Strength Training for HS Volleyball

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

I’m looking for your thoughts on strength training for twin girls HS volleyball players. They are pretty much beginners wrt to weight training, but have done enough work in the past that they have good form and can execute all of the major lifts in a safe manner. They are also quite good jumpers. As freshmen they already have the highest verticals on the team.

They will be playing club volleyball three days a week, and lifting two days a week. Right now they have a program that looks like this:

Sun: vball practice
Mon:vball practice
Tues: Weights 1
Wed: rest
Thursday: vball practice
Friday: Weights 2
Sat: rest

Weights 1 consists of warmup and some plyo and form jumps, then

  1. Deadlift
  2. Bench
  3. Lat pulls
  4. Hyper-ext
  5. Mil press

Weights 2 is warmup, plyos, jumps, then

  1. Squats
  2. Incline bench
  3. Seated rows
  4. RDL
  5. Upright rows

I’m fairly comfortable with the program so far. The thing I’m trying figure out is how to handle progression of sets/reps. They have about 15 weeks before spring track starts. How should they organize their sets and reps over this time?

As beginners, I’m thinking they should be doing higher reps in the 10-12 range. Should they work from there down to sets of 4-6 reps, or stay at higher reps throughout? Or should they look at some kind of wave loading?

Any thoughts?

2

can you do a double session with volley+weights?
medball work?
Core?

3

Scheduling makes it difficult to do weights after volleyball. Their practices during the week are from 8-10pm. So that is already pretty late for them to stay up on a school night.

They could do some partner med ball work. I have been considering this as an addition before the weight work on Tu/Fr, but they also have a time constraint of keeping the workout to about 1 hour long.

The weight program outlined above does a pretty good job on core strength, don’t you think? They will also be doing lower intensity ab work (crunches and whatnot) which I didn’t list above.

Any thoughts on set/rep progressions?

4

Are you trying to prep them track season while playing inseason volleyball, if so I would keep the volume low and intensity in the med zone; for ex: 2-3 sets for 5-6.

5

Uh, yeah, I guess, kind of. Since they are pretty much beginners in weight training, I’m more just focusing on general strength to provide them with a foundation for all their athletic endeavors. Ideally they would continue their weight training through the track season, but I’m not sure what the coach will have them do. If weights are not a part of the HS track program, then I’m not sure they will have time to keep it up and keep up with homework, etc. BTW, they are jumpers (high, long, triple and PV.)

I originally was thinking along those same lines (3 sets 6 rep range.) But since they are beginners and girls, I was wondering if higher reps to help build the physical structure might be more appropriate and then move into 3s/6r closer to Feb or March.

6

If you are thinking about development why not keep 2-3x5 for the weights and end each session with 10min of general development work (circuits etc). I would be concerned with higher reps while inseason vs. the way I mention above. Also since they are beginners they may have a harder time keeping tech for 8-12reps esp during a team sport inseason program.

7

You mention that they are freshmen - grade nine, that would make them about 14 years of age. Don’t try to get too fancy. At that age just about anything will get them stronger. As a general rule, I don’t like taking DL over 6 reps - form gets crappy. Forget up-right rows. VB players usually have a problem with internal rotation of the humerous and scapula elevation. Up-right rows are about the last thing they need. Try to incorporate some DB work, either DB bench, incline or overhead, or curls or rows. I always incorporate some sort of unilateral leg work, lunges, step-ups, split squats. Dozens of varieties.

BE PATIENT. Most over-night success stories, take at least 7 years.

TNT

8

Yeah, I told them the same thing. That as beginners, virtually anything they do will make them better. I also told them that consistency was the key. They seem to be committed to hitting the weights at least 2x week which is a good start.

I’ll get rid of the upright rows, but I’m trying to find an additional exercise for their shoulders. They are using dbs for the mil press.

Lunges are probably a good idea too. Thanks!

9

At that age, there lifting will be all about proper form, and basic arrangements, so don’t worry about planning it for a certain sport. Our volleyball team just advanced to states today, and I’ve been working with the same girls for 4 years and we don’t do anything specialized.

Day A:

Hang Clean w/ hurdle jumps linear -light
Hang Clean w/ med ball throws overhead

Front squat + Chin-up
Bulgarian squat + overhead db press

Segmental rolling, cable chop, roll out

Day B:

Split jerk w/ hurdle jumps lateral -light
split jerk w/ med ball rotational throws

slideboard hamstring curl + db bench press
1-leg rdl + inverted row

Segmental rolling, cable lift, physio ball sit-up

(I may replace the ball sit-up with McGill sit-up progression, not sure yet)

I had the junior varsity does the same thing as well. They focus more on learning how to move correctly in the weight room though, where varsity needs to try to get after it.

I wouldn’t worry at all about anything fancy. Just teach them how to do the basics properly and they will improve.

I kept everything at 6 reps this season and tried to keep the reps looking good and focused while getting stronger.

I’m going to try going from straight sets to a 10-8-6 set-up for three sets on the second go around. I think straights sets are good for learning, but gets boring eventually and low reps are good, so eventually a 8-6-4 I think will work really good to both get better rep practice and get stronger.

10

For the shoulders: Reverse DB flys, bent over rows, face pulls, seated row, 1 arm seated row (this is a killer and will show L-R imbalance), YETI’s, 1 arm push press, 1 arm bench press (another killer). The list goes on and on. se your imagination.

TNT

11

At 14 I would not have them do any inseason weights.

12

They may be in-season weights for VB, but they are off-season weights for T & F, which starts in the spring.

TNT

13

And like I said I wouldn’t have them do any weights inseason. If your worried about track I would have them do hill runs aey?

14

Actually, they just finished HS volleyball, which was six days/week of practice or games. They will be playing club ball starting in December. That is only 3 days per week, so it seems like a good time to work on strength. Then when spring rolls around, they will have both club volleyball and track, so there will be little time for extra activities.

I would love to get them some hill and/or track work, the problem is that the weather is going to be dicey for the next few months. We don’t have access to an indoor facility.

15

Then they will never lift. High school season finishes and club begins and goes right until high school season begins again. If you try to avoid it, they will never be able to lift.

Lifting in season isn’t a problem as long as they strength coach is smart about trying to improve movement patterns as the primary goal.

16

Agree. BTW, I’m impressed that your high school volleyball program incorporates strength training. Around here, all the coaches seem to do is spend endless (and often wasted) time doing drills with lots of time standing around and some “conditioning” at the end of practice. I would much rather see them do a tough, focused practice for 2 hours, and then an hour of actual strength and power training. Unfortunately, I’m not in charge. :slight_smile:

Congrats on making it to states. We won regionals this year but for the second year in a row lost in the semi-finals at states. After being up 2-0, we lost the match 3-2. Shows you how much good all of that “conditioning” work did the girls!

17

If you want information about women’s volleyball weight training, contact the coach of Juniata College (after the season preferably). Record is 1181-181. The girls lift but it’s not a huge focus. Pope knows the deal. It’s his alma mater.

18

Wow, I mean, I would laugh, but you guys are serious, your really serious.

19

What the hell does that mean? I assume you are trying to insult me but I don’t even know what you are getting at?

20

Why is it always assumed I am trying to insult someone. I am not trying to insult anyone.

I just think that it is outlandish how much of a necessity you guys think it is for 14 year old females who play or train for volleyball 6 days a week, who are now playing/training 3 days a week, and will in the near future being playing and training for both volleyball and track at the same time to lift.

How about letting them have a little bit of a life, maybe do some homework, maybe recover from the 6 days a week of volleyball at 14 instead of worrying about making them lift.