Conditioning
Volleyball is a physically demanding sport, and players must have explosive power, extreme vertical jump height, stamina, speed, and agility. Furthermore, single-skill training is not the key to success. Instead, heavy conditioning is needed year round to develop the necessary physical traits so that an athlete can play to their full potential. Lower body muscles, especially in the legs, are needed to have a high vertical jump. Players must be able to jump explosively off the ground so that they can spike, block, set and dive. Also, power and strength endurance are necessary for the repetitive jumping that is done. The key objectives of volleyball conditioning are to develop strength, explosive power, and agility.
In the off season, all volleyball players should acquire excellent stamina by running and jogging. Workouts should vary from sprinting practices, to mile-long runs. Runs needn't be further than one mile. Different sprint workouts help with agility on the court. To work on mobility, training sessions should be run in which players have a period of time to have the court to themselves, which they must run around "putting up" each ball hit at them. This helps build the ability for quick movement around the court. Strength can be acquired from various exercises ranging from weight lifting to push-ups to sit-ups to leg-lifts. Wall sits and various crunches are also helpful.
Successful volleyball players master the skills above, but also train specifically for their position, especially during the volleyball season. These skills should be worked on during pre-season, practices, and scrimmages so that the skills will be in place for competitive play.
Attackers, or hitters, must practice to acquire good timing on their approaches to hit. They must know how to hit the ball in the right direction at the right height and speed. They should have the ability to place the ball exactly where they want to.
Blockers must be skilled at combining lateral movements and jumping to get in the proper position to block each specific hit.
Setters must react to the passes from their teammates and get in correct position to set their hitter’s.
Liberos must dig the ball from hard hits from opponents. Furthermore, they must have excellent reaction times and must set themselves up in the proper position to receive the ball, based upon the position of the hitter when they make contact.
In the off season, all volleyball players should acquire excellent stamina by running and jogging. Workouts should vary from sprinting practices, to mile-long runs. Runs needn't be further than one mile. Different sprint workouts help with agility on the court. To work on mobility, training sessions should be run in which players have a period of time to have the court to themselves, which they must run around "putting up" each ball hit at them. This helps build the ability for quick movement around the court. Strength can be acquired from various exercises ranging from weight lifting to push-ups to sit-ups to leg-lifts. Wall sits and various crunches are also helpful.
Successful volleyball players master the skills above, but also train specifically for their position, especially during the volleyball season. These skills should be worked on during pre-season, practices, and scrimmages so that the skills will be in place for competitive play.
Attackers, or hitters, must practice to acquire good timing on their approaches to hit. They must know how to hit the ball in the right direction at the right height and speed. They should have the ability to place the ball exactly where they want to.
Blockers must be skilled at combining lateral movements and jumping to get in the proper position to block each specific hit.
Setters must react to the passes from their teammates and get in correct position to set their hitter’s.
Liberos must dig the ball from hard hits from opponents. Furthermore, they must have excellent reaction times and must set themselves up in the proper position to receive the ball, based upon the position of the hitter when they make contact.