Thursday, March 19, 2026

Pay Yourself Explosiveness

The third leg of the four-legged improvement stool is athleticism. Whatever one's genetic makeup, training can boost athleticism - strength, quickness, conditioning. MVB has some wonderful athletes who will benefit from higher performance and injury resistance. 

Plan your training. First, a warmup recommended via ChatGPT Plus:

There is a recommended way to warm up for volleyball plyometrics, and it matters a lot. Going straight into jumping drills without prep is one of the fastest ways to irritate knees (patellar tendon) and ankles.

A good warmup should do three things:

  1. raise temperature

  2. activate key muscles (glutes, calves, core)

  3. rehearse landing mechanics before explosive work


Here’s a practical, volleyball-specific sequence you can actually use with an emphasis on control: 


1. General Warmup (3–5 min)

Get your body temperature up:

  • Light jog or shuffle

  • Backpedal → forward run

  • Carioca (grapevine)


2. Mobility + Dynamic Stretch (5–7 min)

Focus on joints used in jumping:

  • Leg swings (front/back & side/side)

  • Walking lunges + twist

  • Ankle rocks (knee over toe)

  • Hip openers


3. Activation (5–8 min)

This is where most people cut corners—but it’s critical.

  • Glute bridges (10–15)

  • Mini-band lateral walks

  • Calf raises (slow, controlled)

  • Plank or dead bug (core)


4. Landing Mechanics (VERY important)

Before plyos, teach your body how to absorb force.

  • Snap-downs (rise on toes → drop into athletic stance)

  • Stick landings (jump → hold landing 2–3 sec)

  • Focus on:

    • Soft, quiet landings

    • Knees tracking over toes (not collapsing inward)

    • Hips back


5. Low-Intensity Plyo Prep (Progression)

Gradually ramp up:

  • Pogos (quick ankle hops)

  • Line hops (forward/back, side/side)

  • Small squat jumps (50–70% effort)


6. THEN your main plyos (see below)

Now you’re ready for:

  • Approach jumps

  • Box jumps

  • Depth jumps (only if experienced)


Volleyball-Specific Add-On

Because volleyball is approach-based:

  • 2–3 controlled approach jumps at ~70%

  • Focus on arm swing timing and penultimate step


⚠️ Common Mistakes

  • Skipping landing prep → leads to knee pain

  • Going max effort too early

  • Ignoring ankles/calves (huge for vertical + injury prevention)


Bottom line

A proper warmup isn’t just about “loosening up”—it directly improves jump performance and reduces injury risk. Think of it as part of the workout, not a prelude.

Pogo work

Dynamic plyometrics (easy to understand why to warm up)


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