Success in the sport of volleyball requires strength, endurance and a good ability to jump. Regular practice and exercise are the best ways to improve your performance. Adding plyometric drills to your regular workouts can also help improve your results. Plyometrics involves eccentric muscle actions followed by quick contracting muscle movements designed to maximize muscle forces in a much shorter time than typical weighted workouts. Warm up with some jogging or calisthenics before performing your plyometric workouts.
Death Jumps
Death jumps help improve your jumping ability while also adding strength to your leg muscles. Start out by standing on a box or bench with your toes close to the edge. Step off and land on both feet. Then immediately jump straight upward while throwing your hands up towards the sky. Land softly on both feet. Repeat the exercise several times.
Lateral High Hops
Lateral high hops are a great exercise for improving leaping abilities as well as maneuverability. Stand to the left side of a box with your right foot placed on top. Push off with your right leg and explode upward as high as possible. Throw your arms up for maximum height and momentum. Land on the opposite side of the box with your right foot on the ground and your left foot on top of the box. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction and repeat on both sides several more times.
Lateral Barrier Jumps
Lateral barrier jumps give more spring to your jumps, and improve your endurance as well. Stand next to a short barrier with your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart. While facing forward with the barrier to your right, hop to the right, up and over the barrier with both feet, then immediately jump back over again to the left. Repeat several more times. Be sure to rest between jumps when if you find yourself getting tired.
Knees-to-Chest
The knees-to-chest exercise works on your jumping skills and is helpful for endurance. Start on the floor in the pushup position. Explode up and land on both feet, then immediately jump up as high as you can while bringing your knees up to your chest. Land on both feet and immediately jump again bringing your knees to your chest. Jump a few times if you can. Rest and repeat the exercise by starting in the pushup position again. Jump quickly each time while barely touching the ground.
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