How do I train my calf for volleyball?

Question:

How do I build up my calf muscle fast?

I am a volleyball player and need to build up my calf muscle to jump higher so I can spike the ball better.

Answer:

It’s not training your calves that makes you jump high.

The short answer is your body is a chain of muscles and you should train your body the way you’ll be moving when you jump.

So seated calf raises and nonfunctional exercises like that are a waste of time.

You should focus on exercises that are closed chained that work from the ground up. For example, exercises where your feet are in a fixed position such as a barbell squat or dead lift.

You could do barbell calf raises, but it’s not really worth the time. You should focus on the whole movement. For example, during a power clean, you are basically pulling a bar quickly and forcefully up from the floor to the front of the shoulders, all in one movement. You apply force with the feet against the ground extending your hips, knees, and ankles. This movement is similar to jumping.

Obviously, the best way to improve your jump is to jump more. Jumping exercises such as tuck jumps, volleyball approach jumps, block jumps and depth jumps done 2 to 3 times a week will help your jump.

Also, hip extension is really important for jumping and it’s something many people don’t train enough. Cable pull through, hip thrusts, single leg RDLs, and barbell RDLs are great for training the posterior chain and are the biggest bang for the buck for most volleyball players.