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Volleyball drill: core stability exercises

Suitable for the following techniques: warming-up

Core Stability Exercises

  • Each player has a sit up ball - 9 different core-stability exercises


  • The Grasshopper:
    • To get the most benefit from this exercise, make sure your body is in a straight line from head to toe, your hips are square (parallel to the ground) and your abs are tucked in and braced.
    • Your hips should not sink at all during the movement, especially when you return to full length from the knees inwards.
    • Another important point is to make sure your shoulders fall over your hands at all times, so your body doesn't rock back and forth, largely losing the benefit of this stability ball exercise.
    • If you have sensitive wrists, use a pair of dumbbells as a base for your hands, this will keep your wrists in a more neutral position and reduce their strain.


  • Push ups:
    • Keep your hands on the side of the ball so your wrists are more neutral and very slowly lower to the ball to make this a good challenge.
    • Just before your torso hits the ball, explosively (yet controlled) push back up.


  • Straight Leg Deadbug:
    • To get the most out of this exercise, make sure your arms and legs are always pressed into the ball.
    • Even if you extend one arm and leg to just above the ground, the leg and arm still holding the ball should be pressed into the ball.


  • Back leg position:
    • Place your arms to the side or under the lower back if more support is needed there.
    • Start with your legs perpendicular to the ground and on either side of the ball.
    • Then rotate your legs so that your right leg is in front of the ball (facing you), while your left leg is on the other side (facing away from you).
    • Pause at the end of each turn and then turn again so that the legs are reversed.


  • Hamstring Roll-Ins:
    • The key is to keep your hips high the entire time, so that your body is in a straight diagonal line from your feet to your head.
    • Dig your heels into the ball as you drag it back to your buttocks.
    • Squeeze your hamstrings and return SLOWLY to your legs fully extended (remember to keep your hips up).


  • Ball Sensitive Twists:
    • Start with your hands on the ground, shoulders above your hands, abs braced, body in a straight line and feet on either side of the ball, activating your groins to keep your legs from slipping.
    • This alone is a huge benefit.
    • Next, slowly rotate your hips to the right so that your foot touches the ground.
    • Use your obliques to pull your hips back square and then to the other side.
    • Remember to keep your hips at shoulder height the entire time.


  • Ball Planks:
    • Here I want you to dig your forearms and especially your wrists into the ball.
    • This alone will increase your core activation 10-fold.
    • Tighten and brace your abs, keep your hips up, and glutes and quads contracted.
    • Next, simply move the ball around in a small circular motion, moving only your arms.
    • Your whole body should stay still like cemented concrete.


  • Lateral Scratch Runs:
  • The ball should be under your head and shoulders and feel like a pillow, while your arms are stretched out to the side and fully locked/contracted.
  • As with all of these stability ball exercises, the key with this one is to make sure your hips are up and your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.


  • Push-Ups:
  • This is a pretty easy move as you go down and pull your knees towards your wrists.
  • This, of course, also causes the ball to roll inward.
  • But the real test begins when you push yourself out of this "tucked in" position. Try it and convince yourself.
Core-stability drills
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Characteristics of the drill

1
20
Necessary materials:
6
Suitable for the following levels:
10 year
11 year
C
B
A
Seniors