Preparation for a volleyball match doesn’t begin with the primary whistle — it begins hours earlier than you even step onto the courtroom. But many gamers, even superior ones, unknowingly sabotage their efficiency with easy however pricey errors.
Listed below are three preparation errors you’re in all probability making… and precisely the right way to repair them.
You Heat Up, However Not the Proper Approach
Most gamers suppose they heat up correctly. They jog a bit, stretch slightly, hit a couple of balls… after which marvel why the primary set feels sluggish, stiff, or filled with small errors.
The actual concern:
Your warm-up isn’t particular sufficient for volleyball.
What your physique truly wants:
Dynamic mobility (hips, shoulders, ankles)
Activation (glutes, core, rotator cuff)
Volleyball-specific actions (method jumps, block jumps, quick explosive sprints)
A superb warm-up ought to get up your nervous system, not loosen up you. An excessive amount of static stretching earlier than a match may even lower your explosive energy.
Repair:
Spend 8–10 minutes on dynamic motion and activation, then progressively enhance depth. Make your first highly effective bounce earlier than the match, not throughout it.
You Don’t Put together Mentally
Most gamers underestimate the psychological aspect of match preparation. They suppose “I’ll simply focus when the sport begins.”
However your mind doesn’t work like that.
If you happen to begin a match unfocused, tense, or distracted, it takes a number of rallies — generally a whole set — to settle in.
Indicators your psychological prep is fallacious:
You scroll your cellphone proper earlier than warm-up
You suppose an excessive amount of about your opponent as an alternative of your personal sport
You begin the match reacting as an alternative of main
Repair:
Give your self a 3–5 minute psychological routine:
Visualize your first actions (serve obtain, block, assault)
Repeat two or three private cues (“excessive attain”, “fast ft”, “robust core”)
Breathe deeply to stabilize your nerves
A relaxed, centered athlete makes higher selections from the primary ball.
You Don’t Gas Your Physique Accurately
What you eat — and while you eat — has an even bigger influence in your efficiency than most gamers understand.
Frequent errors:
Consuming too near sport time → heavy abdomen, sluggish response
Consuming too little → no vitality within the third or 4th set
Consuming solely water → you lose electrolytes and decelerate
Repair:
2–3 hours earlier than the match: mild carbs + lean protein
Examples: rice + rooster, pasta + greens, oatmeal + fruit
30–60 minutes earlier than the match: a small, easy-to-digest snack
Examples: banana, small granola bar, electrolyte drink
Your vitality ought to peak throughout the match — not crash midway by way of.
Bonus Tip: Keep away from Final-Minute Stress
Nice gamers defend their routine.
Final-second speeding, forgetting knee pads, or panicking about your jersey quantity creates pointless stress that tightens your muscular tissues and steals focus.
Put together your bag early.
Put together your thoughts early.
Put together your physique early.
These small habits separate “good gamers” from actually dependable ones.
Keep Sharp On and Off the Courtroom
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