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Barry Lovelace is an internationally recognized fitness professional specializing in ‘athletic power’. He is the creator

of several hot selling athlete training DVD’s and fitness products. You can find out more about Barry and see his

products at www.barrylovelace.com and visit his volleyball training site at www.trainingforvolleyball.com

TRAINING FOR VOLLEYBALL MISC.

RESOURCES EBOOK

By

Barry Lovelace

www.barrylovelace.com

Over the years there have been many emails, articles and videos that I sent to the thousands of loyal

subscribers detailing core power, core exercises, tips and drills to help generate power, quickness,

speed, agility and endurance in volleyball athletes. This ebook is a culmination of all that information.

Please enjoy before, during and after the season to help your athletes become better athletes with

these simple, yet very effective tips.

There are a few things I must ask of you in return for this information.

First, please put to good use with your athletes. They WILL see results in a very short period of time.

Second, if you forward to a friend or fellow coach all information must stay intact. This ebook cannot be

altered or re-written and is a free product provided by B&L Fitness, Inc.

Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Training for Volleyball and please enjoy this and all future

information to help you and any athlete you become involved with.

Yours in Health,

Barry Lovelace




13 Points of Core Training By Barry Lovelace

Creator of Training for Volleyball

1. The core is comprised of nearly 30 different muscles that basically wrap around

your body in the area between your hips and ribcage. This area connects your

upper and lower body so it can function as one.

2. The core is fundamental to all body movement. You hardly make a movement

without engaging your core whether it be walking up the stairs or bending down

to pick something up.

3. A strong core provides balance and stability, a necessity in athletic movement.

4. Your core is the basis for all athletic movement. When you hit, throw, twist, swing

or run you are relying on core strength.

5. A strong core reduces your chances of low back injury which is quite common,

especially in athletes.

6. Your core includes both abdominal muscles and lower back muscles.

7. If your core is weak, your movements will be weak and you will not reach your full

athletic potential.

8. Abs are overrated, they have very limited action, whereas the core comprises of

many muscles that work to stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder, offering a

solid foundation for movement.

9. Core strength allows the body to maintain a solid foundation in the torso and

transfer that energy from the center of the body out to the limbs.

10. All athletic powerful movements start from the center (core) of the body out, and

never from the limbs alone.




11. Before any powerful, rapid muscle contractions can happen in the limbs, the

spine must be solid and stable and the more stable the core, the more powerful

the arms and legs can contract.

12. The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness - that is,

fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities.

13. Core workouts are innovative, fun, effective and NEVER boring.




The Reality of Protein By Barry Lovelace

So how much do you think you know about protein? I think most people are extremely confused on this issue thanks to boatloads of misinformation out there from people trying to sell high protein diets and others trying to keep you eating unhealthy animal protein. Let’s start with the basics. Protein by definition means primary substance. Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance and repair of tissues in the body. Amino acids, the component parts of protein, are the biochemical basis for life and are required by every cell in our bodies. It is not enough to know that protein is vital to the function of our bodies, we must also learn how much we need and from what sources it should come from. First, let’s talk about how much protein the average person needs. The RDA for protein for an average person is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight. To figure this out for yourself, take your bodyweight in pounds and multiply that number by .36, the answer is your recommended protein intake. Many nutritionists believe that this formula is inflated and that 25-35 grams of protein a day is sufficient. No matter which source you want to go by, you are probably taking in a lot more than the recommendation. The sad fact is that the average American consumes over 100 grams of protein a day! Eating too much protein puts much undo stress on your body. Too much protein puts a huge strain on your kidneys. The excess protein releases nitrogen into the blood and then the kidneys must work very hard to expel this waste through the urine. Another downfall of eating too much protein is the calcium drain. It is a fact that if you take in too much protein, it will cause you to excrete calcium through your urine and this could lead to osteoporosis. Now that we realize how much protein we need and have some reasons not to overdo it, let’s discuss healthy, versus unhealthy sources. Unfortunately the reason that the average American takes in more than 100 grams of protein a day is because we, as a nation, rely heavily on animal products for our food sources. If you have some meat and/or cheese or eggs at each meal, which many people do, than you don’t even have to overeat to greatly overdo the protein. It is the ratio that is off. As we’ve discussed before, the majority of your diet should consist of carbohydrates, this is your body’s main energy source. Animal proteins are the unhealthiest form of protein because of their high cholesterol levels, the workload they create on the digestive system and for many of them, their saturated fat. Beef, pork, cheese, eggs, etc. cannot be considered healthy forms of protein; they lead the way with high saturated fat content and high cholesterol.




Healthier choices are turkey, chicken, low fat cheese, etc., because although you still get the cholesterol you don’t get as much unhealthy fat. The healthiest sources for protein are fish, legumes, broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, egg whites, nuts and nut butters and low fat yogurt (preferably soy based). Many people see protein (meat) as the ‘main course’ of meals in America. This has led us down the road we are now on with alarming incidents of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity. Make good, healthy complex carbohydrates and vegetables the main source of your food intake to get your protein level down to where it should be. You will feel better, have more energy and be healthier for it.




Nutrition Tips & Suggestions By

Barry Lovelace

'What did you eat last night?' is the question coaches should be asking their athletes the morning

of tournament day.

My wife, Laure and I were at our first tournament where we had our Training for Volleyball

stand and I noticed something that, to me, stuck out like a sore thumb.

The eating habits of almost ALL the young athletes right before they were ready to step on the

court to play, and in general throughout the day.

The following are a few tips to help you not only gain an advantage over the poor nutrition of

your opponent, but how to make healthy choices and drastically improve your game: (please

remember, these are my suggestions for being the best on game day and NOT about weight loss.)

1) Drink plenty of water a few days before and the day of your game. You should always drink

water throughout your day, but it is very important when you are going to be very active and

competitive for a long period of time.

2) Eat a good carbohydrate meal the night before a game. Whole wheat pasta or yams are good

sources of carbohydrates.

3) Pack healthy snacks for game day and eat every few hours, but not full meals. If you have a

break in between games of at least an hour or more, then you can eat a meal, but not a meal that

will make you 'stuffed'. Granola bars, fruit, nuts, vegetables and crackers are good choices, but

try to eat them at least 45 minutes before you start your game. If you eat immediately before the

whistle blows, you will feel sluggish because your body is digesting food at the same time you

are trying to be active.

Those are my simple solutions to help you be your best on the court.




Push-up with alternating shoulder taps

By

Barry Lovelace

Before we get started with this fabulous exercise to help create some power as well as give you

that lean look we need to go over a few things:

• Always start with a proper warm up

• Perform a few days a week allowing 24-48 hours until you perform exercise again – REST

IS GOOD ☺

• Perform as many reps as you can until you feel that you only have 2 more repetitions

left then STOP. Rest approximately 1 minute and continue. Perform this exercise for 2-5

sets depending on your level of fitness. ONLY YOU KNOW HOW YOU FEEL SO PLEASE

USE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND DO NOT FORCE ANY MOVEMENTS

• *Make sure you consult your physician before starting.

Let’s get started!

Push-Up with alternating shoulder taps

Depending on the level of intensity you choose, this can be may be the most challenging push-

up routine you have ever done. It is a total upper-body conditioning exercise.

GOAL: Maintain a stable environment while tapping shoulder. Use a wide base with your feet to

aid in maintaining stability and concentrate on squeezing your core. (notes on this below)




• Begin in a push-up position with arms fully extended. Shoulders are directly over the

wrists & feet wide (just past hip width). You butt is NOT up in the air. You should be

straight from your shoulders to your hips.

• Lower your body towards the ground; do not let your elbow joint pass 90 degrees

• Return to starting position (push your chest through the ground as you return to the

starting position so you fully use the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles.)

• Hold at the top for 1 second

• Tap right shoulder with left hand

• Return to starting position

• Lower your body towards the ground; do not let your elbow joint pass 90 degrees


• Hold again for 1 second

• Tap left shoulder with right hand


• Perform as many reps as you can until you feel that you only have 2 more repetitions

left then STOP. Rest approximately 1 minute and continue.

Notes and how to add intensity:

1) Maintain a stable environment definition: The goal is to remain ‘square’ to the ground and not tilt your hip

every time you tap a shoulder. Now, that is the GOAL. With many of my athletes, including professional, they

tend to shift their hips which is OK. It may take several attempts to maintain the totally stable environment.

2) SQUEEZE YOU CORE as you raise your hand to tap shoulder. Make believe someone is about to punch you in

the stomach and SQUEEZE. I also highly suggest you maintain a tight core while performing the push-up as

well.

3) When you are pushing UP, use your entire upper body to press DOWN. Meaning, take the pushing out of the

hands and into the muscles you are working. This is a great way to use the muscle your working and gain

results MUCH QUICKER ☺

4) As you tap the shoulder lift the leg on the same side of the shoulder you are tapping. If you are tapping the

right shoulder, lift the left leg. Lower the leg as you lower your hand. SQUEEZE CORE!

5) START with a raised leg! You need to know ahead of time which shoulder you are going to tap FIRST. Raise

THAT leg BEFORE you begin lowering your body. As soon as you tap the shoulder, lower that leg as you lower

your hand and immediately raise the opposite leg. Continue…GOOD STUFF!

6) Perform on a rolled up Yoga mat. Roll up the Yoga mat tightly and place under your hands. This adds an

unstable environment in turn recruiting many more stabilizer muscles to bring out more muscle QUICKER ☺

You can also use dumbbells to place under your hands as well

7) ADD INTENSITY WHEN YOU ARE READY, NOT JUST FOR KICKS AND GIGGELS TO SEE IF YOU CAN DO A HIGHER

INTENSITY AND HAVE NOT MASTERED THE LOWER LEVEL PART OF THIS EXERCISE.

8) ALWAYS talk to a physician before starting ANY exercise program.

9) If at any time you feel pain or begin to compensate form for function – STOP! The ‘No Pain – No Gain’ saying is

just old school. You body knows what is right for you. PLEASE use good judgment.




Great balance challenging exercise not only for athletes, but for everyone!

ALWAYS CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM

Single Leg Anterior Reach

Balance and a strong core not only benefit’s the recreational golfer and a professional basketball player, but it also helps

everyone. If we are on our feet we need to balance – period. Creating a strong core will help one balance better.

The ‘Single leg Anterior Reach’ is a great exercise for the above, as well as strengthening the ankle, knee, hips and back.

Let’s start!

With you Core engaged (make believe someone is going to punch you in the belly or you are laughing real hard and

squeeze) stand on one leg with arms hanging naturally by your side and your head, shoulders and chest up nice and tall.

Your knee should be slightly bent. (Soft knees)

Movement

• Leading with opposite arm reach forward as you bend over at the waist reaching for an object such as a cone.

• Return to starting position by ‘squeezing’ your glute (BUTT) muscle on the leg you are standing on then repeat

movement for prescribed number of reps. Anywhere from 10-15 reps or 30 seconds to one minute each leg.

Everyone has a different level of fitness. Know what yours is and decide which repetitions are best for you.

Safety Points

• Maintain straight line from ear through hip, knee and ankle

• Remember to maintain ‘soft knee’ with the leg you are standing on.

Target

You will feel this in the core, but this exercise also works the glutes and hamstrings as well as improving balance.

Add intensity by adding a rolled up yoga mat under the leg standing on or close your eyes!

This is great to do at home, at the gym or for a coach to have his entire team perform as part of their training/warm up.

Good Luck!




Shoulder Pulses with Band

By

Barry Lovelace

The Shoulder Pulses with band is one of my most effective exercises to create arm power and swing

speed. It is included in all my athlete training products that require swing speed as well as throwing or

hitting power.

This exercise helps build explosive strength in the shoulder to greatly improve arm swing and power.

This is also a great core exercise. To perform Arm Pulses with Band you will need to attach a JC Band or

other high performance band to a permanent, sturdy fixture. Please keep your core engaged throughout

the movement. You will also see that the exercise is being shown on an Airex pad. Using an Airex pad

causes there to be an unstable environment and forces you to use even more of your stabilizer muscles.

Also notice that Barry’s feet are not touching the floor. This is another progression that will increase the

challenge in your core.

Side view of A Front view of A

Begin kneeling on mat or Airex pad while holding band in hand overhead as shown in illustration A.

There should be tension in the band. Begin moving the arm front and back in short, quick pulses.

Concentrate on using your anterior deltoids (front shoulder muscle) to pulse and NOT your hands. Think:

Deltoid and hand follows. This will put more emphasis on the area you want to work. One of my training

philosophies is ‘always use the muscle you’re working.’




As you pulse, move your arm down along the side of your body as shown in illustrations B through E,

pulsing the entire time. Pulse back to the starting position as shown in illustrations F through I.

Continue with this for 1 minute, repeat on other side for 1 minute.

B C

D E




F G

H I

The bands used in this exercise are ‘JC Bands’ that I use every day with every client. I highly recommend

them for all athletes and coaches. They last a long time and maintain their power of resistance. For this

exercise I recommend starting with the ‘pink’ band. If this becomes too easy, please move forward with

more resistance by ordering the ‘orange’ band. Click here to order or go to www.barrysproducts.com




Single Leg Squat with Band

By

Barry Lovelace

This Single Leg Squat with Band is great for building explosive strength in the lower body while

challenging your core in a big way as well. As with all movements this exercise has progressions that you

can add as you get stronger. In the pictures you will see that Barry is on an Airex pad and has a band

around him. Standing on an Airex pad or any other stability training device forces your body to recruit its

stabilizer muscles and greatly intensifies the movement. Obviously, a single leg squat can be done

without the band but it is the band that gives you the explosive results you are looking for and makes all

the difference.

A) Place band across body.

To do this place the band around one shoulder, maintain an upright position and

grab the band at the halfway point to create lots of slack. Lift the opposite and

place inside the band. It should look as above in Figure A.

To begin the exercise lift the leg without the band and keep a slight bend in knee

of the leg you are standing on.




B) Squat down by bending the standing leg; squeeze your core for balance.

C) Return to start position. Repeat A through C for 20-60 seconds depending on fitness level.

Switch band to the opposite side and repeat entire series.

You can order bands here: Super Bands (1/2” for the young or beginner athlete and 1” for the

experienced high school or college athlete)




‘T’ Square Quickness & Reaction Drill

By Barry Lovelace

The following exercise may seem simplistic, and it very well may be for a handful

of athletes. But when one is challenged both physically and neurologically, even

the most simplistic exercise can leave us a little behind the eight ball.

Meaning: Not very quick to react.

When challenging athletes, whether they are club, high school, college or

professional level players, it is important to challenge them neurologically and

physically at the same time to improve their quickness and reaction on the court

or field of play.

What I really am saying is: In order for athletes to react quickly, not only must

their bodies be prepared to react, but their minds need to be prepared to react as

well. In other words, they need to process what they need to do (for example, dig

to get a ball) and then do it. If the processing is slow then the movement is

delayed no matter how prepared the body is. Make sense?

One way to help improve the overall athletic ability of athletes is the ‘T’ Square

Quickness & Reaction Drill. Again, this may seem very simplistic to some; but once

you see them go through this drill you will be amazed at how top level athletes

struggle at first, which is all good. This means they can only improve.




Check out the video below of the Freedom High School Boys (one of the girls is

working out as well) Volleyball Team in action.

‘T’ Square Drill – Freedom High School

Now that you have seen some great athletes performing this fun drill let’s move

onto the logistics of the ‘T’ Square Drill.

Each athlete starts in his or her own ‘T’ Square as you see here:




How to Make the ‘T’?

Simply use masking tape to create the ‘T’ Square. You can choose to create the

entire square with masking tape or take advantage of the lines already on your

gym floor (and save waste ☺) and set a line perpendicular across the lines already

there. Set these lines approximately 4’ apart from each other. The square is

approximately 3’ x 3’. This is plenty of room for the athletes to move around.

Example here:

Gym Floor Line

Masking Tape 3’

3’




Verbally provide numbers / letters / colors for each square to the athletes. We

start out with numbers as you see below.

2 3

1 4

All athletes start in Box 1.

The coach will stand behind the athletes and call out the numbers. The first time

this is performed call out the numbers in slow cadence and in order and go

through three times.

So it will sound like this: TWO! – pause – THREE! – pause – FOUR!- pause – ONE!

& repeat two more times through. Three times around will help ‘stick’ in their

minds.




Now they are ready. The coach will pick up the pace and stagger the numbers (as

you will see below), but do not go to quick right away. Pick up the pace each ‘set’.

Perform each ‘set’ for approximately 30 seconds to 45 seconds.

The following are several ways to change it up and add progressions to the drill.

• Change the way the numbers are in the box. Here are a few samples:

3 1 1 4

2 4 3 2




• Add colors to the mix.

Example Below:

Blue 3

1 Red

• Change to all colors or another verbal command (next suggestion) of your

choice.

• Call out a command other than what commands are in the ‘T’. Example: Call

out ‘5’ for Squat Jumps or ‘Patriots’ (your team name) to turn left quickly

and return to forward position. That command can also be for them to do a

squat jump, push up or squat thrust or also for them to yell LOUDLY the

same thing they yell during a match when they record a Kill. I usually do

that command about 3-4 times in a row. ‘Pumps them up!’

There is your ‘T’ Square Quickness & Reaction Drill. Please use good judgment with the

quickness of your commands and be creative when you challenge your athletes both mentally

and physically.




Videos

The following are various videos for improving athletic performance.

(click on ‘http’ link to view video)

Increase Vertical Jump and Power at home - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v75cMimMiOM

Power Push Up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQMxPcKi-VI

Core Exercise to help create Power - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSPHPrE7F_8

Single Leg Wall Squats - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoUz4W4jkf8

Leg Blast Super Set - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l_RXu78CRo

In Season Super Set - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAuzn_a1j1I

Lateral Planks – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N56wIMGHz7o

This is taken directly from Core Power for Baseball (http://www.corepowerforbaseball.com). ALL

Exercises in this video are to strengthen the Core and will definitely benefit ANY athlete, especially

volleyball players.

Misc Core Exercises - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzQddeU9owQ&feature=channel_page

(the most viewed video of mine on You Tube)




The ‘Unstable Body bar Push-Up’

By

Barry Lovelace

Equipment:

• Body bar, barbell or any solid bar-pipe approximately 3’-4’ in length / may need two if you do

not have the below

• Dumbbell or yoga mat

• Bench or Box approximately 4” – 16” inches off the ground (you can actually use a

coffee table ☺

The Unstable Body Bar Push-up is a fabulous exercise to work the entire upper body as well as your

‘Power Pack’ – your Core. The unstable environment in which you perform this exercise recruits TONS of

muscles in your chest, shoulders, triceps, posterior deltoids (rear shoulder muscles), back and again,

your core.

Follow below on how to properly perform this exercise as well as progressions:

*As with ALL exercise programs make sure you consult your physician before starting.

A) Start with a rolled up yoga mat/dumbbell or solid bar and place on the box/bench or coffee

table

B) Place the body bar/barbell/solid bar or pipe perpendicular (forming a ‘+’) on top of the above.

The bar and dumbbell/mat should be near the end of the box/bench, not in the center.

C) Place yourself in a push-up position directly over the bar (chest over bar – shoulders directly

over wrists). Back is straight, Core is TIGHT..make believe you are laughing very hard or

someone is about to hit you in the belly & SQUEEZE - Hold that core. You are also on your toes.

D) Your head should be looking down at all times. This keeps your spine in alignment

E) Slowly lower yourself to 90 degrees. DO NOT let your back go below your elbows.

F) Push yourself back to the starting position. NOTE: When you press back up, DO NOT use your

hands…what I want you to concentrate on is pushing your chest and shoulders through the bar

on the way up. ALWAYS ‘use’ the muscles you are working for better results.




G) You should have felt unstable on the way down and the way up. This is where you are recruiting

TONS of muscles and ‘grabbing’ your core. You will recruit more muscle and create more power

with this exercise! ☺

H) REPS? I suggest performing as many as you can until you are about 2-3 reps away from failure.

Rest for a minute or so, and do again for 1-2 sets. You know how you feel so PLEASE use good

judgment.

Special notes to add intensity or lower intensity.

• If the push up is too much, just hold the ‘plank’ position and you will feel your core engage.

Progress to the push-up when you are ready.

• If the push-up is too hard and the plank too easy you can either perform a ½ push-up or hold the

plank and alternate leg lifts. With the leg lift all you do is raise your leg off the floor

approximately 12”, hold for a second, GENTLY lower to the ground and repeat other side. The

goal when you are lowering your leg to the ground is to not hear your foot touch the ground.

• Too easy or your ready to add intensity? Perform the leg lift as you do the push-ups. You do not

have to alternate legs. Change legs for the next set.

• Still too easy? Perform with your feet on a stability ball, bench or second or third stair on your

staircase. You can also raise a leg to add even MORE intensity

OK..that should get you started on working your entire upper body as well as your Power Pack!

Again, I cannot stress enough how to perform this movement in a controlled movement pattern as well

as STOPPING when you are fatigued. If you feel yourself compensating after a few seconds or reps –

STOP!




The ‘Confusion Drill’ for ALL Athletes

By

Barry Lovelace

The ‘Confusion Drill’ is one I use for all my athletes and it is very effective and fun when we

train in groups. The drill is designed to challenge the athletes neurologically. It is great to be

strong and powerful, but an athlete also needs to focus on quickness and reaction. The

‘Confusion Drill’ will help.

Whether you are or coach club, high school, college or professional athletes, this is a drill for

ALL.

Let’s get the body working as ONE!

(Diagram Below)

1) You will only need about a 20’ wide space and enough space to line up the athletes as

per #2.

2) Line up the athlete’s one behind the other facing the same direction in the center of the

20’ area. Leave approximately 2-3 feet between each athlete.

3) There should be a line or cone 10’ to the right and 10’ to the left of the athletes. This will

be their target to go to when you begin the drill.

4) There will need to be something that marks the center / starting area so the athletes

know where to return. This can be a cone or another line.

5) The coach stands ‘BEHIND’ the athletes so they do not see him / her.

6) The coach will let the athletes know which three cadences will be called out and where

the athlete should go. To keep it simple for their first time I use the following cadence

before mixing it up:

Red – Right / Green – Left / Blue – Jump High.




7) Starting in an ‘athletic’ stance (Feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, shoulders

back, hands out front – almost like a linebacker!) the coach will call out the cadence and

the athletes TAKE OFF to the line / cone and immediately return to where they started

and assume the SET position. The coach allows only a few seconds (2-3) and calls out the

next cadence.

8) This is repeated for approximately 1 minute. Take a break and repeat 5-10 times.

How to mix it up?

1) Change cadence after the first 2-3 times. You can change by rearranging the direction in

which the athletes go using the same color sequence as above. EX: Red – Left / Green –

Jump High / Blue – Right

2) Change colors to numbers

3) Mix in colors and numbers

4) Add an athlete’s name, color and number

5) Add team name etc..

6) Have the athletes turn around and use the same sequence

There are many ways to challenge the athletes. I recommend changes after 2-3 times

through. When they become very good with their reaction after a few weeks you can begin

to change after the first round.

How to crank up this drill to help with endurance?

1) After the cadence is called out and after they begin to return to center the coach can

yell, ‘HIT IT!’ and the athletes drop to the ground and either do push-ups or hold a

plank. When the coach decides they had enough (I recommend about 15 secs) the coach

yells, ‘GO’ and they return to center, get set and the cadence begins again.

2) The ‘HIT IT’ can be push-ups, squat jumps, planks, mountain climbers, ‘v’ sits etc.




Enjoy – Have Fun and remember ALL athletes like to have fun!

Whether you are a club coach or D1 college coach, please let them have fun at the same

time they are cranking out some intense workouts. When ones moral is up it makes the

coach’s job easier and they WILL want to work harder.

20’

= Athletes = COACH!




Use Mental Strength to Overwhelm Your Volleyball Opponents

By

Barry Lovelace

So much goes into becoming a great volleyball player. Practices are filled with

countless volleyball drills, workouts and pep talks in an attempt to encourage each

individual player to be their personal best. A good volleyball player is one who has

a clear understanding of the game and one who puts extra effort into strength

training for volleyball in order to be physically prepared for the demands of the

game. However, there is another aspect of athletics that should not be overlooked

and it is important for every athlete no matter what the sport. It is mental

preparation.

Many coaches are confused as how to provide their players with mental

preparation and unfortunately many more deem it unnecessary. However, it is

proven again and again that mental conditioning pays off. Coaching mental

preparedness is actually not difficult or time consuming. It is something that can

be built into regular volleyball practices and interactions with the players. This is

not about long lectures or over the top pep talks, it’s more about teaching your

players to put aside their fears, have confidence and be in control of their own

thoughts.

Most great athletes will tell you that training your mind for sports is almost as

important as training your body. Mental conditioning is often the difference

between winning and losing or a good performance and a poor one.

How many times have you seen a young athlete play tense and make errors?

This is fairly common. Many volleyball players need to be calmed down before

a game. This can be done by practicing deep breathing or centering.




Another key component to mental conditioning and an important skill for any

athlete is visualization. You can improve your technique and performance by

visualizing a kill, a dig or a serve the way it should be. This way you are

mentally prepared to make it happen in a game situation. Many professional

athletes use this technique. You can also visualize your successful

performance to heighten concentration.

Strength training for volleyball is definitely required, as are volleyball drills

but adding mental conditioning to your training will take things to the next

level.

We all know that volleyball players, like all athletes, get a lot out of

participating in the game. Playing volleyball provides one with a sense of

teamwork and camaraderie. It gives each athlete a sense of pride and makes

him or her aware of what they are capable of. These benefits spill over into an

athlete’s personal life and can have a very positive impact. The training that

athletes go through, both physical and mental is a tool that one can use and

rely on throughout their lives.




How to Become the Most Valuable Player on the Volleyball Court

By

Barry Lovelace

Part of what makes sports great is that feeling of being part of a team, the sense of accomplishment

one gets from doing their part. Like any team sport, the success or failure of a volleyball team relies on

the performance of each individual. You can become a vital part of your team and assist them in great

success; all it takes is desire and the right preparation.

At volleyball practice coaches have their players focus on volleyball drills, technique and game

situations to prepare them for a game. This is obviously a huge part of what every volleyball player

needs to know. However, the difference between a good volleyball player and a great volleyball player is

the amount of time they spend training their bodies for the game of volleyball.

In order to excel at the sport of volleyball, a player needs certain athletic abilities not just mastering a

few volleyball drills. They need to have a good vertical jump, they need explosive arm power and swing

speed, they need quickness, flexibility and fast reaction time and they need balance. Unfortunately

these aspects of volleyball training are overlooked a majority of the time.

Understanding the need for volleyball specific athletic traits is the first step. Think about the different

positions and game situations that a volleyball player faces. They need to travel very short distances

quickly to get to a ball; this requires quickness and reaction. They need to jump high at the net to block a

ball; this requires spring like power in the legs. A volleyball player needs to spike and serve the ball; this

requires explosive arm power. They need to dig for the ball; this requires flexibility. Of course, like any

other athlete, volleyball players also need a strong core and balance to provide them with power and

keep them stable during play. Drills alone cannot provide these strengths. A player who trains to

improve these abilities will be the most valuable player on the court every time.

Strength training for volleyball is not about lifting tons of weight while lying or sitting down. By

creating workouts that mimic the movements a volleyball player makes on the court and adding flexible

resistance and balance challenges into those moves great results are ensured. Another great thing about

this type of training is that the athletes actually look forward to it unlike ‘hitting the weights’ or running.

This makes it all that much more rewarding.

It is not enough for a volleyball player to know how to play the game. It is safe to assume that every

player on the court knows how to play and what is expected of him or her. To be the player that stands

out it is necessary to not only know the game but to be prepared physically for its demands. This is

where functional training comes into play.




‘Tennis Ball Drop & Grab’ Drill By

Barry Lovelace

The Tennis Ball Drop and Grab drill is a fun and effective way to improve quickness and

reaction. It is at the discretion of the coach as to when to perform this drill. I recommend it be

done at the end or beginning of practice as a morale booster. Nothing like starting or ending a

practice with a positive note.

Below is the set-up and progressions for the Tennis Ball Drop & Grab.

� The entire team lines up in single file facing the coach

� The coach is approximately 6 feet in front with a few tennis balls

� The first athlete will be waiting for the ball to drop at the line with a good athletic stance

(knees slightly bent, hands out front, shoulders back – they can also start in a staggered

stance as well with one leg out front and one leg back).

� The coach will stand off to the side and stick arm out to his side far enough so that when

he/she drops the tennis ball it will land directly in line with the athlete. Again, the coach

will start about 6’ in front of the athlete.

� When ready the coach will drop the ball

� AFTER it hits the ground the athlete is to ‘take off’ and grab the ball BEFORE it hits the

ground again > Tennis ball Drop & Grab

� The coach immediately repeats this to the next athlete with another ball. (Obviously, a

system needs to be in place for the coach to continue quickly. One way is to use two

balls. After the drop and grab the athlete that grabbed the ball runs to the opposite side

of the coach and the coach will take the ball from the athlete with the opposite hand

that he is dropping with. This usually works out pretty well).

So, they went through one time and it seemed easy?




Before we move onto progressions, I would like to talk about what is considered a job well

done. Personally, I feel that if an athlete touches the ball it is a job well done. If they are able to

grab it, that is even better.

Let’s move onto progressions. The following are ways to challenge the athletes while at the

same time having fun:

� The coach can stand back farther the second or third time through

� The athletes start face down on the ground. The coach should start out a few feet away.

� The athletes start with their backs turned and cannot go until they hear the ball

� Athletes start with eyes closed and react to the sound of the ball. I LOVE holding the ball

out for a while. The athletes are moving side to side, falling forward and making some

really strange faces.

Make it a Team Thing!

� Create teams. You can create red, blue, white, black etc teams. Pick the number of

athletes per team. If they grab and catch the ball they get so many points and if they

touch it they get one less point. The team with the most points after one round wins.

The losers….well, have them do something, but something ‘silly’ not punishment. This is

suppose to ‘help’ create morale as a coach, not have your team not wanting to

participate in something that can be a great motivational tool as well as morale booster.

You can choose what is silly or ask the winners to pick something. ☺

End it with a ‘Great Job Guys / Gals’ and be sure to High five ALL of them.

Good Luck and always add fun whenever you can, EVEN when you’re not that happy with them.

☺

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