Developing good volleyball strength begins in the weight room, so your athletes must do the right volleyball workouts to set a solid foundation.
Today we’re joined by Marie Zidek, our Art of Coaching fitness editor, head volleyball coach at DePaul University and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. She’ll demonstrate and explain ten volleyball exercises designed for volleyball players to safely develop strength and condition.
By building this strength, athletes can then work on power development by maintaining safe positions when exploding through the power movements required in volleyball.
Top 10 volleyball training exercises
Here’s what you need to create a well-rounded volleyball workout plan and help your players retain a healthy volleyball body.
1. Good mornings
This volleyball exercise, done with two dumbbells, is ideal for glute strength, hamstrings and improving your vertical jump.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps
2. Side-to-side twist with overhead press
Hold a plate with your hands at the 9 and 3 positions. This volleyball-specific exercise builds the core and also develops upper body strength. This workout helps your shoulders stay healthy and aids in transferring power from the core to the upper body.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 20 reps (10 left, 10 right)
3. Single leg RDL to overhead press
This volleyball workout, which works your hamstrings and glutes, helps improve your balance and boosts your jump.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps
4. Lunge with a twist
You’ll need a plate for this volleyball exercise. It strengthens your legs and stabilizes your ankles to reduce injury risk. It also helps you train for single-leg jumps.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 16 reps (8 left, 8 right)
5. Lateral lunge with a press
These lateral lunges with plates are suitable for developing quicker side-to-side moves and strengthening the arms for a more stable digging and passing platform.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 20 reps (10 left, 10 right)
6. Dumbbell snatch
The dumbbell snatch is best for training triple extension (the mechanics of jumping), power development and improving explosiveness.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 8 reps
7. Dumbbell pullover
This volleyball training exercise has similar benefits as the side-to-side twist with the overhead press: it improves core and upper body strength and transfers of strength from the core to the upper body in rhythm. It also helps with all overhead volleyball movements, including serving, blocking, setting and attacking.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 12 reps
8. Dumbbell squat to press
The dumbbell squat to press is a general volleyball exercise for all positions. It builds lower-body strength and also accounts for the upper-body movements that are crucial to volleyball: setting, serving, attacking, blocking and transferring power from the lower body to the upper body in a fluid motion.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 16-20 reps
9. 10-and-2 drops
The 10-and-2 drop is a volleyball workout for shoulder health and core stability. It helps the shoulder build the muscles and strength needed to slow the shoulder down during throwing motions. It's suitable for any volleyball move, but particularly blocking, setting and attacking.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps
10. Biceps with overhead press
This volleyball exercise is best for preventing shoulder injuries. It helps attackers develop muscles that act as secondary movers during spiking.
Recommended Reps: 3 sets of 8 reps
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