Fit & Fabulous through the summer with these at-home exercises!

9 June 2023

This post is also available in: Dutch

The season is really over now. The last indoor practice sessions are over and now we are going to enjoy a summer full of fun. Of course, some will continue playing beach volleyball on our Sovicos Beach Court, others will leave the court for our beautiful beach, and of course there will also be the necessary festivals, parties and vacations. But, how do you make sure you stay fit and your volleyball skills don’t drop to the lowest level? We list a few exercises for you, and the great thing? You can just do them at home!

There are several exercises you can do at home to improve your volleyball skills. Here are some of them:

Walking on your toes

This exercise helps strengthen your calf muscles, which is important for making higher jumps. Tiptoe around the room or over a distance of about 10 meters, repeat several times.

Plyometric jumps

Plyometric jumps, also known as plyometric training, are exercises in which your muscles are explosively activated by fast, powerful movements. This type of training is popular with athletes, including volleyball players, because it helps develop strength, speed and explosiveness.

In plyometric jumps, you take advantage of the stretch reflex in your muscles. This is the natural ability of your muscles to contract after being stretched. By using the stretch reflex, your muscles can deliver more force than they normally could, leading to higher jumps and more explosive movements.

Examples of plyometric jumps include:

  1. Jump squats: Stand in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then jump up and land back in the squat position. Repeat for several sets of 10 to 12 jumps.
  2. Box jumps: Place a sturdy box or elevation in front of you and jump onto it with both feet. Then jump back to the ground and repeat for several sets of 8 to 10 jumps.
  3. Tuck jumps: Jump up and pull your knees toward your chest while in the air. Then land back on the ground and repeat for several sets of 10 to 12 jumps.

It is important to build up plyometric jumps slowly to avoid injury. Start with one or two sets of each exercise and slowly add sets and reps as your strength and endurance increase. It is also important to ensure adequate rest between sets and to perform the exercises correctly to avoid injury.

Wall passes

This exercise helps improve your passing skills. Use a wall and play the ball against the wall as if you were making a pass to a fellow player. Vary the power of your passes and pass the ball at different heights.

Wall passing is an effective way to improve your passing without needing a partner or a volleyball court. All you need is a wall and a volleyball.

To start, stand about 2 meters away from the wall and pass the ball against the wall. Make sure you control your pass well. Repeat this exercise and try to pass the ball against the wall in the same spot each time.

As you get better, you can make the exercise more difficult by passing from a greater distance or passing the ball against the wall with more speed. And of course you can do this with set pieces / overhead play as well. You can vary this by not only playing forward, but also by playing the ball sideways, diagonally, or even backwards.

Wall passing/playing is a great way to improve your passing technique, train your reflexes, and improve your hand-eye coordination. It’s also a handy exercise you can do at home when you don’t have a fellow player or volleyball court. Even more fun, of course, to do it with a teammate πŸ™‚ Because although the indoor training sessions may have stopped you probably still meet up with a Sovicosser from time to time!

Balance exercises

Good balance is important for performing various volleyball moves. These exercises are important to improve your stability and coordination, which is crucial for volleyball players. Here are a few examples of balance exercises you can do at home:

  1. Single Leg Balance: Stand on one leg and keep your other leg bent with your foot on your thigh. Keep your arms outstretched in front of you and try to keep your balance. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg.
  2. BOSU Balancing: Stand on a BOSU ball (a half ball that is flat on the bottom) and try to keep your balance. You can make this exercise more difficult by lifting one leg or closing your eyes.
  3. Plank Variations: Planks are great exercises for your core, but you can also challenge balance by adding different variations. Try a side plank with one arm and one leg lifted, or a plank where you move one leg up and down.
  4. Balance Board Exercises: A balance board is a board that wobbles when you stand on it, requiring you to keep your balance. You can do exercises such as squats, lunges and twists while standing on the board to improve your stability.
  5. Yoga Poses: Yoga is a great way to improve your balance. Try poses such as the Tree Pose, Warrior III or Half Moon to improve your balance and coordination.

Adding balance exercises to your workout routine can help improve your body control and stability, which can improve your performance on the volleyball court. Just make sure you perform these exercises in a calm and controlled manner to avoid injury.

Core stability exercises

A strong core is important for maintaining good posture and stability during volleyball moves. Do various core stability exercises such as planks, sit-ups and crunches. Below we explain them a bit more:

  1. Planks: Stand in a push-up position with your elbows on the ground and your body straight. Hold this position as long as possible and try to extend it every day.
  2. Russian twist: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and lift your feet off the ground. Hold a weight or ball with both hands and slowly twist left and right while holding the ball between your hands. Repeat as many times as necessary.
  3. Supermans: Lie on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you. Lift your arms, legs and chest off the ground and hold this for as long as possible before relaxing again.
  4. Bicycle crunches: Lie on your back with your knees bent and place your hands behind your head. Lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground and bring your left elbow to your right knee while extending the left leg. Repeat on the other side.
  5. Side planks: Lie on your side with your elbow on the ground and your body in a straight line. Hold this position as long as possible before lying down on the other side and doing the same thing.

Remember, it is important to have a varied routine of exercises to engage all the muscles in your core. Do these exercises at least three times a week and build up slowly to avoid injury.

Do you know of any good exercises of your own that will ensure we start the new season fit and fabulous? Send them to the editors!