Jumping is an integral part of volleyball, both as an effort to attack and defend. All athletes can increase their vertical jump range by strengthening major muscles, utilizing plyometrics and improving overall volleyball technique. Plyometric training improves strength, explosive speed and agility. Performing plyometric exercises regularly can not only increase the range of vertical jumps, but also improve the overall volleyball game itself.
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Method 1 of 3: Work the Important Muscles
Step 1. Build leg muscles
When you jump, your feet become your center of strength. The stronger your leg muscles are, the harder you can push yourself up to achieve maximum vertical jump. The type of exercise you can do will depend on the type of equipment available. Consult a health or wellness expert to make sure your body is able to strengthen itself in a healthy way.
- Focus on exercises that mimic jumping movements. One way that you can rely on is doing squats. You can do it with or without equipment. Squats can be performed simply by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and lowering your body toward the floor with your back straight and your knees bent at a 45-degree angle as if you were sitting in a chair. Straighten up and repeat. Increase the intensity of the exercise by adding weight. Be careful when adding weight, do it gradually as your strength increases.
- Lunges strengthen the buttocks and can be performed with or without equipment. To perform a lunge, stand straight, then step your foot forward while keeping your back straight and your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Go a step further to make the exercise more difficult. Straighten up and repeat, switching to the other leg. Increase the intensity of the exercise by adding weight. Be careful when adding weight, do it gradually as your strength increases.
- Before using the equipment, consult an expert to make sure you are using it properly.
Step 2. Strengthen your calf muscles
This muscle group is very important to be able to jump higher. Calf raises are easy to do and very effective for strengthening the calf muscles. You can do it with or without tools.
Calf raises can be done by standing straight, with both feet on the floor and then on tiptoe and support the body weight on the tips of the fingers. You can also tiptoe on one leg at a time to ensure balance. Increase the intensity of the exercise by adding weight. Be careful when adding weight, do it gradually as your strength increases
Step 3. Build your core muscles
Unlike many people believe, jumping is not just relying on leg muscles. The core muscles of the back and abdomen play a major role in body movement and are needed for balance and coordination.
- Many core muscle exercises can be done without equipment. Some excellent exercises for building core muscles are crunches and supermans.
- You can choose from a wide variety of available abdominal exercises, and one of the simplest is crunches. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Try to keep your feet and buttocks on the floor, and contract your abs as you lift your upper body toward your knees. You can place your hands behind or in front of you. Lower your body back to the starting position and repeat. Be careful when performing this movement focusing on your abdominal muscles and being careful not to make jerky movements that can harm your lower back.
- Superman's workout is perfect for complementing crunches because it strengthens the lower back. Lie on your stomach with your hands above your head to resemble “Superman” in flight. Lift your upper body and legs together and hold for a moment to isolate the lower back muscles. Lower your body back to the starting position and repeat as needed.
Step 4. Build your arm muscles
Your arm muscles also play a big role in jumping higher because they provide momentum as you shoot up. Arms also play an important role in approaching when you jump up to hit or block the ball.
- Many good exercises for the arms can be done with weights or equipment. Push ups and pull ups can be done with minimal equipment, while bicep curls and tricep pushdowns require weights or equipment for resistance.
- Push ups can be performed without equipment by lying on your stomach and palms on the floor and arms extended, perpendicular to the body, but bent at the elbows. Push your body down by resting on your palms, then lift yourself off the floor while straightening your arms. Lower your body back to the starting position and repeat. Change the position of your hands to work different muscles.
- To do pull ups, you need a bar high enough to lift your body off the ground. You simply reach for the bar above to and lift your body towards the bar. You may have a hard time doing this the first time, but try to keep your body straight and allow yourself to rise and fall within the range of motion of your arms. You can choose to do this with your palms facing you or in the opposite direction and varying the distance between the two. Changing the position of the hands will work different muscles.
- Try not to extend your arms straight down and locked. It's best to let your hands bend slightly between each pull-up.
- Bicep curls can be performed with weights or equipment by keeping your arms straight at your sides and then lifting the weight toward your biceps, bending your elbows. Do this exercise on both arms alternately. Changing the grip will work different areas of the biceps and forearm.
- You will need a special tool to perform the tricep pushdown, usually with the cable used to move the weights. A rope, bar, or handle is usually attached to the end of the cable. Using different types of attachments will work different muscles in the triceps. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart and pull the cable down using the attachment and start with your elbows at a 90-degree angle and straighten them down, moving your hands toward the floor. Consult a fitness expert on how to use each attachment correctly.
Step 5. Choose exercises that can help and motivate you
Lifting weights and the overall exercise that is done repeatedly will cause boredom. Choose exercises that help train your muscles or make you jump higher without losing motivation. Browse the internet and look for free resources to help you vary your workouts and find the right one.
Step 6. Look for inspiration through partners, coaches, and music
Play your favorite music while you practice to distract yourself from boring repetitions. Upbeat music can keep you energized. Find a coach, training partner or training video for support.
- You'll have to spend quite a bit of money to pay for a fitness trainer, but the investment is worth it in ensuring your safety and maximizing your potential.
- Choose your training partner wisely because you both need to support each other. It's easy to get caught up in social situations and get distracted from what you need to do while training with friends without the same goals as you.
Method 2 of 3: Using Plyometrics
Step 1. Find and develop a plyometric routine that fits your schedule and available space
Plyometrics is a good exercise because it requires minimal equipment and demands an explosive range of motion. However, this practice can be a tough challenge to overcome if you have limited space and time. Choose an exercise that will challenge you at the time you have scheduled yourself.
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The following is an example of a plyometric routine specifically designed to allow you to jump higher in volleyball. Perform each exercise with 15 repetitions and complete the entire routine 2-3 times.
- 15 minute cardio workout to warm up.
- Knee Tuck Jump 15 times: jump straight up as you lift your knees and fold them toward your chest.
- Lateral Jump 15 times: jump left and right with your feet together.
- Mountain Climber 15 times: start in a plank position (upper position of push ups), moving your feet toward your hands quickly, as if you were running in place, keeping your hands on the floor for support.
- Broad Jump 15 times: jump forward as far as possible, from a standing still, focusing on distance instead of height.
- Burpees 15 times: start in a plank position, stand up quickly and dash to jump (this move is a combination of push ups and vertical jumps).
- Squat Jack 15 times: assume a squat position with feet shoulder-width apart and legs bent at an angle of over 90 degrees, moving legs in and out, while moving inner thighs rapidly toward each other.
- Agility Dot 15 times: draw an imaginary square on the floor and jump from side to side and diagonally to each corner of the square, keeping your feet together, to create an X pattern.
- Squat jump 15 times: take a squat position and make a sudden jump. Do Cooldowns and Stretches.
Step 2. Combine plyometrics with a weightlifting program
So that you don't feel bored and your muscle building or results don't stagnate, you can add plyometric training 2-3 times a week along with cardio and bodyweight exercises so you can jump higher. To make plyometric exercises even more effective, wear a weight vest when doing the exercises.
- Plyometric exercises should be performed on a flat surface to avoid sprains and muscle injuries.
- Never perform the exercise on a concrete surface as the impact can be too harsh on the joints.
Step 3. Practice jumping
The practice of perfection. To increase your vertical jump range, find an empty high wall, grab a pack of sticky notes and start jumping. Label the first sticky note “1st Leap” and each time you reach the highest point on the first jump, stick the labeled sticky note to the wall. Then take the next sticky note, label it “2nd Leap,” and try to stick it higher than the first sticky note.
- Jumping rope is also a great way to jump higher and faster (after all, volleyball also relies on reflexes).
- Use ankle weights, weight vests, or wrist weights as weight as you jump to your target. Consult a health or fitness professional to learn proper technique and guidance on load resistance as landing with added weight can cause injury and stress on the joints. Ideally, use equipment or special wrist weights that can support your body as you jump up, but don't add extra weight when landing back on the ground.
- Make sure you bend your knees and imitate the movements you will use in the game. Think of a wall as a volleyball net and you have to maintain a vertical jump without touching it.
Step 4. Take advantage of the box jump (jump using the box)
To take advantage of plyometrics, the box jump is a common exercise used to improve vertical jumps. Doing box jumps increases propulsion and coordination by training your muscles to shoot upwards. As the name implies, a box jump is done by jumping onto a box from a standing still position using a one-step prefix. Many gyms have special boxes specifically designed for this exercise. Do box jumps with 10 repetitions for 3 sets, 4-5 times a week to get the best results.
- Make sure there's enough room to jump so your head doesn't hit something.
- Make sure the box you are using is stable and does not slip from under your feet when you jump on it.
- Increase the height of the box slowly as the vertical jump begins to improve.
Method 3 of 3: Pay Attention to Jumping Techniques
Step 1. Pay attention to your step settings
Whether you're smashing (a hard hit and dive) or doing a block, proper footwork will maximize the height of your jump. Footwork will depend on the dominant hand. If you're going to do a smash, put your second foot out to the side and jump parallel to the net. Performing the last two moves quickly and explosively will significantly increase your vertical jump.
- Use 3 steps to jump fast while increasing your accuracy. For right-handed dominant players, use the left, right, jump technique.
- The start for the smash will involve one big step and one small step to bring the back foot in line with the front foot.
Step 2. Coordinate both arms with leg movements for strength
The height you reach with each jump is due in part to choosing the right time to move your arms. Accelerate your arm swing as you bring your second leg forward. Remember that you are not swinging your arms forward, but up. The combination of putting your second foot slightly in front of your first and then swinging your arms up will stop the forward momentum and transfer it to upward momentum. A quick, aggressive stance with both arms swinging fully back and up will propel the body into the air.
- Move your arm in the direction you want. Push your arms down as you crouch to initiate a step. As you dart to jump, swing your arms in the opposite direction and push them overhead as fast as you can. When you reach the highest point of the jump, your arms and body are extended to the highest point of the jump.
- If you're practicing the left, right, jump technique, throw your arms back and turn your palms toward the sky as you step with your right foot. As you bounce through the air, swing your non-dominant hand. The hand that will be used to hit is usually the dominant hand.
- As your skills in the sport improve, adjust your footwork and coordination to get different offensive and defensive positions.
Step 3. Engage the core muscles
Twisting your body to hit the ball allows you to move your core muscles during the smash, creating more force on impact. Using your whole body in this way will allow you to hit the ball harder than you could with your arms alone.
Flex your core as if you were going to shoot an arrow, supported by the back and abdominal muscles working together. Correcting your stance and arm swing technique is critical to maximizing core muscle movement
Tips
- The wall jump is a great exercise to jump higher, and is highly recommended in conjunction with other volleyball drills to improve your overall skill. Do wall jumping exercises along with suicide runs or wall sits to improve your game.
- Increasing your jumping range will take time. Therefore, you must be consistent and disciplined in practicing.
- Protect your knees and joints by stretching before and after exercise.
- Ideally, start plyometric training at least 2 months before the volleyball season begins.
Warning
- Start a new type of exercise recommended by a health or fitness professional slowly to reduce the risk of muscle and joint injury.
- You are in danger of flying leaps in volleyball because you could hit the net or other players. Exercises and techniques should strengthen muscle memory so that you can jump vertically, in a controlled manner.
