I am sure you’ve noticed that most volleyball players have a particular Anatomy and physical attributes. And one of the most common physical attributes is the thighs that tend to look bigger.
There is definitely an explanation for this. Indeed …
Volleyball is a sport that involves using the thigh muscles consistently to execute almost all moves like jumping, footwork and even power setting. So, the player needs to get this muscle in serious shape during technical drills and physical workouts. Thus the thighs tend to get stronger and bigger overtime.
This article will help you understand the exact science behind this as well as all the physical attributes you will gain as long as you play volleyball properly.
You can use this information to replicate that by gaining those physical attributes like thicker thighs yourself!
Volleyball moves that make thigh bigger …
As I’ve just said, almost all Volleyball basic moves involve the use of thigh muscles. Below, I include the most common ones …
1. Stance
Let’s start first with the volleyball stance where you should stand your feet a little wide apart, bend the knees quite a bit and curve your back straight.
When you bend the knees your thighs will hold a big part of your upper body weight which will keep them working.
2. Footwork
Volleyball is all about agility, this appears clearly in the footwork you need to implement not only for attacking sequences, but also to make sure to step foot in the best possible spot to defend.
In simple words, footwork in volleyball consists of implementing quick and continuous moves from a position A to a position B where position B is likely the right spot to set yourself or your teammate for an attack or to contribute in your team’s defense.
If your thigh muscles (among others) are not strong & conditioned enough, you won’t be able to ensure such a rhythm as long as the game lasts.
3. Setting
Setting the ball is one of the most common moves in volleyball where the player set the ball (usually) for a spiking situation. Obviously this demands (in most cases) the use of your thumbs and forefingers (preferably) in the form of a triangle.
Setting requires some power to be able to surprise the opposite team. But, where the power comes from?
… The legs including thighs!
Indeed, while setting the ball you need to rely on your legs to get enough power to set the ball the way you want. That’s why each time you see a pro volleyball who sets the ball he usually does a little solid jump.
Doing this consistently contributes (big time) conditioning your legs over all. Thus, the latter just get thicker over time.
4. Jumping
Volleyball requires players that can jump high enough so they can spike the ball and counter opposite team’s spikes efficiently.
Now, I want to you to think of athletic sports that demand high level jumping, like:
- Long Jump
- Triple Jump
- High Jump
- Pole Jump
Aren’t all athletes practicing those sports have quite big thighs?
Indeed, those athletic sports are similar to volleyball in this regard. They all require power jumps to get as high (or as far ahead) as possible to cover as much space as possible to set yourself in the position you want.
This won’t be possible unless you’ve got strong enough legs/thighs!
These moves aren’t the only ones; there are others that serve for the same purpose. I won’t dive in all them, but I think up to this point, you’ve got the point.
Side Note: Whether you play volleyball or not, if you really want to have stronger and thicker thighs. Then you can definitely opt for an easy to use thigh master (Check it Here on Amazon). You can practice it in your home whenever you want in your own pace.
Does Volleyball make you thicker overall?
Now that I’ve addressed your main question, now let’s expand to a general one most beginners ask on whether this sport makes your body thicker overall.
Well, yes and no!
Yes, your muscles will gain mass overtimes (calves, thighs, shoulders …), however your body overall will tend to get thinner. Not to the point where you will look skinny, you’ll rather look really fit.
What I’ve just said will be even more obvious especially if you are tall (like 6 foot plus)!
This also depends on the behind the scenes kind of training as well as the nutrition you are committed to. In simple words, if the training/nutrition relies mainly on muscular workouts (like squatting) and focusing on protein/carbs rich nutrition, then you should expect your muscles get thicker.
Does volleyball get you in proper physical shape?
Yes Definitely! Volleyball is an aerobic sport that includes a ton of cardiovascular moves and exercises. These result in quite high heart rate for several minutes straight.
In addition, being on your feet (while playing volleyball) exercising the same muscle group for as long as 10, 15 or even 20 minutes+ will get you and keep you in a tremendous shape.
Have you ever noticed a decent volleyball player having extra weight?! Probably not!
Indeed, many people seeking for weight loss solutions opt for volleyball as an alternative to achieve that, so they can manage to get in good shape through this sport.
Not to mention that if you want to commit to the sport and take it seriously you will want to practice your techniques and do all the necessary drills and workouts that will enhance your abilities. As a result, this will obviously promote the process of getting in shape even faster.
Finally, I would like that you check these tips to quickly get in shape for volleyball! You will find it interesting …
What muscles does Volleyball build?
Volleyball promotes the use of almost all body muscles which leads to building them. Yet, the ones that are used the most are calves, thighs and shoulders.
The anatomy of volleyball players is mostly characterized by these 3 muscles!
There are also other muscles that come to play in volleyball, these include:
The Gluteal group: This group of muscles is what will help your footwork become faster and promote high jumps. That’s why gluteal muscle training is an important part of volleyball workouts routine.
Anterior tibialis: This muscle covers the outside surface of the tibia. The latter becomes stronger as volleyball players work this muscle especially when they bend the knees low enough to jump as high as possible.
Obliques & spinal erectors: Those back muscles also tend to become stronger if you practice volleyball regularly. This is due to frequent and sudden direction changes that the player should execute in order to keep with the usual high ball exchanges pace.
You can learn more about body parts used in volleyball!
Can you play volleyball if you are fat?
From my experience, volleyball is one of the most forgiving sports, especially at a beginner level. Having the best shape is definitely not a pre-requisite to get started. So, getting started even if you are fat is not that big of a deal.
That’s why, even if you are overweight, don’t shy away from the sport for such a reason. Instead, get started as this will help you learn almost all the necessary techniques that will make you a better player.
You can even start with a volleyball position that doesn’t require a ton of physical capabilities (don’t get me wrong, they all do) like the libero and the setter. Indeed, those two positions don’t need you to jump very high (like the outside or opposite hitter) for example.
Yet, keep in mind, that those positions still demand things like agile footwork and continuous positioning change which will definitely be harder in case you are overweight.
The good news is, since (as I’ve mentioned earlier) volleyball is a great aerobic sport, your body fat will decrease significantly as far as you commit to regular practice (2 to 3 times a week).
Burned calories after each session will add up and you will notice significant decrease in weight as time passes by.
You can learn more about losing weight during a volleyball season!
Bottom line
Volleyball player’s anatomy (wide shoulders, strong calves, big thighs …) is definitely one of the best among many team sports out there.
I personally hate doing comparisons with other sports, but for the sake of education, I believe that volleyball players shape is better than basketball players (I know that could be arguable).
That’s why, if you are looking for a sport that will get you not only big thighs but also proper overall shape, then volleyball is definitely a Top Choice!
