Volleyball Vertical Jump - How to increase vertical jump?

Increasing volleyball vertical jump for the beginning volleyball players is not complicated at all. Almost any exercise which will increase the strength in the legs and your core (ab, hip and back muscles) will work well.

However, if you want to reach to the next level from that - you need to consider exercises, which are more sport specific.

To keep it real simple - to add vertical jump you have to do exercises which make you extend legs and core explosively.

Volleyball Vertical Jump - What exercises make you extend your legs and core explosively?

• Jumping hurdles - or any other plyometrics exercises
  
  • drop jumps
  • tuck jumps
  • etc.
    
• Low impact plyometrics (instead of using "power jumps", like jumping high hurdles, try low impact "mini jumps”)
  
  • jump rope
  • ladder drills
  • ski jumps  
  • .. or anything that minimizes the impact on your body
    
• Medicine ball exercises
  
  • Backwards over your head with both hands
  • Tossing the ball high up with both hands
  • Tossing the ball forward with both hands
    
    
• Snatch, clean, clean and jerk, etc. as traditional weight lifting exercises
  
  
• Kettlebell training, in which you can do exercises that are related to cleans and snatches.

Volleyball Vertical Jump – What else is important?

Stability is another factor, which is important in volleyball.

Volleyball player needs to be stabile. A player needs to be able to control the body in the air and hit the ball on the highest possible position up in the air.

You need stability even when jumping with two feet indoors.  Especially you need it, if you are a beach volleyball player and play in the deep sand.

Exercises which work on your core help you to build that stability.

Important! When choosing a leg exercise, pay attention this exercise also works out the core.


One legged exercises to build stability

It is very beneficial to do some exercises with one leg at the time (both legs of course, but one at the time).

For example: one legged deadlift, various jumps, lunge, etc. 

Besides the leg, specific one legged exercises are great on your core muscles – and stability.

Volleyball Vertical Jump - How Much, How Often to Exercise?

It all depends on experience and strength level of the athlete. 

Doing conditioning drills 2-3 times a week to increase your vertical jump is optimal. However, it is an individual matter; three times a week could be too much for some athletes.


Beginners – Watch out! Safety First!

Athletes with no previous conditioning exercise experience needs to remember to take a very slow start. A beginner absolutely should not do any high impact plyometrics, like hurdle jumps or excessive weight lifting.

Low impact plyometrics (ladder drills, jump rope, ski jumps, etc) or medicine ball exercises would be a safer way to start conditioning.

To Conclude – How to Increase Vertical Jump in Volleyball?

Use exercises which include a strong leg and hip extension. 

All the exercises which make an athlete extend their legs and core explosively are great exercises to increase the vertical. Few of those exercises were mentioned above.

Snatch, clean, clean and jerk, etc. are the most well known weight lifting exercises, which have that powerful extension.

Notice that you necessarily don’t need to do traditional weight lifting.  There are many exercises which simulate those -  many of them are done without any extra weights – or by light weighted medicine ball or kettlebell.

Volleyball Quote to Remember

Vertical Jump Related Pages

Medicine Ball Exercises

youtube.com - Med Ball to Increase Vertical Jump