Regardless of your gender, heavy weight training can boost your performance when you take center court in a volleyball game. Think about the motions that take place. You constantly have to jump high to block and perform spikes, and you have to quickly shift your body in multiple directions. By improving your strength and power, you will perform these tasks with more accuracy.
Squats
Squats work your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and abs all at the same time. To execute a squat, rest a weighted barbell across the top of your upper back, and hold it with your hands in a wide grip. After spacing your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, slowly lower yourself by bending your knees. As you do this, contract your abs forcefully and keep them tight throughout the squat to help generate power and stabilize your spinal column. Once your thighs become parallel to the floor, quickly rise back up and repeat. To increase your resistance, add weight to the barbell.
Deadlifts
A deadlift works similar muscles as a squat, but it places more emphasis on your erector spinae, or lower back muscle. Add weight to a barbell that is resting on the floor. Keeping your feet spaced about shoulder-width apart, stand behind the bar and lower yourself down by bending your knees and hips. Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip, and lift it off the floor as you come to a standing position, keeping your arms straight. Forcefully contract your abs as you go through this motion, and do not arch your back at the top point. Slowly lower the bar until the weight plates touch the floor, and repeat.
Push Press
The push press is a full-body exercise that primarily targets your shoulders, legs, triceps and abs. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and hold a barbell right above your chest with your palms facing up. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart and your elbows should be in front of your body. Slowly lower yourself into a partial squat and quickly come up. As you do this, push the bar straight overhead until your arms are fully extended. Slowly lower the bar back down, and repeat.
Leg Presses
Leg presses primarily work your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings from a seated position on a leg press machine. Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform, and push it straight up in a steady motion. Once your knees are just short of locking, stop and hold for a second. Slowly lower the platform and repeat. Depending on the machine, the resistance can be adjusted by adding weight plates or sliding a pin into a stack. In both cases, you can use heavy weights.
Calf Raises
A lot of jumping power in volleyball is generated from your calves. Calf raises specifically target these muscles, and you can use a set of heavy dumbbells to do them. While holding the weights at your sides, carefully place the balls of your feet on a step or platform. Lift your heels in the air as high as you can, and hold for a full second. Slowly lower your heels the height of the step and hold again. Repeat the sequence for a set of repetitions. When doing calf raises, keep your legs straight.
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