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Volleyball drills

helium-stick


Supplies: A stick about 2.5 meters long and 1 to 2 cm thick.

  • The group gets the assignment to put the stick on the ground but it has to stay horizontal.
  • The group stands up straight (see drawing) and stretches both forefingers to the front at shoulder width and the upper and lower arms are at an angle of 90 degrees.
  • The trainer places the bar on the forefingers pointing forward.
  • From this position, the group should try to bring the bar down to the ground.
  • The bar must remain horizontal and not be raised or lowered on any side.
  • The bar should not be grabbed either!
  • Make groups of three, one with the ball.
  • One throws the ball over the net into a 3x3m square, the passer stands in that square and passes the ball to the net where it is caught.
  • Provide a second ball for a faster game.
  • After ten balls turn around.
  • Possibly start with catching then build up to playing.



In pairs

  • Someone at the net (player A),
  • Someone on the backline (player B)
  • After each task with the ball, the players get a strength/physical exercise, alone or in pairs.
  • (This happens when the players have also switched between themselves).
  • After this, the players on the back line move on. This way you always have a different warming-up partner.
  • Player B lies on her stomach on the back line, player A hits the ball, at this moment player B jumps up and tips player A, player B tries to defend the ball.
  • After 10 hit balls, change.
    • Legs crossed and 15 sit-ups


  • Player B lies on her stomach on the back line, player A hits the ball, at this moment player B jumps straight attacks player A, player B tries to defend the ball.
  • After 10 lucky balls, change.
    • 10 blocks against each other's hands.


  • Player A attacks to player B, player B defends and player A attacks again.
  • After a certain time, change.
    • Belly on 3m, straight, attack, belly 3m. 6x


  • Player A chooses, short ball, far ball, attack, ... Player B defends everything, after a certain time change.
    • Sprints around the field

Across the field do the following exercises repeat everything 2 times.

  • Loose arms in a dribble, forwards and backwards.
  • Toes in, toes out.
  • Hopping.
  • High jump.
  • Bounce, make very small skipping movements.
  • Knee hugs.
  • Lift your knee.
  • Lateral knee lifts.
  • Hopscotch, fast hopscotch.
  • Skater, skating movements.
  • Volleyball shuffle, left and right.
  • Sumo shuffle, kind of jumping jack but sideways.
  • Karaoke, cross passes but the leg that goes in front over the other leg goes up.
  • Backwards hip rotation, hip rotation from the inside to the outside and stepping out backwards in a lunge.
  • All team members line up and run in circles around the room.
  • Every time the trainer blows the whistle, the person in the back must run forward.
  • This continues until everyone has run forward once.
  • Four players stand in a square, play around and turn their bodies well in the direction you are playing to.
  • Play anti-clockwise, making sure the right foot is in front
drawing Playing overhead and turning under the ball
  • This can be done in threes or fours.
  • One player in the middle for threes, two in the middle for fours.
  • Two players have a ball, one near the net and one near the back line.
  • Player (red) in the middle stands a maximum of two meters in front of a player with the ball.
  • Player with ball throws to centre, who passes back and moves to other player who just threw the ball.
  • Next player throws ball to centre player (white), who passes back, then moves to other player.
  • After ten passes change position.
  • In a four-team team, two players in the middle who pass at the same time and change position to pass.
drawing Move to the ball, pass
  • Two players with a ball at the net, about three-four metres apart.
  • Two players at about six meters, each facing a player with the ball.
  • Players at the net throw a ball at the same time, players in the back pass at the same time.
  • Then move sideways to the other position.
  • Net players pass the ball again simultaneously, passers pass back simultaneously and move again.
  • Change after twenty passes.
drawing Pass with sideways displacement
  • Individual exercise to improve ball feeling with one hand.
  • Each player has 1 volleyball, mini volleyball, tennis ball, juggling ball (or for advanced players a non round object; a light plastic container or light bottle for example, but can be used with anything).
  • The goal of the players is to keep the ball in the air by hitting it as many times as possible with only one hand.
  • Have the players count how many times they can do this per the 2 minutes per task.
  • Possible assignments:
  • - Underhand lobsmash
  • - Over your head
  • - Hit your leg afterwards with the hand you played with
  • - Clap your hands after touching them
  • - Lying down -> sitting -> standing (and back)
  • - Raising your knee/heel
  • - Against the wall
  • - In pairs one player under, the other over the net=
    Be creative! =
  • Possible exercise for several people. (see image)
  • One or more in the middle, the rest around it.
  • Setters play the ball somewhere around them, the rest have to make sure that the ball is returned to setters in X number of times.
  • Agree on how many times the ball can be played.
  • Exercise stimulates:
  • - Communication
  • - Reflexes
  • - Ball sense



drawing Ball pats 1 hand
  • Three passers are on the field.
  • One play.
  • On the other side are the other three players.
  • They take turns hitting the ball five times.
  • When the server throws up the ball the players may stand and finish the rally.
  • Finish the rally.
  • Then change.
  • Course:
  • Start at the ladder.
  • Shuffle to the middle of the net.
  • Make a block jump -> to the right and another block jump.
  • Slalom around the poles.
  • Shuffle around the pawns.
drawing Course
  • Warming up
  • Ground exercises
  • Set up in threes, chase the ball
  • A to C, C to B, B setuo to C, C to A, A to B, B set up to A etc.