The performance of a volleyball player significantly depends on such key things as flexibility, power and strength. Obviously, athletes have to do everything they can to maximize their performance prior to a volleyball match or practices.
The best way to do this is to do volleyball warm up exercises which target all major muscle groups of a body. On the other hand, if you warm up properly you’ll be able to prevent different types of injuries during the match and practices. Without a doubt, a proper warm up has to be a part of volleyball player’s training program.
So, how to warm up before a volleyball match? Actually, it’s a question faced by a great number of beginner volleyball players these days. In this blog, we are going to provide you with effective volleyball warm up exercises and games as well as tips to help you warm up before a volleyball match successfully.
Volleyball Warm Up Exercises
Doing the right warm up exercises is the perfect way to prepare your body for volleyball match or practices. Here are some of volleyball warm up exercises that you should do to improve your performance on the volleyball court and prevent different types of injuries.
Ankle flips
Ankle flips is known as one of the best volleyball warm up exercises. Doing this exercise helps activate and strengthen your ankles. There is the evidence that doing this exercise also has a huge positive impact on the explosive power of a volleyball player. Ankle flips exercise is also recommended to those volleyball players who want to improve their jump dramatically. In other words, you’ll certainly jump much higher if you do ankle flips on a regular basis.
First of all, you need to take an initial position and prepare for doing this exercise. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and make sure that your legs are straight. Don’t bend your knees! Your body weight has to be focused on the balls of the feet. Now, it’s time to make an explosive movement and push the ball off using the right leg. Afterwards, you need to land the right leg and push the ball off using the left leg. Keep in mind that your ankles have to be flexed each time you do this type of volleyball warm up exercise.
Over-under
It’s widely known that stretching legs properly helps volleyball players improve their performance during the game or match dramatically. Over-under is the exercise that can be done by volleyball players for this purpose. Additionally, doing this exercise has a big positive impact on player’s balance and hip stabilization.
It’s worth noting that over-under is an easy to do volleyball warm up exercise. Initially, you need to take an athletic position. First of all, you need to lift your right leg and bring it directly to your chest. When doing this volleyball warm up exercise you should do your best to extend your leg as much as you can. Afterwards, you should place your right leg down. Now, you need to repeat everything with the left leg.
Handwalks
It’s incredibly important for an athlete to loosen the shoulder joints and stretch hamstrings properly before a volleyball match or practice. There is no doubt that doing handwalks will help you with that.
You’ll not find it hard to do handwalks even if you are a beginner volleyball player. Initially, you need to stand straight and put your legs together. After you take an initial position, you’ll need to bend your body and touch the ground with your hands. Make sure that your hands are flat on the ground. Now, it’s time for you to move forward using your hands, however your legs should remain straight. Put your feet closer to your hands. Afterwards, you need to move forward using your hands. It’s recommended for volleyball players to do this type of warm up exercise up to 5 times prior to a match.
Volleyball Warm Up Games
Obviously, each of volleyball players has to do warm up exercises before a match. On the other hand, athletes can warm up properly together by playing special games. Below, we’ll share some of the most popular volleyball warm up games.
Ball Tag
Ball tag is one of the easiest volleyball warm up games. Up to 10 athletes can play ball tag game. All of volleyball players have to stay within a small area while playing this game. One of volleyball players is tagged. On the other hand, other players should do everything they can to avoid being tagged. Teammates should pass the ball to each other and a tagged player should try to catch the ball. Athletes need to move within the specified area. It’s important to note that playing Ball tag game helps volleyball players develop quick-thinking skills. It’s important to point out that Ball tag game is very enjoyable. So, athletes will certainly have a lot of fan when playing this volleyball warm up game.
Dodgeball
Dodgeball is the game that helps volleyball players warm up prior a match or practice properly. Moreover, playing this volleyball warm up game helps athletes improve their arm-speed and quickness significantly. In addition, playing dodgeball can greatly contribute to developing their quick-thinking skills. It’s worth noting that this game should be played within the closed area. Players can use either 1 or 2 balls during the game. Every athlete who plays this warm up volleyball game should avoid being hit by a ball three times. If a player is hit three times he/she has to step out of the playing area. If the ball hits a wall (or floor) and then touches a player then the hit is not counted. The winner of the game is the last person on the playing area.
Knee Tag
This game has to be played in pairs of two players. First of all, the members of a volleyball team have to be divided into pairs. Each of two volleyball players has to take a defensive position. Athletes should aim to touch opponent’s knees as many times as possible. On the other hand, players should move quickly and do everything they can to avoid being touched by a partner. The game usually lasts 30 seconds and then players should change partners.
Tips for Warming Up Before a Volleyball Match
Now, you know what exercises to do and what games to play for a proper volleyball warm up. However, there are also tips that you need to follow in order to get the most out of your volleyball warm up exercises and games. Below, we’ll also share a few tips that you certainly need to follow to make your volleyball warm up period more effective.
It’s crucial for you to know that volleyball players should start warming up 30-40 minutes before a match. It’s a great idea for athletes to spend 10 minutes on doing light cardio workout. By doing so, a player will be able to increase his/her body temperature. Blood flow to muscles will increase as well. It’s best for you to do light cardio activity at the beginning of a warm up session. Afterwards, you should go on by doing volleyball warm up exercises and games.
Of course, the main goal of a warm up period is to help a volleyball player prepare his/her body and muscles for a match. On the other hand, athletes can also develop their skills (passing skills, hitting skills as well as serving skills) during volleyball warm up sessions. That means that volleyball exercises and drills for better passing, hitting and serving should be included in a volleyball warm up session as well.
If you choose to develop passing skills during a warm up period you’ll be able to activate your muscles and prepare your body for a game properly. Moreover, this will help you make more accurate passes during a volleyball match. Passing skills are usually done in pairs. The distance between two players has to be about 10 – 20 feet. You need to do volleyball passing exercises for passing 10 repetitions.
It’s no surprise that good passing skills are crucial for a successful volleyball game. Practicing hitting skills during a warm up period will certainly help you avoid different kinds of hitting errors during a volleyball match. That’s why it makes sense for athletes to spend 5-10 minutes on practicing volleyball serves. So, each of hitters will be able to make at least 10 hits during a volleyball warm up session.
Keep in mind that volleyball drills for serving should be done at the end of a warm-up period. Practicing volleyball serves should take about 5 – 10 minutes. Doing volleyball drills for serving will certainly help you make more accurate serves during a volleyball match.
Thanks for reading our article on how to warm up before a volleyball match. Do warm up exercises, play warm up games and follow our tips to warm up prior to a volleyball match or practice properly. Best of luck!