Jump and Plyometric training are a great tool to help volleyball players physically improve their body for the game. While the benefit is clear for the front row players who jump for their part of the game, back row players can also benefit from jump training to improve their explosive abilities and move faster laterally to get to the ball quicker. When trained appropriately and measured, jump training can be a clear indicator of an athlete becoming faster and more responsive within the game.
Here are 3 benefits jump training can bring for any volleyball athlete:
1. Increased Lower Body Power
As mentioned before, the more explosive a volleyball athlete, the faster they can complete the skills associated with volleyball both offensively and defensively. Powerful legs are one of the best physical tools a volleyball athlete can have. Being able to jump high above the net to attack or block, as well as quickly plant your foot onto the court to pass a ball on serve receive gives your team an explosive edge.
2. Healthier Landings
The most common act of injury from volleyball is the landing of the jump. Many times the adrenaline of the game can cause the athletes to jump high and land in awkward positions, and possibly on other players, so it’s important to have a lower body that has a good chance of coming away healthy. Jump training not only works on a more explosive takeoff, but also adds more safe landings in order to build the lower body up to handle those landings during practice and matches.
3. Jump Repeatability
Volleyball isn’t just about how high you jump or how fast you are. It’s also about how long you can maintain jumping high and moving quickly. With games and tournaments lasting for long periods of time, it’s important to assure players are in the right condition to be explosive throughout the entire competition. With consistent jump training, a volleyball athlete can build a base of fitness specific to jumping ability that will allow them to jump continuously at their best throughout the set, game and tournament.
When looking to improve jumping ability, it is always recommended to find a great coach to develop a training plan for you. A qualified coach will know how much and what kind of jumping to focus on specifically for volleyball. Once you’ve established a coach, adding jump training can help take a volleyball player’s game to the next level.
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About the Author
Pete Christofferson is the head of athletic performance for volleyball at T3 Performance in Northeast Ohio. He oversees the strength and conditioning for all volleyball athletes as well as training various athletes from other sports for various goals, including speed, jumping, strength, conditioning development, and return to play. Prior to this role, Pete worked as the director of training for multiple volleyball clubs and facilities and trained athletes within the collegiate and high school settings.
