5 Volleyball Conditioning Drills to Improve Your Gameplay

As a volleyball player who’s been through countless matches, from high school tournaments to collegiate championships, I’ve had players come up to me to say all they need to do is give more time on the court.

They think more serves, spikes, and scrimmages will help them do it all. Trust me, I had the same mindset during my early days on the Minnesota high school team.

In some ways, they’re right – it’ll improve their techniques and sharpen their responses.

But one thing more time on the court won’t do – is boost their volleyball strength and conditioning.

I learned this the hard way during the Great Lakes Regional Championship, where our team’s performance dipped dramatically in the fourth and fifth sets. What do you really need to boost performance? The answer lies in volleyball drills for conditioning, something that transformed my own game during college.

Volleyball Conditioning Drills to Boost Performance

Conditioning drills aren’t just for endurance or strength. They aim to build the explosive power, agility, and stamina you need for volleyball. I still remember how these drills helped our team maintain our edge during that grueling five-set State Championship victory.

In this post, I’ll explain the most effective drills that can transform your gameplay, based on methods that worked for both me and my teammates. Are you ready to level up? Let’s jump right in!

Why Volleyball Conditioning Drills are Important 

If you spend a lot of time on the court with no significant improvement to your game, the best volleyball conditioning drills can help you in: 

Improving Endurance 

Volleyball isn’t like a casual game of catch; it’s high-intensity from start to finish. Each rally demands sudden energy bursts like diving and jumping. If you’re not fit, they’ll drain you fast. Conditioning for volleyball players helps maintain the same energy for each set of the game. 

Increasing Agility 

A quick sidestep can be the difference between making an amazing save and letting the ball hit the floor. Conditioning drills improve your ability to react fast and cover more ground without burnout. 

Building Strength 

Since spiking is an integral requirement to win points, you need a lot of strength to jump, hit the ball hard, and control your landing. Strength conditioning, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, will give you the foundation to make better spikes. Your serves, landing, and stability will improve too. 

Gaining Explosive Power 

For volleyball, jumps aren’t just about height; they’re about getting off the ground fast, again and again. Engaging in plyometric drills like box jumps and depth jumps will help your body generate that springy energy. Over time, your jumps would improve, and so would your contributions to your team. 

Developing Balance and Stability 

Finally, there’s core stability – the unsung hero of volleyball conditioning. You might not think much about your core during a game, but every move you make is supported by it.

Core workouts like planks, Russian twists, and crunches will help you stay strong and centered.  

Let’s discuss some drills that help in conditioning for volleyball players. 

4 Types of Volleyball Conditioning Drills to Transform Your Game 

If you’re ready to up your game with conditioning drills. Let’s break down some of the best volleyball conditioning drills from my training. 

1. Volleyball Speed Drills 

Ever notice how some players look like they’re running on fumes by the third set?

That used to be me – totally wiped out halfway through the match. Then I learned how good cardio drills can keep your energy up and your reactions sharp.

My go-to volleyball speed drills are: 

Shuttle Run 

With shuttle runs, you sprint back and forth in short bursts, just like during a rally.

For me, I aim to go faster with each rep, and over time, I can feel the difference in my stamina on the court. 

Interval Sprints 

Run at a full sprint for 30 seconds, walk for 15, and repeat this for about 10 minutes.

It sounds brutal – and it can be – but the payoff is huge. After a few weeks of intervals, I was covering the court better and wasn’t so winded by the final points. 

2. Volleyball Endurance Drills 

Strength is vital in volleyball. You need strong legs for jumping, a stable core for balance, and upper body power for hitting – all of which come with volleyball endurance drills. 

I remember struggling with my spikes early on; they’d barely clear the net. I started adding squats and lunges to my workouts to build my leg muscles. It helped me gain tremendous stability for landing after a spike or a block. 

Here are some drills I used for volleyball strength and conditioning:  

Plyometric (Jump Training) Drills 

Timing a perfect block or spike in volleyball is one of the most thrilling moments. However, you need plyometric training to get the height and power required. This training focuses on building explosive strength to help you feel more agile on the court.  

Depth Jumps 

To do depth jump drills, step off a low platform and jump immediately upon landing. This drill trains your muscles to respond quickly, and you make quicker jumps in a game. These plyometric exercises help you improve your vertical leaps a lot.  

3. Volleyball Agility Drills 

Volleyball is all about quick movements. I realized this the first time I missed a dig because I couldn’t get low fast enough. That’s where the following volleyball footwork drills help:  

Ladder Drill 

This is my personal favorite. To do a ladder drill, you lay a ladder flat on the ground (or tape one with chalk if you’re outside). Then, move your feet quickly in and out of each square.  

This drill is best for improving foot speed, and it helps you get quicker on your toes for those sudden dives and saves. 

Cone Drills 

For trying this drill, set up cones in a zigzag pattern, then work on sprinting and sidestepping around them. It’s just like dodging around your teammates in a fast-paced rally.  

4. Core Stability Drills 

Finally, let’s talk about core strength. Even though volleyball may look like it’s all arms and legs, your core is actually doing a lot of work. Strong abs and back muscles help you stay stable during hits, jumps, and landings.  

Planks 

My go-to core drill is the plank. It’s simple but effective. I’d hold a plank for about a minute at first, gradually increasing the time as my core got stronger. 

Russian Twists 

Russian twists are another killer for core strength. Sit on the ground with your legs bent, lean back slightly, and twist your torso side to side, tapping the floor on each side.  

After adding these twists into my routine, I could feel my balance improving, and I was able to stay controlled even when reaching for low balls or landing from awkward angles. 

Each type of drill builds different skills, and when combined, they create a well-rounded player who can handle the demands of a high-energy volleyball game.  

4 Safety Tips for Volleyball Conditioning Drills 

Though volleyball is one of the safest games in the world, severe injuries can sometimes occur on the field. In fact, volleyball injury data show that two to four injuries occur for every thousand hours of play. 

However, if you adhere to court safety guidelines – you can easily avoid most of these injuries and enjoy the game for longer. This includes using regulation-approved volleyball net systems and wearing protective gear.  

Here are a few tips to stay safe during conditioning drills: 

Prepare Your Body for Drills 

Your body must be in shape for the drills. You can achieve this by: 

• Maintaining fitness by combining cardiovascular exercise with strength training. 

• Warm up and stretch before every drill to loosen cold muscles. 

• Cool down and stretch after each drill to ensure muscle flexibility. 

• Stay hydrated to keep your body cool during and after the drill. 

2. Wear Appropriate Safety Equipment 

You can have a safer game if you wear the following: 

• Volleyball knee pads – to absorb impact when you fall to the ground. 

• Shoes with a solid ankle support. 

• Padded pants to prevent bruising. 

• Ankle support for gaining extra stability. 

3. Ensure a Safe Environment 

A safe practice environment also prevents potential injuries if you ensure the following. 

• The volleyball net systems are free from ground plates, pegs, ropes, or wires. 

• The ground has no rocks or sharp objects like glass. 

4. Prepare for Injuries 

No matter how much you try to prevent them, injuries are inevitable. Prepare for them beforehand by: 

• Ensuring the coaches know how to administer first-aid kits for minor injuries. 

• Being prepared for emergencies by having a plan to reach medics without delays. 

Wrapping Up 

To sum it up, solid volleyball drills for conditioning are your ticket to peak performance on the court. From volleyball footwork drills that have you darting across the net to strength workouts that boost your power, each exercise you do will pay off in your next game.  

Think about it: stronger serve, quicker reactions, and that extra endurance to keep you going strong in the final set. 

Ready to use conditioning drills to take your volleyball skills to the next level? Start using these conditioning for volleyball players in your practice and watch how your game improves.  

If you’re looking for more tips or workout plans or want to share your progress, drop a comment or connect with us. Let’s make every practice count! 

FAQs

What equipment do I need for volleyball conditioning drills? 

Most volleyball conditioning drills actually require minimal equipment, but having certain items can really enhance your training.

During my college days at practice, here’s what we regularly used:

Essential Equipment:

• A volleyball (or multiple if possible) – For sport-specific drills and ball control exercises
• Comfortable athletic shoes with good ankle support – Critical for quick movements and jumping
• Exercise mat – For core work and floor exercises
• Cones or markers – We used these extensively for agility drills and sprint patterns

Recommended Additional Equipment:

• Agility ladder – This was game-changing for our footwork drills
• Jump rope – Perfect for improving footwork and endurance
• Resistance bands – Great for strengthening exercises and injury prevention
• Medicine ball – We used this for explosive power training

Optional Advanced Equipment:

• Box or plyo box – For jump training (though you can use sturdy bleacher steps too)
• Weight training equipment – If you have access to a gym
• Reaction balls – These helped us improve hand-eye coordination

Remember, I started with just a volleyball and cones in my backyard in Minnesota. While having all this equipment is great, you can modify most drills to work with what you have. The most important thing is consistency in training, not having every piece of equipment.