Program Layout
Each program will be offering off season, pre-season, in season, and post-season training. At Level Up, we train our athletes in a periodization model because there are different focuses on different parts of the season.
Off Season:
Off-season programs are all about building a solid foundation of strength. This is your opportunity to begin a serious strength training program. You can focus on increasing strength and power right now! The sessions include exercises for all of your major muscle groups. Also be sure that your strength training program utilizes a full ROM (range of motion). Athletes rarely (if ever) perform partial reps. It just will not benefit you during game time.
The off-season gives athletes an opportunity to increase power and strength through strength training. This is the perfect time of year to develop powerful arms, legs, and abs. The stronger we are during the off-season will directly correlate to our serving speed, our explosive jumps and our ability to hitting harder.
Pre Season:
During the pre-season your goal is to focus on sport-specific functions. Most of your practices will include exercises and programs that mimic actual sport. You may find that your practices are actual matches or games. The pre-season is all about honing and perfecting the exact sport-specific skills required for game time. Pre-season is the time we can put all of our new strength into motion.
Our shoulders should be stronger. Our abs should be tighter. Our legs should be more powerful. You should feel ready and able to kick the competitions behind! Continue your strength training program, but it will be of a lesser intensity than the off-season. Again, you main goal in the pre-season is to hone and perfect sport-specific functions: serving, hitting, blocking, jumping, squatting and moving quickly.
In Season:
During the season, your strength training program will be on the lowest intensity level of the year. In-season strength training programs will focus on maintaining your strength and power. That’s it. It will not focus on building muscle or developing more strength. In-season conditioning is really about allowing your body to maintain its awesome physique and conditioning. The off and pre-season have already built a solid athlete. Now it is time to unleash that lightening fast, power-serving, super-hitting, power-blocking, explosive-jumping athlete!
Post Season:
I like to take a few weeks off after the in-season. You will use this time as relaxation and rest. Your body needs it. Most athletes work on this schedule. It is called periodization. Usually it is a one-year schedule consisting of the off-season, pre-season, in-season and post-season.
No matter where you are in your strength training for volleyball program, there are a few things that remain constant.
- Work at a full ROM
- Work each muscle group of the body
- Perform various exercises for each muscle group
- And practice sport-specific exercises and movements
Strength training for all athletes is absolutely necessary. Athletes agree that without speed, agility, power and coordination they would not be as successful. Strength training is a highly recommended part of training for any athlete!