Exercises to Improve Strength for Beach Volleyball

Are you a passionate beach volleyball player? Do you want to get in shape and become a better player? Then you need to know the key exercises to improve your strength and condition for the beach volleyball court.

If you love playing beach volleyball and want to play at an amazing level, you need to build strength and fitness. That’s why we’re here to show you the best exercises to help boost your performance and improve your overall beach volleyball experience.

In this article, we’ll look at the full range of strength and fitness exercises you can use to improve your game. From core and leg exercises to upper body and dynamic movements, we’ll show you the best exercises for beach volleyball and help you get ready for your next game.

Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises are effective for improving strength levels for beach volleyball and are often easier to prepare for than lifting weights in a gym. Examples include squats, lunges and push-ups, as well as pull-ups, back bridges, planks, bridges and side plank exercises. The key to effective bodyweight exercises lies in finding the right balance of volume and intensity.

Squats help build leg and core strength which are essential for the explosive power a beach volleyball player needs to reach for powerful serves as well as to move quickly from side to side to spike balls or defend against shots. Lunges are also an excellent exercise for building leg and core strength.

Push-ups and pull-ups can develop upper body strength which is vital for outgoing strength and agility when spiking or blocking and defending against shots. Back bridges and planks are also excellent bodyweight exercises which can help improve strength and stability in the core and back.

Bridges and side planks are also particularly effective exercises that can help build core stability. These exercises should be done consistently to gain the most benefit and should be part of any beach volleyball player’s training program.

Weightlifting Exercises

Strength and power are essential elements of successful beach volleyball, so weightlifting exercises can be essential when it comes to improving one’s beach volleyball performance. Some particular exercises that can help build strength in beach volleyball players are deadlifts, power cleans, bench press, overhead presses, and military presses.

Deadlifts involve lifting a bar and plates off the ground, with the lifter’s legs, and hips powering the lift through to full extension. To maximize the effectiveness of the exercise, focus on generating and maintaining good form, with a straight back throughout the lift. Power cleans involve the use of a bar, with the lifter bringing the bar from the ground to the shoulders in one explosive movement. Again, good form should be employed to maximize the effectiveness of this exercise.

Bench press exercises are traditionally used to focus on the upper body. The lifter lies on a flat bench, and uses their chest and arms to press the weight off their body, and up to full extension. This can be a great exercise to focus in on upper body strength — necessary for the powerful arms used in beach volleyball. Overhead presses are similar to the bench press, but the lifter is standing rather than sitting. Lifting the bar over the lifter’s head involves a great deal of shoulder strength and stability. Military presses are a variation of the overhead press, and can help build shoulder strength and stability as well.

Core Exercises

Core exercises are vital to a beach volleyball player’s strength and agility. Core exercises help to cultivate the muscle coordination and balance at the center of your body, allowing for the maximum power transfer from your legs to your arms. Specifically, there are a few core exercises you should consider to increase your strength for beach volleyball:

Russian Twists: This exercise works the abdominal muscles and obliques. To perform a Russian Twist, sit on the floor with a medicine ball or dumbbell and do a sit up, then twist your body to the left and to the right, with the ball or dumbbell held in both hands. Try to do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions per side to maximize its effects.

Sit-Ups: Sit-ups are the most popular exercise to work the abdominals. To perform a sit-up, lay on the floor with your knees bent and feet on the floor, and then use your abdominal muscles to raise your torso off the floor. Try to do 10-15 repetitions to tone and strengthen your abs.

Toes to Bar: This exercise is used to build abdominal strength as well as arm and back strength. To perform a Toes to Bar, hang from a pull-up bar with both hands and raise your legs up towards the bar. Try to do 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions to increase your core strength.

Hip Bridges: This exercise targets the glutes and core muscles. To perform a Hip Bridge, lay on your back with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your knees bent. Push your hips up toward the ceiling and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Do 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions to strengthen your hips and core.

Incorporating these exercises into your strength training program will help you to achieve greater success on the beach volleyball court. Not only will your explosive power increase, but your endurance and agility will be improved as well.

Flexibility Exercises

Maintaining flexibility is also important for beach volleyball players, as it will help them have improved mobility and quicker, smoother movements while on the court. An important component of a volleyball athlete’s workout routine should consist of various yoga and stretching exercises. Yoga is a great choice due to its focus on both strength and flexibility. Other exercises that can be beneficial include dynamic stretches, which involve active movement, and static stretches, which involve holding particular poses for a set period of time. Both can help improve flexibility, posture and reaction time.

More specifically, when it comes to dynamic stretching, some exercises may include high knees and butt kicks which emphasize a quick and powerful movement of your legs. The purpose of these drills is to warm up your muscles and increase your range of motion. Static stretches, however, provide a more passive and focused approach. Examples of static stretching drills can include standing toe touches, cross-body arm reaches and half hip circles. All of these exercises can help increase the flexibility of your muscles and joints, which will aid you in using more effective movement patterns during a beach volleyball match.