Explosive volleyball weight training exercises

 
AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo 

The 2009 University of Tennessee volleyball season begins tomorrow when the Lady Vols open at noon against Tennessee Tech in the Comcast Lady Vol Classic.  The high school volleyball season is already underway.

Strength and conditioning exercises prepare athletes for the demands of the volleyball.  Key explosive weight training exercises are an integral part of the preparation that builds power (speed and strength) and agility needed for jumping, spiking, and blocking, as well as quick body repositioning for executing plays effectively.  Strengthening exercises also prevent common volleyball injuries.

Pulling phase of the power clean.

Variations of the Olympic lifts (e.g., power clean, jerk, and snatch) are ideal weight training exercises for volleyball.  Olympic lifters have been shown to produce the highest vertical jumps of any athletes (even high jumpers). The pulling phase (from the floor to full body extension) of the clean and snatch is nearly identical mechanically to the vertical jump, which is so critical in volleyball.

These types of explosive exercises offer a number of advantages.  Many of the lifts involve the same multi-joint movement patterns and share same common elements as explosive skills in volleyball, which optimizes the transfer of learning and training.  The rapid foot repositioning used in these lifts improves similar reactive movements on the court.  In addition, fewer lifts are needed, saving workout time.

Overhead position of the jerk.

The overhead lifts promote rotator cuff strength, stability, and flexibility while promote muscle balancing. This helps players block over the net with greater penetration while helping prevent tendinopathy and injuries from nerve compression (i.e., subscapular neuropathy) caused by repetitive overhead skills.

The hands, wrists, and forearms are strengthened without performing additional wrist exercises, improving spiking, blocking, and serving while preventing injuries.

More than 14% of volleyball injuries affect the back. These lifts, combined with core strengthening exercises, stabilize and strengthen the trunk.  Roman chair situps, back hyperextensions, and a battery of exercises that involve trunk rotation and lateral flexion (side bending) can complement the effects of the Olympic lifting variations.

Incorporating these lift into the total sport training program is especially important for women, who tend to be more vulnerable to certain injuries than men.  Care must be taken to provide excellent guidance and supervision by qualified instructors as athletes learn to perform these lifts.  Poor technique will not only compromise the many advantages of these exercises, but could also result in injuries. 

For more information see the following sources used for this article: 

www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com. (2008).  Volleyball drills.  Retrieved December 14, 2008, from http://www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com/volleyball-drills.html

www.volleyball.com. (2008).  Common volleyball injuries.  Retrieved December 14, 2008, from http://www.volleyball.com/sports_injuries.aspx

www.womens-weight-training-programs.com. (2009).  Essential volleyball weight training exercises.  Retrieved August 27, 2009, from http://www.womens-weight-training-programs.com/volleyball.html