Inexpensive Training Tools Tips

2 by 4 Leg Raisers

A simple 2 by 4, cut to a length of about 3', can be a great tool in helping develop players' calf muscles, which are critical to jump reach.

Have the players stand on the 2 by 4, resting on toes only. Then have them bounce up and down, allowing their heels to touch the floor only briefly before bouncing back up. You'll be surprised how tired players will get after only a minute of this exercise, especially at the beginning of the season, but it will pay off in the long run with higher jumps.

And the price is right.

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Rope Jumps

The lowly jump rope is often overlooked, although it can benefit your team's performance greatly.

Here's a plyometric exercise, using jump ropes. Just have two players hold a jump rope about 6" off the ground as they sit on the floor. Then have a third player jump back and forth over the rope for a minute, rest a minute, then repeat twice more.

As the season progresses, you can increase both the height of the rope and the length of time. You'll see results, and rope is much cheaper than plyometric boxes.

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Making Inexpensive Ankle Weights.

Having worked with a number of programs that always seemed to be strapped for cash, we have come up with a number of novel strategies for making useful equipment out of materials easily accessible to everyone.

Since a large vertical leap is critical to volleyball, players are constantly looking for ways to add inches to their jump. One solution is to wear ankle weights, in practice or in everyday sitations.

A very inexpensive ankle weight can be made from a tube sock, a bread sack and some sand. Take the bread sack, stuff it inside of the tube sock, and fill it with sand. Fill the sock only with enough sand to leave it pliable enough to be tied around the ankle.

Using wet sand can add a slight bit of weight, but isn't necessary. The bread sack is meant to stop the sand from escaping. Make sure your ties are good and tight!

They work beautifully, and cost next to nothing.

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Milk Jug Weights

The lowly plastic milk jug gets alot of use in our program, since it's so versatile.

We fill the jugs with water and use them as dumbbells in many of our weight-related workouts. They're free from the local dumpster, and they work great.

Just be careful not to let anyone drop them. It isn't the mess you're worried about so much, it's the smell!

The nice thing is: if you break one, it's easy to replace.

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More Milk Jug Ideas

Milk jugs can be terrific tools, used not only in teaching proper passing technique, but also as inexpensive weights.

Just fill your milk jugs with either sand or water, and they make tremendous weights that can be used in conjunction with nearly every exercise. (Although it takes longer to prepare them, we prefer filling our milk jugs with sand, because it's much less messy if someone accidently drops one on the gym floor.)

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