3 powerful examples of volleyball jump training for spikers

Let’s start with the first example of volleyball jump training for spikers: a strength-plus-jump day that fits neatly before or after a lighter practice. The goal here is simple—build the engine in your legs and hips, then teach that engine to fire explosively.

Instead of thinking in numbers, think in phases. You’ll move from activation, to strength, to explosive jumps, to quick core. This is one of the best examples of volleyball jump training for spikers because it balances weightroom work with on-court movement.

Warm-up and Activation (10–12 minutes)

You want your hips, ankles, and knees ready to absorb and create force. A typical warm-up might look like this:

Start with a few minutes of light jogging or jump rope, then move into dynamic work like walking lunges with a twist, leg swings front-to-back and side-to-side, and inchworms to wake up your hamstrings and shoulders.

Add in simple activation drills: glute bridges on the floor, mini-band walks around the hips, and calf raises off a step. These are small movements, but they set up your bigger lifts and protect your knees and lower back.

Strength Block: Building the Jumping Muscles

This first example of volleyball jump training focuses on compound lifts that mimic how you jump: hips back, knees bent, chest up, then explode.

You might organize it like this in the gym:

Work through barbell or dumbbell squats in a moderate rep range, focusing on depth and control. Follow that with Romanian deadlifts or hip hinges to hit your glutes and hamstrings. Add in Bulgarian split squats or lunges to build single-leg strength, which matters a ton for your plant step in a three- or four-step approach.

To keep it volleyball-specific, pair each strength exercise with a light, quick movement. For example, after a set of squats, do a few low-intensity pogos (quick, small ankle jumps) or line hops. This pairing, often called contrast or complex training in strength and conditioning research, is a staple in modern jump programs.

If you’re curious about how strength and power work together, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) has position statements on youth and adult resistance training that support this style of training for performance and injury reduction (NSCA via NCBI).

Explosive Block: Jumps with Purpose

Once your legs are warm and strong work is done, move into jump-specific drills. Here are real examples that fit this first session:

Start with standing vertical jumps, focusing on a strong arm swing and a soft landing. Then move to approach jumps off two feet, just like you would as a spiker. Finish with block jumps at the net, emphasizing timing and quick takeoffs.

You don’t need huge volume here. A handful of high-quality sets of each is plenty. Stop while your jumps still feel snappy; once they slow down, you’re just practicing being tired.

Core and Landing Mechanics

Wrap this first example session with a few sets of planks, side planks, and anti-rotation presses to keep your trunk stable when you hit. Then add landing practice: step off a low box, land softly with knees bent and hips back, and hold that position. This teaches your body how to absorb force safely, which matters when you’re jumping and landing dozens of times every match.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and sports medicine groups regularly highlight how proper landing mechanics can help reduce ACL injury risk, especially in jumping sports like volleyball and basketball (AAOS via OrthoInfo).

This whole strength-plus-jump template is one of the best examples of volleyball jump training for spikers because it’s realistic, repeatable, and directly tied to how you move on the court.

2. Plyometric & Approach Session: A Second Example of Volleyball Jump Training for Spikers

The second of our examples of volleyball jump training for spikers | 3 examples leans heavily into plyometrics and approach timing. Think of this as your “springy” day—less weight, more speed.

This session works well on a non-practice day or earlier in the day before a light technical practice.

Quick Dynamic Warm-up

You’ll move faster in this workout, so your warm-up needs a bit more bounce. Jog or skip for a few minutes, then add high knees, butt kicks, and carioca. Mix in A-skips and B-skips if you’re comfortable with track-style drills—they’re great for rhythm and coordination.

Finish with a few low-intensity jumps: small squat jumps, lateral line hops, and gentle bounds forward. The goal is to tell your nervous system, “We’re about to move fast.”

Plyometric Examples for Vertical Power

Here are real examples of volleyball jump training for spikers using plyometrics that translate directly to your vertical:

Work on box jumps to a safe height where you can land softly and quietly. Focus on driving your arms and landing in a strong, balanced position. Then try depth jumps from a low box, where you step off, land, and immediately jump as high as you can. Keep the box low at first (12–18 inches) and only increase if you can maintain quick contact and good form.

Add lateral skater jumps side to side to train the push off your plant leg. This helps especially with sharp approach angles on the outside or right side.

Modern sports science still supports plyometric training for improving jump height when programmed wisely. Meta-analyses in recent years continue to show that 2–3 plyometric sessions per week, over 6–8 weeks, can significantly improve vertical jump in athletes (NIH / NCBI overview).

Approach-Focused Jump Drills

Now we layer in volleyball-specific movement. These are some of the best examples of volleyball jump training for spikers because they match how you actually jump in games.

Start with three-step or four-step approaches without a ball. Focus on rhythm: slow–fast–fast, with a powerful last two steps. Add an arm swing and jump, reaching as high as you can. You can mark a spot on a wall or antenna with tape and try to touch just above it each time.

Next, have a partner toss balls for you to spike or tip. The goal isn’t to crush the ball; it’s to time your jump so you’re meeting the ball at peak height. Mix in different tempos—fast sets to the pin, higher balls off the net—so you learn to adjust your approach without losing jump height.

Finally, include a few block-jump sequences: shuffle along the net, block jump, land, shuffle, block again. For middle blockers, this is gold. For outsides and opposites, it teaches you to recover from a block and still be ready to jump to hit on the next play.

Short Conditioning Finisher

Because this second example of volleyball jump training is more about speed and rhythm, your conditioning should be short and sharp: short sprints, shuttle runs, or quick defensive movements like sprawl-and-get-up drills. Keep it under 10 minutes and avoid grinding yourself into the floor; you still want to be able to jump well in the next day’s practice.

3. In-Season Maintenance: A Third Example of Volleyball Jump Training for Spikers

The third of our examples of volleyball jump training for spikers | 3 examples is all about maintenance. During the season, your goal shifts from “gain as much as possible” to “keep what you’ve built while staying fresh and healthy.”

This is where many players lose their vertical. They stop lifting, jump a ton in practice, and wonder why they feel heavy by mid-season. A simple, lower-volume in-season routine can hold your gains with surprisingly little time.

Short Strength Tune-Up

Once or twice a week, hit a quick strength session that includes squats or trap-bar deadlifts, single-leg work like split squats, and a push/pull combo for your upper body (think push-ups or bench plus rows). Keep the weights moderately heavy but the total sets low.

This kind of maintenance strength work has been supported by sports performance coaches for years: you don’t need huge volume to maintain power, just enough stimulus to remind your muscles and nervous system what they’re capable of.

Low-Volume Jump Work

In-season, you’re already jumping a lot in practice and matches, so this third example of volleyball jump training for spikers keeps extra jumps minimal. Instead, focus on quality:

Include a few sets of max-effort approach jumps, fully rested between reps. Think of it as “reminding” your body of what a true max jump feels like. Add a handful of block jumps with perfect form. That’s it—you’re topping off the tank, not draining it.

Mobility, Recovery, and Longevity

The unglamorous part of jump training is what happens after: sleep, nutrition, and mobility. But if you want your vertical to stick around from August to November (or longer), it matters.

Spend time after practice or lifting on basic mobility: calf stretching, hip flexor stretches, hamstring work, and gentle ankle mobility drills. Use a foam roller or massage ball on quads, glutes, and calves.

Pay attention to any persistent pain in your knees, shins, or Achilles. Overuse injuries like patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) are common in volleyball. Resources from organizations like Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health can help you understand symptoms and when to seek medical advice (Mayo Clinic – Patellar tendinitis).

This in-season template rounds out our three main examples of volleyball jump training for spikers, giving you a way to train smart year-round.

Extra Real Examples of Volleyball Jump Training Exercises You Can Plug In

Beyond the three big sessions, it helps to have a toolbox of real examples you can swap in and out. Here are more examples of volleyball jump training for spikers you can use across those workouts:

You can rotate in kettlebell swings to build hip snap and posterior-chain power. Add broad jumps forward to work on horizontal force, which carries over to a more aggressive approach. Try single-leg box step-ups with a knee drive to mimic the plant and lift of your last approach step.

Include lateral bounds onto a low box for side-to-side power, especially helpful for middles who move quickly along the net. Use medicine ball overhead throws or slam variations to connect upper-body power with your jump. Mix in band-resisted approaches, where a partner holds a light resistance band around your waist while you approach and jump, to overload your acceleration.

All of these are examples of volleyball jump training for spikers that you can slide into the strength block, plyometric block, or warm-up of the three main sessions above.

How to Organize These 3 Examples of Volleyball Jump Training in a Week

Having three strong examples of volleyball jump training for spikers | 3 examples is great, but they only work if they fit your life and schedule.

Here’s how a typical week might look for a high school or club player with three team practices and a weekend tournament:

On Monday, after school, you might run the strength-plus-jump session (Example 1) before or after a lighter technical practice. Wednesday could be your plyometric and approach-focused day (Example 2), either as a stand-alone workout or combined with serving and passing. Friday, you’d use the in-season maintenance version (Example 3), keeping it short and sharp before traveling or competing on Saturday.

If you’re in the offseason with fewer practices, you can expand each session slightly or add a second strength-plus-jump day while keeping at least one full rest or light recovery day each week.

Listen to your body: if your legs feel dead and your jump is clearly lower, pull back on volume for a few days. Recovery is not a sign of weakness; it’s a performance tool.

FAQ: Examples of Volleyball Jump Training for Spikers

Q: What are some simple examples of volleyball jump training for beginners?
For newer players, start with bodyweight squats, glute bridges, and calf raises two to three times per week, plus low-level jumps like small squat jumps and line hops. Add basic approach jumps without a ball to learn rhythm. These beginner drills are a gentle example of volleyball jump training for spikers that builds a foundation without overloading your joints.

Q: How many days per week should spikers do jump training?
Most spikers do well with two to three focused jump-training days per week, especially if they’re also practicing and playing matches. Use one day for heavier strength plus jumps, one for plyometrics and approaches, and one lighter in-season maintenance day, like the three examples of volleyball jump training for spikers | 3 examples described above.

Q: Can I do these examples of volleyball jump training at home without a gym?
Yes. You can use bodyweight versions of squats, lunges, and split squats, plus broad jumps, box jumps onto a sturdy surface, and approach jumps in your driveway or backyard. Resistance bands and a single dumbbell or kettlebell expand your options, but they’re not mandatory to get started.

Q: How long does it take to see results from these examples of volleyball jump training for spikers?
If you’re consistent—two to three sessions per week, for 6–8 weeks—many players notice they’re touching higher and feeling more explosive. The exact timeline varies by age, training history, and how well you recover (sleep, nutrition, and stress all matter).

Q: Are there any health or safety tips I should know before starting a jump program?
If you have a history of knee, ankle, or back issues, it’s smart to talk with a healthcare provider or physical therapist before ramping up your jump training. Organizations like the CDC and Mayo Clinic emphasize gradual progression, proper technique, and listening to pain signals when starting any new exercise routine (CDC – Physical Activity Basics). Warming up well, learning good landing mechanics, and not increasing your jump volume too quickly can help keep you on the court instead of on the sideline.

Use these three core examples of volleyball jump training for spikers as your framework, then plug in the extra exercises and tweaks that fit your body, your schedule, and your season. Over time, that combination of smart strength work, targeted plyometrics, and thoughtful recovery is what helps you rise—literally—above the net.