How to Jump Higher for Volleyball

You jump higher for volleyball by improving three things in order: technique (a faster approach and a full arm swing), strength (mostly legs and hips), and then plyometrics that teach your body to use that strength quickly. Technique gives the fastest gains, strength builds the base, and plyometrics only help once you can land safely. Expect steady progress over months, not big jumps in a week.

Biggest quick win

Approach technique

Plyometric sessions

2 per week with 2–3 days between

Youth plyo reps per set

Fewer than 6–8 (NSCA, US strength & conditioning association)

Main safety rule

Land softly, knees in line with toes

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Approach jump vs. block jump

Volleyball uses two different jumps, and you should train both.

• Approach jump (attacking): you take a 3- or 4-step run, plant both feet, swing both arms back, and drive up. Your forward speed turns into height, so this is usually your highest jump. See the approach footwork drill for the footwork.
• Block jump: you start close to the net, usually after a shuffle or crossover step, with your hands already up near your shoulders. There is little room for an arm swing, so it depends more on leg strength and a quick bend.
• What this means for training: a player who only does standing jumps may never fix a slow approach, and a player who only practices approaches may have a weak block jump. Measure and practice both.

• Approach jump

  ✓ Correct

  A 3- or 4-step run, both arms swing back, then drive up. Your forward speed turns into height.

• Block jump

  ✓ Correct

  Start close to the net with your hands up near your shoulders. Little room for an arm swing: legs and a quick bend.

Step 1: Get the free height from technique

Before adding any training load, check these:

• Last two steps are fast. The approach should speed up, not slow down. For right-handers, the right step is long and fast, and the left step closes quickly beside it. Both heels land first to "brake" and turn speed into height.
• Both arms swing back fully, then up hard. A full, fast arm swing adds noticeable height. Many beginners swing their arms only halfway.
• Hips sink, chest stays up. Bend at the hips and knees together on the plant, about a quarter to half squat. Too deep and you lose speed.
• Jump up, not forward. If you float into the net, your last step is too short or you are leaning forward.

Film yourself from the side with a phone. It is the fastest way to see a lazy arm swing or a slow last step.

Optional: watch the approach footwork demonstration (video in English, 13:50).

Step 2: Build strength (2 days per week)

Stronger legs and hips produce more force, and strong muscles also protect your knees and ankles when you land. Start with bodyweight and add load only with a coach or trained adult.

• Squat (bodyweight, then goblet squat with a weight): 3 sets of 8–10.
• Split squat or reverse lunge: 3 sets of 8 per leg.
• Hip hinge (glute bridge, then single-leg bridge or Romanian deadlift): 3 sets of 10.
• Calf raises (two legs, then one leg, slow lowering): 3 sets of 12–15.
• Plank and side plank: 3 rounds of 20–40 seconds.

More on building a full program: strength training.

Step 3: Add plyometrics in a progression

Plyometrics are fast jumping exercises. The list below is a set of levels you work through over several weeks, not one workout. Each level should feel easy and controlled before you move on. Count every foot contact (each landing).

1. Landing first: snap-downs (quickly drop into a quarter squat and stick it) and box step-downs to a soft, quiet landing. 2–3 sets of 5.
2. Jump and stick: squat jumps where you land and hold for 2 seconds. 3 sets of 5.
3. Jump in place: pogo hops (small, quick bounces on the balls of the feet) and repeated squat jumps. 3 sets of 8–10. Youth athletes: fewer than 6–8 reps per set (NSCA).
4. Approach jumps: full approach, max jump, walk back. 3 sets of 4–5 with full rest.
5. Single-leg and lateral hops: hop forward and side to side over a line, landing on one foot. 2–3 sets of 5 per leg.

• Five levels, one at a time

  Start at level 1. Move up only when the level below feels easy and controlled.

Rule required by the named rulebook. Team agreement a choice this team makes; other teams may choose differently. Practice cue a simplified instruction for practice.

• Leave 2–3 days of recovery between plyometric sessions, and keep the volume low for kids and younger teens. Volleyball practice already includes many jumps, so in-season you will usually need far fewer extra jumps, or none.
• Practice cue: For every plyometric set, quality beats quantity: stop the set when jumps get lower or landings get loud.
• Jump on a forgiving surface: a gym floor, grass or rubber mat, not concrete.
• Full details and more exercises: plyometrics.

Step 4: Land like a volleyball player

Many volleyball injuries, especially ankle sprains, happen on landing, so landing practice is part of jumping higher.

• Land on both feet when you can, balls of the feet first, then heels.
• Bend your knees and hips to absorb the landing. It should be quiet.
• Keep your knees in line with your toes. Don't let them collapse inward.
• Keep your chest up and eyes forward, ready to move.
• At the net, land on your own side. Landing on a teammate's or opponent's foot is a common cause of ankle sprains.

• Knees in line with toes

  ✓ Correct

  Both feet, knees and hips bent, a quiet landing, knees in line with your toes.

• Knees caving in

  ✗ Wrong

  Knees collapse inward. Fix your landing before you add harder jumps.

The US National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) recommends injury-prevention programs that combine strength, plyometrics, balance and feedback on landing technique, especially for young female athletes in jumping sports. Read more on common injuries.

A sample week

Put the steps above together like this, keeping strength to 2 days and plyometrics to 2 sessions with 2–3 days between them:

• Day 1 (for example Monday): approach technique, plyometrics, then strength.
• Day 4 (for example Thursday): plyometrics, then strength.
• Other days: team practice, rest or light activity.
• If team practice already had a lot of jumping that day, skip the extra plyometrics. In-season, practice jumps may be all the plyometrics you need.

Realistic expectations

• Gains come gradually. Expect weeks before you notice a change and months before it shows on the court.
• Growing, sleeping enough and eating enough matter, especially for teenagers.
• Height you can use matters more than a test number. A well-timed approach with a full arm swing often beats a bigger jump with poor timing.
• If something hurts during or after jumping (especially knees, shins or heels), stop and get it checked. Pain is not part of the plan.

Youth safety

• Kids can start strength and jump training once they can follow instructions and are supervised by a qualified adult. Bodyweight exercises with good technique come first.
• Keep plyometrics simple and low-volume for younger players, with at least 2–3 days between sessions. For power exercises such as plyometrics, the NSCA says fewer than 6–8 repetitions per set are typically recommended for youth.
• Watch for knees caving inward on landings and correct it before adding more jumps.
• Always warm up first (warm-up), jump on a forgiving surface and stop if you feel pain. See common injuries.

Deep dive: why the approach jump is higher than a standing jump

In a standing jump you start from zero speed, so all of your height comes from how hard your legs push. In an approach, you arrive at the plant already moving. Your legs act like a spring: the fast last step loads your hips, knees and ankles, and the plant turns that forward motion into upward motion. Your arm swing adds to it by pulling your body up as the arms drive overhead. That is why approach speed and arm swing are technique fixes that can add height without extra strength, and why heavy, slow approaches often produce surprisingly low jumps.

Frequently asked questions