Every volleyball player should make jump training (plyometrics) an essential component of their overall training. Good vertical jump height is a great skill to possess both offensively and defensively in volleyball. The ability to jump higher can provide a better angle and potentially more force when spiking the ball, especially for a player who lacks physical height. It can also help in defending a spiked ball from an opponent.
The following plyometric drills and exercises are designed to help volleyball players learn to jump higher.
This video is a demonstration of the plyometric exercises for part one of our volleyball jump training using the Myosource Kinetic Bands. The jump training exercises and drills displayed in this video are intended to assist volleyball players who want to improve their jump ability and elevate their overall performance come game time. In this particular video, Coach McQueen is working with a high school volleyball player to enhance her jumps by strengthening her lower body. To add resistance, she is wearing volleyball resistance bands while she performs the following drills which will be discussed in further detail below: Squat Jumps, Single Leg Bounds, Split Jump Lunge, Standing Split Jump, Tuck Jump, and Hop Over.
Using Myosource Kinetic Bands during drills will intensify plyometric training by providing resistance to each movement, firing muscles in the legs, hips and core. Volleyball players will encounter improvement in various aspects of their game, including but not limited to their jump height, lateral quickness and body control. By adding resistance to each segment of our volleyball training, players will maximize training time, expand strength, boost explosive speed and refine reaction time. All of which magnify a player’s ability as they become faster in the court and jump higher at the net.
We advocate working at maximum effort for maximum results to get the absolute most out of a player’s valuable training time. And yes, we clearly feel that adding resistance to volleyball exercises and drills is the quickest way for players to reach their training goals. We guarantee volleyball players will feel results instantaneously.
We suggest performing each of the exercises listed below with 2-4 resisted sets / 8-10 reps per set with the Kinetic Bands, followed by 1-2 un-resisted sets/8-10 reps per set. As an alternative, the drills can be completed in timed intervals to personalize training (setting goals to increase the number of reps for a specified time period i.e. starting at 15 second intervals, striving to reach 20-30 second intervals). For quality results, each set should be done at maximum effort. Remember that more is not always better so we prefer to challenge an athlete every set, every rep for highest efficiency and peak performance.
This plyometric workout will start with squat jumps to help develop explosive power through the calves, quads, glutes and hips. This drill should be done by moving at a steady, slightly slower pace to prepare the athlete for the faster pace needed for the exercises to follow. Squat down to where the hips and glutes are near parallel or at a 90-degree angle to the knees (be sure to drop the hips back, so the knees do not extend over the toes).
During a match, both offensive and defensive plays often require a volleyball player to jump off one leg. The Single Leg Bound Drill will help players build confidence and find success in those moments. Notice that the player in the video is exploding off one leg while driving the opposite knee up as high as possible, rotating the raised hip in a backward bicycle motion, working the hip, hip flexor and quads. Repeat this exercise using a forward rotational motion to challenge the athlete to stay balanced and maintain body control.
This is ideal for strengthening muscles in the quads, glutes, hips and hamstrings. This exercise should be done working towards full range of motion going into the lunge part of the jump. Assume a squatting lunge position, with one-foot forward and the other behind you. Push off both feet simultaneously, moving the forward foot back and the back foot forward so you land in the same position with your feet reversed (make sure the knees do not extend over the toes, and land with soft feet to reduce any unnecessary stress on joints).
Helps establish even greater explosive power in the hips, glutes and quads. Because volleyball is a fast paced game that requires players to change direction quickly and frequently, this exercise should be done at a very fast pace, driving the knees up as high as possible, landing softly on the balls of the feet, followed by immediate rapid explosion, spending as little time on the ground as possible.
Focused training for quick feet to help volleyball players become more agile while improving speed, balance, and flexibility. In the video, we have split this into 4 segments so we can work to simulate and train for multidirectional movement during a volleyball match.
In the related video segment, the volleyball player is performing three additional plyometric exercises to complement jump height by building even greater leg strength. As mentioned in part one of our volleyball plyometric’s, adding resistance to these drills requires players to exert more effort with each movement, maximizing training time, while building strength and increasing speed. In addition, players will experience a greater cardio workout than they would without resistance, beneficial to their endurance throughout the game.
Activates hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves. High Knee Skips help improve leg strength for better jumps, coordination, and endurance.
Develops explosive jumping power. Working to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings will help you improve jump height and distance. Just think for a moment about the body of a frog and how their thigh muscles are proportionately big and strong for their overall body size. Those strong thigh muscles are what helps propel them to jump high and far. Don't worry, it doesn't mean you have to have big thighs to jump high, just strong ones.
Reinforces explosive power, and will also help volleyball players improve balance and body control. This drill can be done at a slower pace for strength building and balance or at maximum effort, spending as little time as possible on the ground, to work on explosive jumping power.
Working on skills individually is good, but combining them during a practice session can be very beneficial in building confidence and muscle memory. An extensive, dynamic warm up will activate the muscles for explosive volleyball vertical jumps. After completing part one and two of the plyometrics jump training segment, volleyball players can go further by adding customized training for quick feet, multi-directional movement and footwork, finishing with some game time preparation like moving into hitting and blocking positions like the player in the video is doing.
Keep in mind; resistance training will help increase muscle speed by activating the energy in the muscles being utilized. The faster the muscles are able to contract the higher the volleyball player will be able to jump. If a volleyball player's muscles are able to manufacture speed and explosive power, then the volleyball player will be able to jump higher, as well as move faster in all directions.
