Volleyball Summer Training Guide 2013
STACK’s Volleyball Summer Training Guide created by Matt Young, director of strength and conditioning at Pepperdine University, where the women’s volleyball team has made 12 trips to the NCAA Championships in the past 15 years. Pepperdine’s sand volleyball team also won a national championship in 2012, the sport’s inaugural season in the NCAA.
Training Tips
What I always see is high school kids who come to school having played so much volleyball. They’re usually so fatigued from playing that they don’t have much time to get in the gym and do the strength work that can really help them.
Lower-body strength is usually what’s lacking the most.
Improving that lower-body strength will help an athlete’s vertical power and lateral movement—both obviously key traits for volleyball players.
Our progression is to have a new athlete do Bodyweight Squats, then Goblet Squats, then the Front Squat. We don’t do the Back Squat here.
The Goblet Squat is a great choice for high school athletes. It doesn’t require a rack or a spotter. You could do only the goblet squat in high school and be perfectly prepared for the college level.
A training program needs to work with the resources an athlete has available. For example, if you don’t have access to a weight room, you can perform a bodyweight version of most of these moves. The training needs to be adjustable.
RELATED: 2 Challenging Volleyball Conditioning Drills
The nervous system tends to be stronger early in the week, after you’ve had a chance to rest over the weekend. That’s why we do more of our heavy power work on Monday. By the time we reach Thursday, we use lighter weights and work on speed.
We also emphasize pulling moves, which strengthen and help protect the shoulder. Your middle and outside players really need shoulder protection, because they have to swing away throughout the game.
Nina [Nina Matthies, Pepperdine’s Coach] likes to have the girls run one mile as part of their conditioning test. It’s a mental challenge. It’s a physical challenge. And a team challenge.
We started with a target time of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, but it’s gone down every year. This year the girls have to run under 7 minutes for the mile.
Too many volleyball players think they need to work on their abs. So they do a bunch of crunches. But that’s working on trunk flexion, which isn’t too functional on the court.
Like I said, lower-body strength is most important. But girls don’t always like to work their legs. Their jeans start to fit tighter. They look different in their uniforms. Volleyball uniforms put a lot of pressure on a girl’s appearance because they are so revealing. But to succeed, volleyball players need that lower-body power.
The footwork drills serve two purposes. One, they strengthen the feet, ankles and calves. And two, they improve the athlete’s foot speed. An athlete with faster foot speed can get where she needs to get on the court quicker.
The very first thing you should do each day after you wake up is a set of I’s, T’s, Y’s and W’s to keep your rotator cuff conditioned to handle the demands of the sport. Too many volleyball players arrive at college with their shoulders just plain beat up. You can tell when you go to tournaments and see all of the athletes with ice on their shoulders. Prevent that by doing two sets of 12 reps for each move. A Theraband or physioband works as resistance—you could even use cans of soup.
The First Week
Before Each Workout
General Warm-Up
5 minutes on treadmill, jumping rope, or riding bike
Dynamic Flexibility
- Inverted Hamstring x 6
- Handwalk to Reach x6
- Backward Lunge & Turn x6 each
- Runner’s Lunge to Instep x6 each
- Lateral Squat x6 each
- One Way Ham x10
Shoulder Series
- I’s, T’s, Y’s, W’s w/Bands or Weights – 1×10 each
- T-Spine Arm Sweeps 1×10 each
Day 1
Core
- Plank Forearms – 1×40 sec.
- Fire Hydrants – 1×12
- Side Plank – 1×20 sec.
- Glute Bridge – 1×45 sec.
Footwork
- Lateral Line Hops – 2×20 sec.
- Single-Leg Lateral Line Hops – 2×15 sec.
- Vertical Jump w/ “Stick” Landing, No Arms – 2×10
- Vertical Jump “Repeats,” No Arms – 2×10
Lifting
1a. Goblet Squat – 3×15
1b. DB Flat Bench – 3×12
2a. Walking Lunge (Bodyweight) – 3×10
2b. Wide Grip Lat Pull – 3×10
3a. DB One-Arm Row – 3×12
3b. DB Romanian Deadlift – 3×12
Day 2
Core
- Plank Forearms – 1×40 sec.
- Fire Hydrants – 1×12
- Side Plank – 1×20 sec.
- Glute Bridge – 1×45 sec.
Lifting
1a. DB Step-Up – 3×12
1b. Seated Row – 3×12
2a. Partner Glute Ham (Bodyweight) – 3×6
2b. DB 45-Degree Incline Bench – 3×12
3a. 2-Way Shoulder – 3×12
3b. DB Tricep Overhead – 3×12
Day 3
Core
- Plank on Hands – 1×40 sec.
- Med Ball Rotational Slam – 1×6 each
- Clam Shell – 1×10
- Power Ab Hold – 1×30 sec.
Footwork
- 4-Square Drill, both feet (2 sets), single leg (2 sets each)
- Vertical Jump w/ “Stick” Landing, With Arms – 2×10
- Vertical Jump “Repeats,” With Arms – 2×10
Lifting
1a. Goblet Squat – 3×15
1b. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown – 3×12
2a. 2 Way Shoulder – 3×12
2b. DB One-Arm Romanian Deadlift – 2×12
3a. DB Standing Military Press – 3×12
3b. DB Curl – 3×12
Exercise Instructions
Perform an Inchworm. When you reach the push-up position, rotate onto your right arm and reach your left arm to the ceiling to form a T with your upper body. Repeat with your opposite side, and then begin the next rep with an Inchworm. Continue this pattern for the specified number of reps.
Backward Lunge and Turn
Stand with your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Take an exaggerated step backwards with your right leg and lower into a lunge until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your rear knee is about an inch above the ground. Rotate your torso to the left as far as possible, and then return to the center. Drive off your front leg to stand up, and repeat with your opposite leg. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
Runner’s Lunge to Instep
Assume a push-up position. Step forward with your right leg so your foot is slightly outside of your right hand, and push your hips toward the ground. Step back to a push-up position, and repeat with your opposite leg. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
Lateral Squat
Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders. Bend your right knee and hip to lower into a Lateral Squat to your right, while keeping your left leg straight. Extend your right hip and knee to stand up to the starting position. Repeat to the left. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
One-Way Ham
Stand on your right leg. Bend your right hip and touch your foot with your right hand. Keep your left leg in a straight line with your body. Extend your hip to stand up. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and perform a set with your opposite leg.
T-Spine Arm Sweeps
Lie on your left side with your left hand behind your head and your right arm extended in front of your chest with the tips of your fingers on the floor. Straighten your left leg and drape your right thigh across your body. Rotate your shoulder and drag your fingertips on the floor to create a semi-circle until you reach the right side of your body. Perform in the opposite direction, and repeat for the specified number of reps.
Sleeper Stretch
Lie on your side with your bottom elbow on the ground and tight to your body. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees and allow your forearm to fall naturally forward to the ground. Push your wrist to ground with your opposite hand until a stretch is felt in your shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds seconds, release the pressure and repeat.
Fire Hydrants
Assume an all-fours position. Lift your leg directly to the side and hold for one count, keeping your knee at 90 degrees. Lower to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and perform a set with your opposite leg.
Lateral Line Hops
Stand with your feet together next to a line on the ground. Hop back and forth over the line, landing softly with your knees slightly bent.
SL Lateral Line Hops
Same as above, but on one leg.
VJ Stick
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Bend your hips and knee to lower into a half squat. Forcefully extend your hips, knees and ankles to jump up as high as possible. Land with soft knees and stick the landing. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
VJ Repeat
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Bend your hips and knee to lower into a half squat. Forcefully extend your hips, knees and ankles to jump up as high as possible. Land with soft knees and immediately perform the next rep. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
Goblet Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent, and cradle a dumbbell at your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Bend your hips and knees to lower into a Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Forcefully extend your hips and knees to stand up and return to the start position. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
Plank Knee Tuck
Assume a push-up position. Slowly drive your right knee forward as far as possible. Extend your leg to return to a push-up position. Perform with your left leg, and continue in an alternating pattern for the specified number of reps.
Kneeling Med Ball Slam
Performing a Med Ball Slam while on your knees.
Partner Glute Ham Raise
Kneel on a mat and have a partner behind you hold your feet down. Keep your back straight and arms at your sides. Slowly allow your torso to fall to the ground. Catch yourself with your arms. Push off the ground to propel your body to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
2-Way Shoulder Lateral / Front
Plank on Hands
Hold a push-up position for the specified duration.
Clam Shell
Lie on your side with your legs together, and yours hips and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place a mini band around your thighs, slightly above your knees. Spread your knees apart as far as possible, keeping your feet together. Hold for a one count, and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and repeat on your opposite side.
Power Ab Hold
Lie on your back with your legs together and knees bent towards your chest. Place your hands on the sides of your head, and touch your elbows to your knees. Rock forwards and balance on your butt, keeping your elbows in contact with your knees. Hold this position for the specified duration.
4-Square Drill
Place two four-foot lengths of tape on the ground to form a cross, and number the boxes 1-4. Hop through the box following the prescribed pattern.
Photo: AP
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Volleyball Summer Training Guide 2013
STACK’s Volleyball Summer Training Guide created by Matt Young, director of strength and conditioning at Pepperdine University, where the women’s volleyball team has made 12 trips to the NCAA Championships in the past 15 years. Pepperdine’s sand volleyball team also won a national championship in 2012, the sport’s inaugural season in the NCAA.
Training Tips
What I always see is high school kids who come to school having played so much volleyball. They’re usually so fatigued from playing that they don’t have much time to get in the gym and do the strength work that can really help them.
Lower-body strength is usually what’s lacking the most.
Improving that lower-body strength will help an athlete’s vertical power and lateral movement—both obviously key traits for volleyball players.
Our progression is to have a new athlete do Bodyweight Squats, then Goblet Squats, then the Front Squat. We don’t do the Back Squat here.
The Goblet Squat is a great choice for high school athletes. It doesn’t require a rack or a spotter. You could do only the goblet squat in high school and be perfectly prepared for the college level.
A training program needs to work with the resources an athlete has available. For example, if you don’t have access to a weight room, you can perform a bodyweight version of most of these moves. The training needs to be adjustable.
RELATED: 2 Challenging Volleyball Conditioning Drills
The nervous system tends to be stronger early in the week, after you’ve had a chance to rest over the weekend. That’s why we do more of our heavy power work on Monday. By the time we reach Thursday, we use lighter weights and work on speed.
We also emphasize pulling moves, which strengthen and help protect the shoulder. Your middle and outside players really need shoulder protection, because they have to swing away throughout the game.
Nina [Nina Matthies, Pepperdine’s Coach] likes to have the girls run one mile as part of their conditioning test. It’s a mental challenge. It’s a physical challenge. And a team challenge.
We started with a target time of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, but it’s gone down every year. This year the girls have to run under 7 minutes for the mile.
Too many volleyball players think they need to work on their abs. So they do a bunch of crunches. But that’s working on trunk flexion, which isn’t too functional on the court.
Like I said, lower-body strength is most important. But girls don’t always like to work their legs. Their jeans start to fit tighter. They look different in their uniforms. Volleyball uniforms put a lot of pressure on a girl’s appearance because they are so revealing. But to succeed, volleyball players need that lower-body power.
The footwork drills serve two purposes. One, they strengthen the feet, ankles and calves. And two, they improve the athlete’s foot speed. An athlete with faster foot speed can get where she needs to get on the court quicker.
The very first thing you should do each day after you wake up is a set of I’s, T’s, Y’s and W’s to keep your rotator cuff conditioned to handle the demands of the sport. Too many volleyball players arrive at college with their shoulders just plain beat up. You can tell when you go to tournaments and see all of the athletes with ice on their shoulders. Prevent that by doing two sets of 12 reps for each move. A Theraband or physioband works as resistance—you could even use cans of soup.
The First Week
Before Each Workout
General Warm-Up
5 minutes on treadmill, jumping rope, or riding bike
Dynamic Flexibility
- Inverted Hamstring x 6
- Handwalk to Reach x6
- Backward Lunge & Turn x6 each
- Runner’s Lunge to Instep x6 each
- Lateral Squat x6 each
- One Way Ham x10
Shoulder Series
- I’s, T’s, Y’s, W’s w/Bands or Weights – 1×10 each
- T-Spine Arm Sweeps 1×10 each
Day 1
Core
- Plank Forearms – 1×40 sec.
- Fire Hydrants – 1×12
- Side Plank – 1×20 sec.
- Glute Bridge – 1×45 sec.
Footwork
- Lateral Line Hops – 2×20 sec.
- Single-Leg Lateral Line Hops – 2×15 sec.
- Vertical Jump w/ “Stick” Landing, No Arms – 2×10
- Vertical Jump “Repeats,” No Arms – 2×10
Lifting
1a. Goblet Squat – 3×15
1b. DB Flat Bench – 3×12
2a. Walking Lunge (Bodyweight) – 3×10
2b. Wide Grip Lat Pull – 3×10
3a. DB One-Arm Row – 3×12
3b. DB Romanian Deadlift – 3×12
Day 2
Core
- Plank Forearms – 1×40 sec.
- Fire Hydrants – 1×12
- Side Plank – 1×20 sec.
- Glute Bridge – 1×45 sec.
Lifting
1a. DB Step-Up – 3×12
1b. Seated Row – 3×12
2a. Partner Glute Ham (Bodyweight) – 3×6
2b. DB 45-Degree Incline Bench – 3×12
3a. 2-Way Shoulder – 3×12
3b. DB Tricep Overhead – 3×12
Day 3
Core
- Plank on Hands – 1×40 sec.
- Med Ball Rotational Slam – 1×6 each
- Clam Shell – 1×10
- Power Ab Hold – 1×30 sec.
Footwork
- 4-Square Drill, both feet (2 sets), single leg (2 sets each)
- Vertical Jump w/ “Stick” Landing, With Arms – 2×10
- Vertical Jump “Repeats,” With Arms – 2×10
Lifting
1a. Goblet Squat – 3×15
1b. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown – 3×12
2a. 2 Way Shoulder – 3×12
2b. DB One-Arm Romanian Deadlift – 2×12
3a. DB Standing Military Press – 3×12
3b. DB Curl – 3×12
Exercise Instructions
Perform an Inchworm. When you reach the push-up position, rotate onto your right arm and reach your left arm to the ceiling to form a T with your upper body. Repeat with your opposite side, and then begin the next rep with an Inchworm. Continue this pattern for the specified number of reps.
Backward Lunge and Turn
Stand with your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Take an exaggerated step backwards with your right leg and lower into a lunge until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your rear knee is about an inch above the ground. Rotate your torso to the left as far as possible, and then return to the center. Drive off your front leg to stand up, and repeat with your opposite leg. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
Runner’s Lunge to Instep
Assume a push-up position. Step forward with your right leg so your foot is slightly outside of your right hand, and push your hips toward the ground. Step back to a push-up position, and repeat with your opposite leg. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
Lateral Squat
Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders. Bend your right knee and hip to lower into a Lateral Squat to your right, while keeping your left leg straight. Extend your right hip and knee to stand up to the starting position. Repeat to the left. Continue in an alternating fashion for the specified number of reps.
One-Way Ham
Stand on your right leg. Bend your right hip and touch your foot with your right hand. Keep your left leg in a straight line with your body. Extend your hip to stand up. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and perform a set with your opposite leg.
T-Spine Arm Sweeps
Lie on your left side with your left hand behind your head and your right arm extended in front of your chest with the tips of your fingers on the floor. Straighten your left leg and drape your right thigh across your body. Rotate your shoulder and drag your fingertips on the floor to create a semi-circle until you reach the right side of your body. Perform in the opposite direction, and repeat for the specified number of reps.
Sleeper Stretch
Lie on your side with your bottom elbow on the ground and tight to your body. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees and allow your forearm to fall naturally forward to the ground. Push your wrist to ground with your opposite hand until a stretch is felt in your shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds seconds, release the pressure and repeat.
Fire Hydrants
Assume an all-fours position. Lift your leg directly to the side and hold for one count, keeping your knee at 90 degrees. Lower to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and perform a set with your opposite leg.
Lateral Line Hops
Stand with your feet together next to a line on the ground. Hop back and forth over the line, landing softly with your knees slightly bent.
SL Lateral Line Hops
Same as above, but on one leg.
VJ Stick
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Bend your hips and knee to lower into a half squat. Forcefully extend your hips, knees and ankles to jump up as high as possible. Land with soft knees and stick the landing. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
VJ Repeat
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and hands behind your head. Bend your hips and knee to lower into a half squat. Forcefully extend your hips, knees and ankles to jump up as high as possible. Land with soft knees and immediately perform the next rep. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
Goblet Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent, and cradle a dumbbell at your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Bend your hips and knees to lower into a Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Forcefully extend your hips and knees to stand up and return to the start position. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
Plank Knee Tuck
Assume a push-up position. Slowly drive your right knee forward as far as possible. Extend your leg to return to a push-up position. Perform with your left leg, and continue in an alternating pattern for the specified number of reps.
Kneeling Med Ball Slam
Performing a Med Ball Slam while on your knees.
Partner Glute Ham Raise
Kneel on a mat and have a partner behind you hold your feet down. Keep your back straight and arms at your sides. Slowly allow your torso to fall to the ground. Catch yourself with your arms. Push off the ground to propel your body to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps.
2-Way Shoulder Lateral / Front
Plank on Hands
Hold a push-up position for the specified duration.
Clam Shell
Lie on your side with your legs together, and yours hips and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place a mini band around your thighs, slightly above your knees. Spread your knees apart as far as possible, keeping your feet together. Hold for a one count, and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of reps, and repeat on your opposite side.
Power Ab Hold
Lie on your back with your legs together and knees bent towards your chest. Place your hands on the sides of your head, and touch your elbows to your knees. Rock forwards and balance on your butt, keeping your elbows in contact with your knees. Hold this position for the specified duration.
4-Square Drill
Place two four-foot lengths of tape on the ground to form a cross, and number the boxes 1-4. Hop through the box following the prescribed pattern.
Photo: AP