Marie Zidek, an assistant volleyball coach at the University of San Diego and Art of Coaching Volleyball's fitness expert, shares a 2-part exercise here that improves agility and also provides an aerobic workout. It's competitive, fun and sure to help your players cover the court more quickly.
Agility exercise No. 1
The first phase of this 2-part agility drill requires players to react quickly when the player they are competing against starts running. If the "challenger" beats the player on the other side, she moves to the winners' line and the other player moves to the losers' line.
The competition in this drill is intense, and it serves as a good dual-purpose workout to improve agility and aerobic fitness.
Agility exercise No. 2
The second phase of this two-part agility exercise is a relay. Players divide into 2 teams and stand at opposite service lines. When the coach yells "Go," a player from each side sprints to the 10-foot line and then does shuffle steps and cross-over steps from one side of the court to the other before sprinting back to the service line. When the first player reaches the service line, the second player begins.