Off season training

If you spend most of your winter on the volleyball court, keeping fit during the holiday season probably isn’t a big concern-even if Aunt Helen does try to feed you way too many Christmas cookies! It’s never too early to start thinking about off season training, however. Keeping in top form takes a lot of the sting out of stepping back into the competitive season and helps you get back to the top of your game as quickly as possible.

Because you’re a volleyball player, just hitting the road for a run or the gym for aerobics class isn’t enough off season training to keep you in competitive form. You need a clear combination of cardiovascular and strength training to help you build both muscle and endurance.

Feel free to pick your favorite cardiovascular activity. Running, swimming, dancing and aerobics are great cardiovascular workouts during the off season, especially when the weather gets warmer and hitting the street (or the swimming pool) doesn’t sound quite so unappealing. Swimming also provides you with a full body workout, which means that you’ll be pumping up your spiking muscles at the same time!

If you have access to a gym during the off season your strength training is going to be simple. If you don’t, you might have to get a little more creative. Purchasing a small set of free weights for your house is an easy way to build muscle without having to pay a fortune for a gym membership. Squats (especially with those free weights), push-ups and crunches are other great methods of strength training to help you build muscle, get in shape and say in shape during your off season training.

For training aids, check out the equipment on our website, www.volleyballproshop.com