Cardio/Endurance Training Cardio should be done a minimum of 5 times/week. (about 20-30 min.) Long distance running is not necessary to prepare for the volleyball season. It is better to do repetitions in short bursts with only a little recovery time. This will mimic the action that would take place on the court during a match. If you choose to do some running for part of your conditioning, consider running for a time of about 15-20 min. max. To really benefit from running, doing short sprints with light jogging in between would be best. You will be tested on the mile run. Working on a variety of types of conditioning will help build your endurance. Every week you could time yourself in the mile and work to improve. Jogging Sprint/jog Biking Swimming In-line skating Treadmill Eliptical machines Exercise videos/classes Zumba classes Tennis Play: Play volleyball as much as possible. When you play, don t focus on the skills at which you are already somewhat proficient; rather, focus on eliminating weaknesses in your game. Go to www.youtube.com and search for this video: Lady Spartacus Bodyweight Workout Part 1 Lady Spartacus Bodyweight Workout Part 2 It is a great video with 10 different exercises that you do for 60 sec. each with a rest of 15 sec. The whole video is on youtube. Do it once as a warm up to other activities or 2 times for a good 20 minute workout.
Jumping/Plyometrics Jump training and any strength training, like weights, should be done on the same day so muscle groups can get an adequate amount of rest in between training sessions. Ankle Hops Starting Position: Stand straight with arms extended straight over head. Movement: With your knees slightly bent and arms raised over head, bounce up and down off of your toes. You should not be bending significantly at the knees; the focus is on the ankles and calf muscles. Concentrate on performing quick and precise jumps, keeping yourself in the same spot on the ground for the designated amount of time. (1 set of 15 seconds, work to increase time to 25 sec for each set) Tuck Jumps Starting Position: Stand in a half-squat position with your hips back, knees over toes, and shoulders over your knees. Keep your hands out in front of you for balance. Movement: Jump up as high as you can, bringing your knees to your chest at the top of the jump. Land in a soft and controlled manner with hips back and shoulders over your knees. Hold this position for 12 seconds and repeat the jump. Continue this movement for the duration of the prescribed time. (start with 1 set for 15 seconds work to increase to 25 sec.) 180-degree Jumps Starting Position: Stand in a half-squat position with your hips back, knees over your toes, and shoulders over your knees. Movement: Jump up as high as you can and, while in the air, spin 180 degrees, so that you land facing the opposite direction. Land softly and under control. Repeat, jumping in the opposite direction. Perform for designated time. (15 seconds, work to increase to 25 sec.) Split-Squat Jumps Starting Position: Start in a semi-lungeposition with one foot in front of the other.
Movement: Jump up as high as you can, alternating foot positions in midair. (If you begin this exercise with your left foot forward, your left foot should be in the back of the right foot at the completion of one repetition.) Use your hands for balance, land softly and under control. Repeat the action for prescribed time. (10 sec. work to increase to 20 sec.) Single Leg Jumps Starting Position: On one leg, lean forward so your shoulders are over your knee and hips are back. Movement: Jump from one leg to the other straight up and down. Bend at the knee as much as you can while still performing a controlled jump. Land softly and under control and hold the landing for 12 seconds. Increase the rhythm and knee height as you progress. Continue for the designated time. (15 sec. on each leg, increasing to 25 sec each leg) Medicine Ball Catapult Starting Position: Stand in a half-squat position with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold a medicine ball (10-25 lbs) between your legs, keeping your back straight and eyes forward. Movement: Throw the medicine ball as high as you can. Press your legs through the ground and drive your knees, hips, and ankles upward in a jumping motion. Extend your arms as high as possible as you release the medicine ball from your hands. Let the medicine ball drop to the ground, up and repeat for the duration. (start with 1 set of 10 throws, increasing to 2 sets of 10) pick Reverse Lunges Starting Position: Stand upright holding a bar across the back of your shoulders; you could also hold dumbbells at your side. For beginners, just use your body weight for resistance by placing your hands on your hips. Movement: Step backward directly behind you. As you reach back, allow your shoulders to come forward slightly. As you drop down DO NOT allow your front knee to go out in front of your toes. This places undue stress on the knee. Your front leg should be perpendicular to the floor (90- degrees) at the bottom position. Hold this position for a moment and then slowly and under control pull yourself upright with your forward leg. Do not spring off your back leg. Allow your forward leg to perform the entire movement. (start with 1 set for 30 seconds, work to increase to 45 sec.) Single Leg Squats Starting Position: Stand on one leg and lean forward so that your chest is almost perpendicular to the ground. Place arms out to the side and
other leg back on a bench for balance. For added difficulty, you can hold dumbbells at your side. Movement: Making sure you are balanced, bend your knee to approximately to a half-squat position. Push back up slowly and repeat. Perform 10 repetitions on each leg. ADVANCED: Perform the single leg squat on the floor or standing on a bench and do not rest your back leg on a bench for support. This will place more focus on the one leg to improve strength and balance, but will increase difficulty. (start with 1 set of 10 reps and work to increase to 2 sets of 10 reps and then 3 sets of 10) Calf Raises Starting Position: Stand with the balls of your feet on something raised like a stair or box. Your hips should extend out behind you. DO NOT lower heels as far as possible toward the floor as this puts tremendous stress on your calf muscles and tendons. Keep your feet parallel to the floor or slightly below. Dumbbells or a weighted bar across the shoulders may also be used. Movement: Come up on your toes as far as possible (1-2 seconds). Pause for a good second or longer, get a good squeeze at the top of the movement. Slowly lower back down (3-4 seconds) to the starting position.(start with 1 set of 20, then increase to 2 sets of 20 and then to 3 sets of 20) Star Jumps Start with your feet shoulder width apart in a low squat position with arms slightly wrapped around the knees. Jump up while spreading arms and legs out into a star shape. (start with 1 set of 10, increase to 2 sets of 10) Step Ups Using a bench, bleacher, chair or box, start by standing in front of the bench and putting one foot flat on the bench and step up onto it. Step back down to the floor, one foot at a time and repeat with your other leg. (start with 1 set of 10 for each leg, increase to 2 sets of 10) Add hand weights to increase resistance. Rhythmic Squat Jumps (also referred to as leap-ups ) Starting Position: Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart in a squat position with hands touching the ground in front of your toes. Your knees should be directly over your toes with hips sitting back. Your knees should be bent approximately 90- degrees. Your chest should be directly over the middle of your thighs.
Movement: Explode up and jump as high as you can into the air reaching for the sky. Visualize reaching up and catching a ball. This helps to focus. Land soft and under control with your hips back, knees over your toes in the starting position. This jump needs to be performed with a steady rhythm. Squat down low, keeping your balance. Stay on the balls of your feet. Do not do this jump by landing on your heels. Jump as high as you can from the squat position. Use arms as momentum to propel you. Your arms should start low and swing into the air as you jump. Land on the balls of your feet and in one fluid motion squat down and explode back up using the same motion. Continue for a set time, keeping the rhythm. (start at 10 sec. and work to increase to 20 sec.) Standing Broad Jump Start as low as you can on the balls of your feet. Use all the same techniques as the Rhythmic Squat except you will jump forward as far as you can using both feet. Continue to go forward with the same jumping motion. Try not to fall, but it is bound to happen as this is a very hard drill. Land softly and hold for a second. Also, swing your arms to help further your distance. Perform for sets and reps as directed. (start with 1 set of 5 jumps and work to increase to 2 sets of 5) Basic Jumping 1. Jump 25 times as high as you can off both feet. Your hands should be above your head to help you jump high. As soon as you land, go right back up. 2. Jump 25 times off your right foot. Use arms to propel upwards. 3. Jump 25 times off your left foot. 4. Jump 25 times bringing your knees to your chest. Bring your arms down in order to maintain balance, but continue jumping as quickly as possible. 5. Jump 25 times trying to kick your heals into your rear end. 6. Do 25 Pike Jumps. Try to touch your fingertips to your toes in pike position. Jump Rope 1. 25 on both feet. (warm up) 2. 100 on right foot. 3. 100 on left foot. 4. 100 side-to-side 5. 100 front-to-back 6. Double Jumps. Jump high and try to twirl the jump rope around twice before landing on the ground. Start with 10 and then do more in a row as you get better. 7. 25 on both feet (cool down) OR Do double jumps every single day. Double jumps are where the rope twists twice each time you jump. You may only be able to do a few in a row at first. Try to get to the point
where you can do at least 30-50 in a row. This is a great exercise for increasing your jump and stamina. (I would be willing to loan you a jump rope. Just let me know.) Speed jumps. Every other day, go for three one-minute intervals, jumping as fast as you can. Stairs Run up real stairs. Walk or run slow down. Repeat for a # of flights. -Alternate single steps and double steps. -Hop up with 2 feet together. -Use a wide stance, stepping to the far right with the right foot and far left on the next step with the left foot. Soft Sand Depth Jumps In soft sand, bend your knees to the point that your rear is even with your knees and then explode up. Taking your time, do three sets of 10-20 every other day. Approach Jumps Using proper form, do 2 sets of 10 approaches. Be explosive, especially with the last 2 steps. Block Jumps 3 x 5 sets of blocking (use whatever footwork you know to block, move right, block, move left, block for about a 5 foot area). After 5 roundtrips, rest 20 sec. before next set. Use appropriate hand position. Open hands wide and keep them ball width apart. Pike your body as you jump into blocking position. Cone jumping Jump over one cone bringing knees as high up as possible. Front and back for 20 seconds and then side to side for 20 seconds. Repeat 3X s. Side Plank-Up Core/Ab Exercises Lie on left side on floor with legs stacked and a rolled-up towel between thighs, propping torso on left elbow so that left forearm is perpendicular to torso. Make it easier: Stagger feet so that side of right foot is on floor in front of left foot for a wider base of support. Lift hips so that body forms a straight line from head to toe and squeeze towel between thighs. Hold for 1 count, then lower.
Do 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets 1) Plank 30secs on / 30 sec rest 2X with b-ball under you. 2) Plank with Knee Touch- 30/30 bring knee up to same side elbow 3) Plank with Feet on Ball 30/30- push-up position 4) 30 Woodchoppers- start in sit-up position w/ bent legs, do sit-ups touching ball to ground at beginning and end. 5) 30 Alternating Toe Touches- feet together straight and 12 off ground, lying on the ground with ball on ground above your head. Touch ball to right foot, back to ground, touch ball to left foot. 6) 30 Twists- sit on butt, feet 6 off floor, legs bent. Twist from side to side rotating shoulders 180 degrees and slamming ball to ground on each side. *Keep arms straight 7) 15 Figure 8 s- same as twist position, bring knee to face opposite of ball hand and pass ball through legs, then repeat on other side. 7 Up 7 Down Alternate 1 push up, 1 sit up, 2 push ups, 2 sit ups 7 push ups, 7 sit ups and then work your way back down to 1 push up, 1 sit up. Medicine Balls A routine includes about 6-10 different throws. Each set includes 8-12 throws. Rest between each set should be from 1-3 minutes. The weight of the ball can be between 1 to 8 lbs. (0.5-4 kg) Each throw has to be explosive and if done correctly these exercise will strengthen your abs and back muscles. Work hard to activate your core and use your abs and back muscles to throw, not just your arms. Overhead throws to the distance Overhead throws to the distance while kneeling Overhead pull over to the distance while laying you your back Toss from the side while sitting Toss from the side when standing Chest passes Lumber jack- ball is brought above head on one side of the body. As ball is raised athlete should go up high on toes and then slam the ball down onto the ground on the opposite side of the body. Alternate sides. Agility/Quickness Drills When setting up cones for any of the following drills follow these simple directions: Measuring yards is easy. All you have to do is take a large stride and that will be about the length of one yard. For example, 5 strides equal 5 yds etc. If you do not have cones you can use shoes, shirts, etc., anything you can put on the ground. Shuffle Box Drill Set up cones according to the box drill diagram (5yd square)
Face the same direction throughout entire drill Diagrams are drawn to start on the right Sprint straight, shuffle across facing forward, backpedal straight back, shuffle facing forward and sprint from where you started straight through the last cone Zig Zag Drill Set up cones according to the zig zag drill diagram Face the direction of the cone you are sprinting toward on all cuts Diagrams are drawn to start on the right Sprint to each cone touching the cone with your outside hand DON T bend over at the hip, BEND YOUR KNEES After you go through once starting on the right you will be set to start on the left Zig Zag Shuffle Set up cones according to the zig zag drill diagram Face the direction of the cone you are sprinting toward on all cuts Diagrams are drawn to start on the right Shuffle to each cone touching the cone with your outside hand DON T bend over at the hip, BEND YOUR KNEES After you go through once starting on the right you will be set to start on the left Pro Agility Set up cones according to the pro agility drill diagram Face the direction of the cone you are sprinting toward on all cuts Diagrams are drawn to cut to the right first Begin with one foot on either side of the middle cone line Sprint toward the cone to the right touching the line with your outside hand Sprint to the opposite far cone on the left touching the line with your outside hand Sprint back through the middle cone line After you go through once right first, go through sprinting left first Ladders If you don t have access to the gym, make your own with chalk on a sidewalk or with rope on the lawn for less stress on your legs. A ladder is usually 10 yards long about 20 in. wide, with 10 squares. If you have room at the end of the ladder, finish with a quick burst of speed and a short sprint. Ladder drills: One foot in running Two feet in (one, two, one, two) Four in (one-two-three-four) Two in two out (moving left down the ladder and moving right up the ladder- face the same direction) Two in one out Two in two out (moving frontwards but feet stepping laterally) Two in hop One in hop (right foot down, then left foot down)