Simplify Your Offseason Workouts: A Matter of Priorities

Simplifying Your Offseason Workouts: 

A Matter of Priorities

by Ken Kontor

originally published in Coaching Volleyball Magazine

I received this question from a high school volleyball coach:

In our offseason, we get to go two days a week and do have access to our weight room for about an hour. Then, in February, we will get our weight room for about an hour and a court for about an hour. We can do drill lead instruction on the court. In the preseason we practice six days a week and then when we start playing we practice three days a week and play on Tuesdays and Thursday and some Saturdays. Obviously, when in season we try and get as many touches as we can. We do not have a lot of time in the offseason, so we need to be as precise as possible. This is what our program has been like so far in the offseason (Tuesday and Thursday):

Running
•  Tuesdays........Long distance one mile
•  Thursdays......Sprints

Jumping Work
•  Explosion Jumps
•  Attack Jumps
•  Plyo Box Jumps

Weight Room
•  Back Squat...........................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Hang Cleans.........................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Push Press...........................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Shoulder Press.....................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Bent-over Rows ...................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Bicep Curls...........................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  DB Bench Press...................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Tricep Extensions ................1 set, 12-15 reps
•  Back Squat Calf Raises .......1 set, 12-15 reps

Core Work
•  In-and-Outs
•  Wide-Leg Sit Ups
•  Mason Twists
•  Crunches
•  Planks
•  Plank Runs
•  Superman
•  Banana

With as little time as we have in the offseason, I am really trying to make this as efficient as possible. Please let me know any suggestions you may have.

My response is this:
Here's the problem: you don't have enough time to do all that you do. The principle of strength and conditioning that applies here is "priority training" - in simple terms, "bang for the buck." The priority for you is the squat and clean. Why? During the offseason, your focus should be on strength development. These two exercises will work a lot of muscles in a multiple-joint fashion and are ground based (the way volleyball is played). The clean especially transfers nicely to vertical jump improvement. With an hour twice a week you have time for little else. All too often coaches skip or minimize developing a good strength base and jump into plyos, running, core work, etc. They think they have to work everything all the time. But the body doesn't work that way. To develop strength, you need to lift heavy weights. The rep range to develop strength is 1-6 reps with multiple sets. You also have to consider proper techniques, so choose a weight the athlete can handle around 6-8x to start. After your athletes get into a routine, I suggest multiple (3-5) sets of 6-10 reps on the squats and clean. You can reduce the reps to a 4-6 range with heavier weight, but be careful. We want better volleyball athletes, not weight lifters. Technique is critical, and by doing heavier weight, technique will break down more readily. This is really important. What exercises you do after these two is based on the time left. You can fill in with core work/strength exercises (I wouldn't do bench presses). Try some exercises the athletes enjoy and can have a little fun doing. That's it, you have established your priority - building a strength base based on the time you have. Mission accomplished. This increase in strength will pay dividends on the court for you when the season rolls around. Good Luck!