A volleyball workout is a key to determining how successful you will be on the court. Your workout is the time for you to prepare for the time you will be competing on the court.
These volleyball exercises are customized to the needs of a volleyball player. The needs of a volleyball athlete are different from other athletes. There are different muscles that are needed and so that is the majority of what this workout will focus on.
This type of volleyball training that is outlined could be used during the season to maintain your fitness level, or it could also be used off season to prepare. In either case, you want to be in the peak physical condition possible. Use this volleyball workout to maximize your potential.
Volleyball Workout Plan
The main needs of a volleyball player are increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, and increase jumping and foot speed. To that end, we have broken this down into sections:
Increase Flexibility
This may seem strange at first, but there is method to the madness. There are two main reasons that we want to focus on flexible muscles:
1. Athletes that are flexible tend to be injured less frequently – When you have flexible muscles, they are able to withstand more wear and tear that will occur during the season. This does not mean that you are not going to be injured. It simply means that you are putting the odds in your favor.
2. There are links between flexibility and jumping – Some of the best jumpers I have ever seen have also been the most flexible. They tend to focus a good amount of time stretching before and after the workout or game. When muscles are flexible, they will be able to contract faster and harder for increased jumping ability.
So, this is the first fundamental principle for your volleyball workout. Make sure you stretch after warming up and at the end of your workout.
Strengthen Muscles
There are very specific muscles that you want to work out. They are mainly in the shoulders, arms, core, quads, and calves. The shoulders and arms are so that you do not injure yourself by swinging too hard in a game. Shoulder injuries are the most common among volleyball players. I do not want you to suffer going through a season on the bench due to an injury.
Take the time to strengthen your shoulders. Push ups are a great way to strengthen shoulders and arms. I recommend traditional push ups and pike push ups (instead of being in a plank position, your butt is in the air and you do push ups that way) as great ways to increase your shoulder strength.
Your core muscles are used a lot for pulling through your attack on the ball. At the point of impacting the ball, your back goes from being arched backward to snapping forward. This forward snap is all of your core muscles. The stronger your core is, the more you will be able to pull forward and transfer momentum from your body to the ball as you hit it.
Core exercises would consist of crunches, sit ups, or knee lifts. I know I know… I didn’t say this volleyball workout was fun. I just said it would help you be better than the competition.
Your legs are the keys to jumping, blocking, and movement on the court. Regardless of your position on the court, you need these muscles at their peak level. Squats, lunges, and calf raises are my favorites to develop these areas.
Increase Jumping and Foot Speed
Exercises to increase your vertical jump should be part of any volleyball workout. A good vertical jump is a skill that any volleyball coach or recruiter will look for. The more you can develop, the greater advantage you will have on the court.
Usually, these programs also incorporate exercises like jump roping that will increase your foot speed and agility.
If you are looking for the best vertical jump program (there are a lot of fakes out there), take a look at this vertical jump program. It is the highest rated one out there and I highly recommend it. It is the real deal and will deliver fantastic results. It is a great way to increase vertical jump and it should be a part of your volleyball jump training.
