I got a weight room and want to know how I should train for volleyball

Question:

What kind of training for volleyball can I do?

I'm in a girl's personal fitness class that does training in a weight room 2-3 times a week. It's a pretty basic weight room, nothing too fancy. What kind of training can I do in my class to help benefit my volleyball performance? I'm looking to increase my vertical jump. If it helps any, I'm a setter.

Answer:

I would definitely focus on exercises that involve free weights (dumbbells and barbells) and don't use machines (leg curls using a machine, leg press, etc).

The common mistake players make is doing leg presses (this is where you lie on your back and push with your legs). What you want to do is squats or lunges. What's important is strength training while your feet are in a fixed position. For example, during the squat, the feet don't move. The feet stay in place while you lower and raise the weight.

You should do dumbbell front squats because they are safer than back squats.

For increasing your vertical, you could do what is called complex training. Basically, do a set of 10 front squats then rest for 30 seconds. Then perform 10 vertical jumps without any weight (just body weight jumps). It's called complex training because what you're doing is complexing a weight lifting exercise with a plyometric exercise.

After the vertical jumps rest for 2 minutes. Now perform another set of front squats followed by 10 vertical jumps. You should feel really strong in your jumps and jump real high.

Do another set of front squats followed by 10 vertical jumps.

Now you could complex another two exercises. For example, complex barbell deadlifts and tuck jumps.

If you're a setter, you probably also should increase your foot speed. There are foot drills called mat drills that don't take up much space and you can do in place.

Here are some foot drills...

Single leg front to back exercise. Stand on one foot and hop back and forth over a line as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds then do the same for the other foot.

Single leg side to side exercise. Stand on one foot and hop side to side over a line as fast as you can. Rest for 10 seconds then switch feet.

Skier exercise. Hop off both feet side to side over a line as fast as you can. Do for 15 seconds then rest for 15.