Perhaps one of the most difficult volleyball exercise sets for a coach is plyometrics to help improve a player’s jumping ability and height. A strong jump is important for a player’s overall performance, which will directly affect the performance of the team as a whole. It’s much more difficult to land a deadly shot on a blocker who can jump higher than you. The opposite also is true. If your players can jump higher than their opponents, they will be able to spike the ball over the head of any defender. For that reason, it is important to develop volleyball drills that will help you gain those precious inches for each jump.

Each set of volleyball exercises you implement will work your players’ muscles. Plyometrics should be no different. To have a stronger jump, it is important to know that the jump begins with the ankles. To that end, you should make sure to include volleyball exercises that will help stretch and exercise the muscles and connective tissues of the ankle. A good starting exercise is the ankle jump exercise. To do this, the player will stand with their feet comfortably apart. It is good that they move in the opposite direction to help build energy in the muscles. Then they must release that energy immediately, jumping upwards using only their ankles. Get him to land back on his feet and jump back up immediately. This will help strengthen your ankles, which is the foundation of a good jump.

Another muscle group that is important for a good jump is the calf muscle. Using volleyball drills that will help strengthen your players’ calf muscles will be the next step in creating a higher jump team. To do this, you can use the jump forward. Have your players begin by standing on one leg, with the other leg bent at a nearly 90-degree angle. Bend the elbow of the opposite arm. Do a slight counter movement and then jump up and forward. Keep the bent leg immobile until landing. Switch legs when landing and jump again. This set of volleyball exercises, while working most of the leg muscles at once, will also aid balance, which can be almost as important for good jumping form.

To continue volleyball exercises that work your calves and all other leg muscles, have your players work on two-legged vertical jumps. For this set of volleyball drills, your players will start in a squat position. When you’re ready to start, have the player wave his arms behind him, then he’ll swing his arms forward and up over their heads, exploding in a straight up jump. At the highest point of the jump, your arms should be fully extended, reaching for the sky. This must be repeated several times.

When working on volleyball drills that work on stronger and higher jumps, it is important to remember that your player’s muscles must work together. Because of this, it is imperative that you include a series of low intensity exercises in your drilling patterns. The goal is not for a player’s legs to grow into huge muscular limbs, but to give them strength and flexibility. These volleyball drills will become the solid foundation needed to continue some of the higher intensity drills you will be working on.