Swing Your Arm Faster
A powerful swing does not come from swinging the arm harder but instead faster. In order to work on faster swing players should find an open wall with a lot of space. They should then spike the ball at the open wall by swinging their arm as fast as they can.
Strengthen Your Core
When spiking volleyball most of the player’s power comes from torque. Torque is defined as the twisting motion of the torso as the players are hitting the ball, and it is a combination of both their legs and their core. The following are a few exercises to help improve core strength.
● Russian Twist: This involves the player sitting on the floor with their knees bent and their feet flat on the ground. They are then required to lean back approximately 45 degrees, keeping their back straight. Then, they should place their hands out directly in front of them. Players need to rotate their torso from left to the right keeping their arms straight out in the front of their shoulders. Complete at least 15 rotations for 3 sets.
● Basic Plank: Players are required to place their forearms flat on the ground and then extend their legs out behind them and coming up onto their toes. They need to keep a straight line from their shoulder all the way down to their ankle. They need to hold this position for at least 30 seconds, increasing their time as they get stronger.
Increase Your Jump
To increase the height of their jump, players need to work on making their legs more powerful. Weighted exercises which include lunges and squats help, but players should also incorporate some plyometric drills into their routine. Exercises such as broad jumps, lateral hops and jumping squats, help make their lower body more powerful while also helping to increase their explosive speed.
Practice Your Footwork
Players need to work on approaching the net with 2 steps, planting their feet, jumping up, and then swinging their arm as if they were spiking. Continue the drill until the player feels they have to motions down comfortably and then they need to add in hitting the volleyball.