Beach volleyball is a sport that relies on many skills and abilities. Vertical jumping is probably one of the most important ones. Indeed, a poor vertical jump will impact your ability to strike, block or even to serve …
In this article I breakdown some simple tips that you can start implementing today to notice a better vertical jump within a very short period of time.
Let’s dive in!
Most important muscles to jump in sand
Several muscle groups work together when you jump in the sand …
First there is the lower part which mainly consists of calves, glutes as well as hamstrings. These lower parts are extremely important because they push your body upward in a difficult environment like sand.
Each of these muscles has a separate role, yet the all work together for the same goal. Indeed, the quadriceps, or quad muscles, extend the knee when you jump on the sand. On the other hand, the hamstrings help proving good extension of your hips while jumping.
Apart from the lower body muscles, some other muscles also help you jump higher in the sand, including the muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and back.
Quick Tip: If you are an amateur and want to practice jumping on the sand, then you may want to use sand socks. These would give a little bit more stability and strength when jumping which would results in better vertical jumps for you. For example, these quality sand socks are reliable and will help in that regard.
4 Drills to increase your vertical jump for beach volleyball
All the drills below should preferably be done in sand …
1. Knee Tuck Jumps
While standing, your beloved feet & shoulder should stay width apart for better results. Try to follow these few steps …
- Try to jump as high as possible.
- Once your leave the ground, try to pull your knees as high as you possibly can.
- Right after that, try to quickly make your legs straight to make a safe landing.
- Repeat this exercise many times until you start getting comfortable.
2. The Lateral Jump
Here you need to jump to the side from quite a standing position. Try to follow these few instructions:
- Your jump needs to be hard, literally as hard as you possibly can.
- Try to land on the leg that you feel stronger.
- The other leg should however not touch the ground.
- Keep doing this exercise from side to side until you starting feeling comfortable.
3. Broad Jumps
Here you will need to stand your beloved feet a little bit apart more than the width of your shoulders. Try to follow these simple steps …
- Drop your body (slowly) into a squat situation and wait 5 seconds before you can jump as high as you possibly can.
- But once you land on the sand, try to jump almost immediately without squatting too much.
- Keep doing so for as long as you can.
This exercise is great not only for your jumping ability, but also to strengthen your legs.
4. Mountain Climbers
- Begin by putting your hands on the floor.
- Start pulling one foot to reach your chest.
- Now do the same with the other foot, but don’t forget to switch your legs at the same time.
- Your feet should only touch the floor just for a second.
Also, keep your hips low and move very quickly until the set of repetitions you decide on is completed.
Keep in mind that even if you are a tall beach volleyball player, you still need to work on your vertical jumping …
Is gym workout good for beach verticals?
Working out at the gym is a critical part not only for increasing your vertical jump but also to stay in shape for beach volleyball. When you go to the gym to train for increasing vertical jump, you should lift weights…
Lifting weights is an essential part of beach volleyball training. It helps players develop skills that help on the court, including out-jumps, out-cuts, and even out-sprinting opponents.
The biggest benefit you get from lifting weights and working out at the gym is that you develop strength and power. Strength and power only come after you build a certain amount of muscle.
Lifting weights helps you develop this muscle mass by stimulating the tiny muscle fibers that make up these muscles. These fibers start growing in size with every weight lifting session, thus producing more power and strength.
Furthermore, the pushing phase of weight lifting that mimics squats helps develop strong and powerful hip extension strength and also develops power in the upper back and shoulders.
This is a basic exercise for all athletes, especially volleyball players. The squatting in weight lifting works the muscles that are involved in increasing the power of your jumping and landing in volleyball.
Is rope jumping good for beach verticals?
Jumping rope strengthens the jumping muscles, which are your calves, quadriceps, glutes, abs, and hamstrings.
Jumping high involves a combination of strength, power, and coordination. The lower body muscles form a chain that begins with the glutes, travels to the thighs, and then goes down to the calves, which provide the power needed when the toes push off the ground.
Jumping rope activates the lower body in the same way that vertical jumping does. The only difference is that jumping rope also builds your endurance.
At the same time, jumping rope helps strengthen your core muscles, which enables you to push off your toes and propel yourself into the air.
Jumping rope requires your lower and upper bodies to be active at the same time, with the core providing stability, which frees up your arms and legs to move in a more flexible manner. All these benefits help you excel in volleyball jumping.
How often do beach volleyball players jump in a game?
Most people tend to believe that an average volleyball player has to jump anywhere between 100, 200, or perhaps even 500 times in a single beach volleyball match. However, the actual number is surprisingly not this high…
A player only jumps around 40 to 60 times per beach volleyball match. Of course, this is just an average, and the exact number changes from a player to another.
It is the quality of your jumps in beach volleyball that matters more than the number of times you jump.
How often should you work on your vertical jump?
A volleyball player should ideally repeat exercises for vertical jumps at least two to three times a week.
You should ideally give rest of at least 48 to 72 hours of rest between two jump workouts for complete nervous system recovery.
Higher frequencies of jump training than this is not going to help improve your abilities as it increases the chances of injury more.
Moderate frequency, but regular jump training is ideal for speed and power improvements and for increasing your vertical jump.
Final Thoughts …
Some people get too comfortable with their jumping abilities and stop practicing as they think that they don’t have to, simply because they can jump higher than everybody around …
That’s a huge mistake in my opinion. Indeed, their ability to jump higher could suffer from some sort of regression.
The idea here is to keep practicing regardless of how good you are or you think you are!
Finally, if you are also interested about indoor volleyball, then you can check those interesting drills to increase your volleyball jumping abilities …
