Volleyball Running Drills

The sport of volleyball requires strength, endurance and agility. Contrary to popular belief, practicing serves and bumps alone will not make you a great volleyball player. To perform your best, a strict regimen of strength and endurance activities is required. Running drills help improve cardiovascular health and can easily be customized to a sport, such as volleyball, to enhance your skills.

  1. Hit the Deck

    • This drill improves defensive skills. Aggressive defense includes the ability to lunge and attack the ball no matter the position, including by hitting the floor. Hit the Deck encourages dropping to the floor to save a ball, and hopefully get it over the net. To perform the drill, players must run on the spot with high knees to strengthen the thighs and glutes. When the coach yells "hit the deck," players must immediately hit the floor. Continue the drill for at least five minutes, varying the intervals between each shout of "hit the deck."

    Plyometrics

    • Endurance training is essential to success in volleyball. While each play usually lasts only and average of 15 seconds, the time between plays only lasts an average of 10 seconds. Therefore, with little recuperating time and plenty of intense bursts of action, endurance remains vital to performance in a volleyball game. Plyometrics involves repetitions of powerful muscle contractions. Start plyometrics training by having the players jog around the facility, stopping with the blow of a whistle about every minute. Once stopped, players perform a set of 10 rapid movements like performing a set, serve or bump. After each set, continue jogging until the next set.

    One Man Team

    • The One Man Team ensures all players can play each position. The drill also involves quick thinking and acting when the ball is coming your way. To perform this drill, all players but one make a perimeter around the playing field. One at a time, each player starts in the serving position and runs toward incoming balls thrown at the team. Time each player and count how many balls go over the net at the end of each turn. Make sure the players run from spot to spot for a great cardio workout.

    Lines

    • Line drills increase cardiovascular endurance. You can incorporate almost any quick move into the drill, from performing serves and bumps, to jumping, to performing a block. The traditional lines drill involves running from line to line in a gymnasium. Players should start at the end line and sprint to the next line before returning to the end line. Continue the activity at each line on the floor. To perform the drill correctly, each player must touch the line with their fingers. If a player fails to touch the line, back to the beginning they go to start over.