the tempo was bad, they would just set it to the wall. Like that's, I wish I had a little more of that in me. just, didn't at that time. Yeah. And then people wouldn't complain anymore, you know? it's kind of like punching a bully in the face.
But these are my friends, genuinely somewhat pretty nice, really nice people who would just, they would think it was helpful and it drove me crazy. I've set you a thousand times already, I know where a good set is, I know where to set it. Sorry, I got you, but I was thinking, do you think it's also a physical part of it? Obviously the more physical you are, I think the easier it is for you to...
be able to adapt to different like bad sets? Or do you affect your game? The physical ability? as much. Imagine you're not as high. Do you think you will affect the way you hit to the ball, get your feet to the ball, for example? Yeah, yeah, you probably want to start a little closer to the net. Like consciously just be accept the opposites of your
abilities, meaning like.
Mark Burik (37:36.91)
I will never know. It's normal, Yeah. Yeah. So I think the, yeah, you probably just make your like sort of range of perceived possibilities smaller and like to account for your sort of relative weakness there. But now there's these things you could all, you could do the goofy actually you could do.
all the other seven steps easily. So even if you were like 50 years old, like jumping like seven inches or whatever, like I still think you could jump set to you just maybe be like almost touching the ground by the time you said it, which is totally fine. So yeah, I could probably do it too. I could like probably force myself to be like put a speed limit on myself and just test it and then like jump 10 inches and
see if I can still do it. Probably be a little different in some ways. It'd probably be really helpful for the people in that camp. Yeah. I want to dive into, just a second ago, you were talking about how the indoor side of things, when people would communicate with you, hey, I need this, I need that from your set, that kind of irked you. So I wanted to take I wanted to know it. I just fully knew it already. So was like, yeah, I know it's a bad set.
Like I know that, like tell me something helpful like about how to use that. Like that's actionable, not like a results. It's like telling someone to like play better, like you said, play better. It's literally like almost exactly that. Just like covertly hidden as like communication or named it, named that. A lot of communications like that too, but. So whenever, so take us into a.
You guys just played a point. Take us into, I think you have what, like 10 seconds before the next serve, pretty much? Or is it a long time on the world? Yeah, like eight seconds maybe. It's eight seconds for the World Tour, think, for the APP too. So in between, during that time, take us into some communication that you and Andy have between you guys. Like what is the way that he likes to be communicated to? What's the way you like to be communicated to? What does that dynamic look like for you guys?
Mark Burik (40:02.958)
Yeah, I guess if we just in general, I guess it just depends if we win the point Often like nothing but we have like a lot of this stuff with me doing the volume knowledge everything else like I'm just trying to I've learned a lot more about stories and the basically the importance of physical things showing spiritual meaning or whatever so
I guess we've basically that means we value like the sort of physical expression of togetherness after the point. I've seen like European teams will often like basically just dab someone up every after every point. Whereas Andy and I would just do the lame looking like high five. So we were like, huh, I was like, maybe we should do that. Like to me, I was like, it's not directly affecting the point. doesn't matter. It was a very materialistic like viewpoint on it, but
We started doing that, so we'll maybe do that. We have like slightly different handshakes. Like I'll do this, like a double hand slap and then like the dab and like semi hug. If he does a good play and then if I do a good play, like my hands are on the bottom of the double hand slap. So that's like a win thing. And then maybe if there's something like we're serving the same guy over and over again, he keeps winning and we're like, why are you doing that? Like serve someone, serve the other guy.
kind of thing, we'll talk about that too. But again, there's so much going on, like you're trying to process the last point, like, you know, breathe and whatever. So like, I really prefer not communicating as much as possible because everything's communicated beforehand, you know? So it's just like, all automatic already. That's like way better for me. Only when it's, you know, if it's helpful then.
for sure communicate, but like a lot of the defense stuff, it's like, yeah, we already talked about that. Like we thought that might happen. Like we don't need to talk about it. So, and you really only have eight seconds. You can't really talk about anything like that meaningful unless you have like code words for things that encapsulate like a lot of meaning, which we do. So I don't know, we'll talk about some of the defensive schemes, like what to do better on the positioning for the lineup for the blocker, the defender, and then maybe some attack attacking like options.
Mark Burik (42:25.122)
that we could use, given like our strengths too. You don't just like tell someone to do a hit that they suck at, like one that you think might work against this team. stuff like that we'll talk about briefly.
But most of it's just encouraging supportive stuff, like, nice play. Sometimes I'll say, I'm keeping my servant, go after it. I'm not gonna miss, really, so you can miss. I think that helps for whoever's the aggressive yin and yang type of thing. So yeah, I'll do some of that.
Mark Burik (43:07.224)
Yeah, I think that's watch you guys a lot this season and I do feel like your communication towards each other on the court had a switch at one point. I think I felt at the beginning or I forgot if it was like at the beginning of this year or last year but guess we're not cheering with each other as much like the small little the same thing. And now I feel like now it's so much more like...
And like you guys looks like you're enjoying playing with each other more and I do know like when you look at for example like Mowansorum they don't really cheer up, you know, they don't they're pretty like stoic, you know, they don't cheer when they're making a point and I feel like at the beginning of you guys partnership it was kind of like that same vibe. Now I feel like now you guys are a lot more cheerful and I think you also are more successful now.
Do you think that- Yeah, it's mutually enforcing it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I just came from a materialistic mindset where I just, I didn't think that like things that don't directly affect the game really mattered. Like, meaning like any celebration or lack thereof was like less relevant. I always thought it was kind of relevant, but like not.
super relevant. Now I'm like, man, that's like very relevant. So yeah, it's basically just valuing the material more. So I'm kind of a math brain type of person.
really just more like a value brain type. just try to like, want to see what's valuable and then like know what it is. But in a materialistic background, like you just see materialistic things that are having value. So since that's changed, I've gained much more appreciation for art and music. And like every time I go into a room, I'm like, like, why is this design like bad or good? I'm like, what is that? And then same thing with the celebrations. Like they all affect the game. There's this huge thing called momentum.
Mark Burik (45:15.71)
that I've heard sports psychologists, they're like, momentum's not real. It's not like, it's an illusion. I'm like, well, yeah, from a materialistic perspective, like you're right. That's just like not full perspective. Like there's a spiritual dimension to everything that you contradict yourself while you're saying that because you're using like spiritual principles. But so to me, yeah, it's a given that sort of, so, but anyway, before like when we were looking maybe less fun, like I was, I was having less fun.
Like I was like, got burnt out for a while. was a little depressed or like normally I don't like that word that I call it like melancholy or whatever. so I mean, that was like part of it. I it wasn't just like what we're doing on the court, but, but yeah, the, celebrations definitely help. just, you want to go all into something like use your whole body, mind, soul, like every faculty you have, like point it towards your objective. So.
Yeah, with anything. So that's, that's something I came to. and I realized that has like value in all dimensions, like the winning one, the fun one, the being a good partner one, like God one, all of them. So it was a no brainer to like start doing that stuff in between points to me. I, and
I think that's a good segue into what Jay's kind of talking about in the chat. But I also want to dive into what you mentioned. You felt like you felt depressed and felt burnt out. Yeah. Now diving into kind of the mental side of things. He asked, can we ask about mental training and seeing the technique or strategy over and over again? And he said, he mentioned he's seen you focus on a cut shot form mentally over and over while warming up.
And so like, wait, wait, they've seen that themselves. Yeah. They saw you doing that. so they saw me doing that before a game. Yeah. Yeah. Cause my cut shot sucks. From most approach angles. So trying to figure it out. That's probably why. Yeah. So with, with the mental side of things, like I, I believe a lot of guys in this
Mark Burik (47:40.654)
chat have read Confident Mind. Travis gave me the book and I was like, my gosh, game changer, right? Yeah. Yeah. I saw some summaries on it. Yeah. It was really cool. With building that confidence and getting out of that burnout phase that you were feeling and just that depression that you were feeling and all those things, what were some things that you turned to? This is part one of the question. What were some things that you turned to in that moment?
to bring you back to enjoying the sport and just the beautiful sport of beach volleyball and then also just getting re-motivated to just dive into it and just start this volleyball knowledge and everything like that. You went from I'm burnt out to let me add more to my plate with the sport. how did that happen for you? then part two would be just thinking about that visionary side of things of
I am trying to get this skill down. And so what are some things that you're processing? We've had a lot of conversations about interior cues, exterior cues and whatnot in here. And so like as you were practicing that cut shot that you say you suck at, which I think we can all agree you're a lot better than. I have a good sharp angle. It's not like a loopy shot. Yeah, sure. So like.
Practicing that mentally. What are you going through? What are you processing and whatnot? So let's start with part one of that. Like how did you have that big turnaround? Yeah, I think the Bluetooth will work
Mark Burik (49:21.034)
or no. Okay, yeah, I'm just getting the book. So I've got a book that just totally changed my life. And there's other versions of the book and there's other ways to wrap it up. But this book, like, called The Language of Creation, which I've plugged to like all my friends and like, no one of my like direct friends have like latched onto it. So it's just interesting how it was like, sort of written for me maybe, you know, other people too, but
It just, was like a timely read. So it was all of that materialism versus just talks about the materialistic view of the West really and how the Bible was written under a view that combined material and spiritual like in a beautiful way together. Yeah, so like that was the reason that sort of brought me out of the sadness, which like
It's like a math book for ideas, so it's kind of esoteric, but it gave me the tools to make sense of what was going on in general. It even makes you, it gives you tools to make sense of what's going on when you don't know what's going on. Like, it's not like it just tells you everything, but like it just contextualized a lot of what my emotions are feeling like and what I'm thinking. And it was just very right. It was like just accurate way of viewing the world. And it's.
It's just a language, it's like the language of creation. it's this neutral thing, it's like English, you know, it's not like English is particularly liberal or conservative or like religious or not. But inherently, like I think leads you towards some conclusions in those realms, but it's still just like English. So it's just another language. So that really helped bring me out of that period of melancholy or sadness or whatever.
just to see the meaning of what I'm a part of in general and then in volleyball world too. So that was really cool. I could grant forever. I have many times with those friends and probably not recruit many people to actually read it, but still that's just what it was for me. So since then, now I'm like, what do I do with these tools? This language is extremely powerful.
Mark Burik (51:46.098)
I want to do something with it. So I'm only now just like the first thought So let's see what see where that goes. It'd be really fun to just join the ranks of like a philosopher podcaster though, like just in general for life, but yeah starting like an area of expertise that I've just found myself in so Yeah, that brought me that really brought me out of it. mean it helped me connect with God more Than just the world. So like my life has a lot more meaning now
And nothing material changed. Really, I guess still the same schedule, live in the same place, like similar friends and stuff like that. that's cool. The point of that book and the surrounding, it's kind of like a cult. It's not a cult, but it's just like a very intense following for the people who like that type of thinking. Their mission is to re-enchant the world and bring it back to like a medieval worldview.
which is like 1500s or like 500 to 1500. So they saw the world in a really beautiful way. I'm going into the philosophy of it, but they talked about like the sun and being the center of the universe versus the earth and that being like this big discovery when they figured out the earth wasn't the center. And these guys are saying, it still is. Like, cause it's the universe is centered on perception as opposed to the material location of things in the universe.
So they don't disagree with the science, they just disagree with the centrality of importance. So they're talking about perception as the most important thing. And to us, we are the center. Like we don't see ourselves moving, the ground is still. I don't feel myself hurling through space at billions of miles an hour and I don't feel the earth like rotating like at a hundred thousand miles an hour. Like it seems still to me and it seems like the sun rotates around me, not the other way around. Like we still say it, the sun rises.
No, a materialist person who's actually super accurate should say the earth is lowering relative to the sun. And it's also spinning at the same time. Like that's such a boring way to view life. So hence the depression, right? Cause if you use your life that way, it's just boring and people don't. And it's funny when a materialist says the sun rises and I'm like, like, like you just contradicted like the point you're probably arguing with me, like about like five minutes after we finished small talk here, like,
Mark Burik (54:09.738)
It's just hilarious to me. And the contradictions have just the comedy of it. It's just, I'm laughing like every day. I just like all the parodies that are like potentially there with it. this is just, the world is so funny. So that's been cool. That's like helped a lot. anyway, that, that helped. And then volleyball is like how to supply to volleyball. Like definitely do the celebrations, like do.
Like just kind of view it like they talk a lot about exile and homeland like you're you feel like you're at home and then when you move somewhere new you're like, this is new like where am I I'm lost I'm in the wilderness. So anytime you learn a new volleyball skill or forget how to do something you're like in a symbolic wilderness and you're searching around, groping around trying to find something to feel a sense of home again and then that's when you feel like you're good at something like is when you're
So that's just been cool with volleyball. Just be like, like I'm in the wilderness and all these different areas. I'm feeling at home in all these other areas. Like some areas I'm a nomad, some areas I'm king, I guess. like, like at the top of that, anyway, so that's just kind of cool. Like I just view my playing as like this epic story of like different things where I play multiple roles all at the same time and they're all unfolding like before my eyes and I'm kind of watching, but I'm also in it.
It's just sick. Like I'm just watching it happen. But I could see that happening with literally anything. could like, you know, build houses or work. I don't know, there's a welder or something like anything. So it's cool. Like I don't see myself losing like I don't, it's just gonna, it's re it's re enchanted my world. Like that's the point of that. That book and that
following is to re-enchant the world. So the medieval worldview was full of goblins and dragons and monsters and then the materialists are like, no, that stuff exists anymore. Like it was all hocus pocus religious people like speaking nonsense, which from a materialist worldview, they're exactly right. So just changing the worldview and then seeing how it is when they were alive has been just awesome. that's, you know, there's monsters and goblins and dragons and volleyball too. So.
Mark Burik (56:35.458)
The story content is like, man, man, there's some kind, I don't know exactly I'm trying to learn still, but like there's definitely stories, children's books, fairy tales that could just be made within volleyball. Yeah. The more you talk, it just reminds me more and more. It reminds me more and more of Cobra's Progress every single time. Yeah, I know. know. Yeah. It's a good book. But yeah, the language of creation.
I'm excited to add that to my list. then Anastasia, and then we want to respect your time. So we'll start wrapping up here in a bit. But as Anastasia wanted to know, do you pray before your games? If so, do you prefer to pray alone with your teammate or both? Yeah, I usually do. have like, people have self-talk, mantras, like all the sports psych say to do that. So.
which sports psych is like sort of a surrogate, like pastor for the volleyball world. It's really like a very similar thing. So it's interesting how sports organizes itself as a religion too with like sports psychs as the pastors, but, and sort of coaches kind of, anyway. Yeah. So I'll pray. I'll pray. usually, some frequently like I'll call my dad to pray just a fun ritual and it's cool. So yeah, I'll pray with him like real quick. It's really kind of a,
To a materialist, a very nominal, trivial thing, but I think it's cool to have that ritual and it adds some meaning to it. Anyway, I do that a lot. And then I won't pray with Andy. Andy's on, he's definitely very interested in spiritual things and has his own viewpoints on stuff, which has been awesome to talk with him about, but we just come from different backgrounds and are at different places right now. So, but maybe, hopefully, I guess.
But yeah, it's also good to keep things professional too, in professional setting and stuff. But yeah, I'll try and pray. But especially thinking through Bible verses during the game, just to sort of give myself perspective. That helps a lot with the mental stuff. So I'll just, there's a few Bible verses I'll just put on loop in my head if I'm feeling stressed out or something.
Mark Burik (58:58.166)
I'll use some of the sports like principles too, I've learned. But to me, a lot of it, like I like the Phil Dollhouser, John Wooden, kind of Theo Brunner mindset on volleyball is just like, you're as good as you are, you'll play hard and you have no control over winning or not. Like I like that viewpoint. I think Trevor Krabs more of like, I have control over winning and he wins a lot. And I think it really helps him for that kind of person.
I try to be like that. just, I'm not there yet. Maybe I will. Like Donald Trump also, like one of the Trevor Crab type people and you know, he just won. I mean, people win like that and they're really good at it. And I've wanted to be like that. just decided me, I, maybe I'm just a different role in the cosmic story of the world. more of the philosopher type as opposed to like the King. maybe stay in my lane with that in sports or I don't know, maybe I'll change. We'll see. But.
Yeah, so the confidence piece just like get good, like competence is confidence. So if you're like good, if you know you're not good, like you can trick yourself a little bit. Like the confident mind is like trying, that book is like trying to like, like get confident without necessarily just being good. Like it's trying to like really like visualize when you have been good and then like try and make that count for more than a, than the times you've been bad.
by like not thinking about it, but just get good. Like it's really just with anything like cooking, you do it all. It's like driving, like you have to be focused. You can't be too focused. You have to be focused. It's like the same stuff. like, it's not that, it's not, it's even right now, like this is another sort of performance and I have to be focused, but not like crazy focused or else it seems weird.
Yeah, you won't want to listen to me anymore because it seems like force. it's just stuff like that. Yeah, this is awesome. Yeah. And thinking about just the home and exile analogy that you mentioned, I feel like that, I feel like that, that thing that you do with your dad, where you just pray with him before matches and before tournaments, et cetera. I feel like that's something that can kind of bring you back to home. Exactly. And I think that's a really cool thing to add to your
Mark Burik (01:01:27.17)
regimen leading up to matches and stuff. Just find a way to find something that re centers you with with your home. I think that's a really cool thing with how much you're traveling the world and whatnot. Yeah, really impressive idea. Yeah, just in the book. So it's not mine. Actually, it wasn't it wasn't a ton in the book. It was a little bit and then it's more on the podcast sometimes or the interviews with the author. So yeah, you integrate the new things into your homeland.
until you do so at Xile. yeah. I have one more question before we wrap this up. Where do you get, besides from the books, I felt like the books kind of helps you get that creative mind, you know, but is there any other like people or do you have any mentors or? Yeah, they have a, it's a very similar layout to Better at Beach. They have a website, they have the courses and they have the forum. So I'm on their forum too.
So I met some people through there, particularly this one guy who I just asked like one question. He just gives me like the entire internet of all the symbolic resources. I was asking him like, like what color should I put on my website? Like they should probably be symbolically appropriate for what I'm trying to do. And then he's like, just gives me like an essay of like all the myths and stories and like mythology and resources on colors, like not from the materialist, like, like wavelength perspective, but more like the meaning and.
Stuff like that. So that was cool. He gave me some thoughts on that. So that guy is cool. I have some other, I have this just, the most rare odds thing ever happened to me like one week ago. I can't get into it, but I just met some people who are into this stuff. Basically I was in somewhere. I see someone. The next day I'm an hour away from that place. I see that same random person again. They're a stranger. And then I'm like, why are you here?
Like I just saw you yesterday, but it was an hour away. And I'm like, she's like, like I'm really into the language of creation. And then I was like, I was like, I've literally talked to all my friends. I've plugged it on the Sandcast podcast. Like, and then she had three other friends or two other friends who are also into it. And I was like, huh, like this is a sign that I'd looked at. I chat GBT the odds of that. It was like one in 400 quadrillion is the likelihood of that, which is like,
Mark Burik (01:03:51.662)
Maybe slightly sketchy math on that, it was pretty close. like, I was like, dang, this is definitely some kind of a sign. So yeah, I don't know yet. but those, those people too, like they're into that stuff too. It's kind of part of the Jordan Peterson crowd too, but it's a little bit of an offshoot of that. I was going to say to you, so most of the people that inspire you are not like volleyball related.
No, I definitely, not inspiring. I really like John Wooden and I like John Wooden a lot too, but the creative stuff, like, putting meaning into my self, like Wooden as far as most for like any sports related figure. then like, besides that, just great leaders of, of the time. Like I really admire the leadership and some quality of, so like Donald Trump, like he's just.
very efficient with how he does things. Like he doesn't take quick, like I listened to his book and it sounded just like it was just him. Like he used a ghostwriter to just write all of it. And it was just like, he was just recounting his life. Like I bet that book took him like three hours to make. So I just, I like how fast he does things. It sounds like he just takes phone call, makes a decision about a giant problem and then goes on to the next one. And that's how he can do so much, whether it's a right or wrong decision. It's like, he just does it.
which I very like trying to figure out all the options and all the pros and cons of every little thing and it just takes forever. like he's on the opposite of that. Like so is someone like Trevor Crabb or Elon Musk a little bit. Elon Musk is like where I would like to kind of land because he has a similar temperament to me, but like also makes decisions quickly. yeah, I mean those people too have inspired me. Trevor Crabb has too. Like I really enjoy watching him play and just kind of listening to him from afar.
I'm just like secret admirer of his like strengths. in some ways, he's kind of like, he belongs to a different, different time, but he lives here now. So it's kind of cool. yeah. So there's other people too, but yeah. Yeah. John Mayer too. He was really cool to talk to. He helped me a lot with my floats. Yeah. Yeah.
Mark Burik (01:06:17.699)
Yeah, Phil Dollhouse or two, like I think I'm much more his temperament as opposed to Trevor.
I know. Yeah. He's just like kind of chill. He's not manifesting everything and like getting caught up in all of that, but he's still like, does it a little bit or at least, you know, visualize his success. But I feel like he's had a good balance of performance abilities. cause he's really good under pressure and you know, so like just kind of getting to know him a little bit and just hearing Andy talk about him and
That's like pretty cool too, to know that it's like precedent for that kind of mindset that I think I could fit into more with my strengths. So yeah, those people. So, I mean, there's more DJ is really cool. mean, I love talking to DJ. He's in the Trevor crab a little bit camp too with, but he's like a very intellectual as well. It's really cool. So, but he also has the edge.
which is cool. I don't have like a over edge. Yeah. Awesome. Well, Miles, we'll respect your time and let you go, but just thank you, man. I think I can speak for all of us. We admire your, just your, just being a student to not just volleyball, but just life in general. And you're just a trailblazer in a lot of ways.
Just keep doing it man. It's it's really impressive. You've got you've got at least ten new fans in here and then Yeah, if you don't mind we'll probably end up posting this as a podcast. yeah. Yeah for sure. Whatever you want. Yeah, just thank you so much man Yeah, it's been a absolute pleasure. Just get to chat with you a little bit. Yeah. Yeah, it's cool. Nice to meet you Matt
Mark Burik (01:08:20.814)
I mean, yeah, this is like is this this you can't read this right? got a foot the camera. Yeah, we can read it. Yeah. so it's It's presented like right to left. Yeah. Okay for me. It's Inverted. I got I think the camera does that for me, but then it flips it to the output Nice. Anyway, yeah the volley knowledge stuff. I'm trying to do that Hopefully just teach the game, but I just want to do it in a way that people like remember what I'm saying so I'm trying to figure out if that's like story or
the skits, something like that. So Voli Knowledge, it's an Instagram. Yeah, storytelling stuff. And then Myles Partain's Instagram too. And then I have websites for that too, that are. PB &J? PB &J, Voli, Andy and I, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Partain, Benesh and Jump Set. It's got a good theme song, two theme songs already out there. So yeah, stuff. Yeah, hoping to just engage more, you know?
where the public square is, is like, unfortunately, but sort of it's fine, but it's like social media. trying to like embrace that. Yeah. And it's, can be used for good. So trying to find a work in. Yeah. Great stuff. And we almost forgot the league. James, good luck. Good luck this weekend, Alrighty. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks for connecting. All right.
