Volleyball speed drills

On VolleybalXL you’ll find a large and growing collection of volleyball speed drills that help players improve footwork, reaction speed and overall quickness. These drills are designed for both youth and senior teams and can be used directly in your training sessions.

Below you can immediately explore a selection of speed drills from the VolleybalXL library:

u18, Seniors

Butt kicks

Watch drill

u18, Seniors

Knee lifting

Watch drill

u18, Seniors

Tapping shoes extra

Watch drill

New

u18, Seniors

Rotational – Push-Up

Watch drill

u18, Seniors

High knee run

Watch drill

u18, Seniors

Tuck Jumps

Watch drill

View all drills Explore all features

Volleyball speed drills focus on explosive footwork, fast reactions and quick transitions so players can reach the ball earlier and make better decisions under pressure. On this page you will learn how to structure, coach and integrate volleyball speed training so it fits naturally into any practice.

Speed in volleyball is not only about running faster. It is about starting quickly, staying balanced and changing direction efficiently while still being able to control the ball. Effective speed drills for volleyball
help players move their feet first, rather than reacting late with their upper body.

Get more inspiration, create more enjoyable training sessions effortlessly, and bring more fun to your players.

Discover the possibilities of VolleyballXL.

Check all features Start free trial

Why speed matters in modern volleyball

Modern volleyball demands rapid movement and fast decision-making. A fraction of a second can determine whether a defender digs the ball or watches it hit the floor. Well-structured speed training helps athletes:

• Reach the ball earlier in defense and get fully behind it instead of only reaching with their arms.
• Make more stable contacts in serve receive because their feet adjust on time.
• Arrive earlier and more controlled in their attacking approach, allowing for better shot selection.
• Transition quickly between roles such as blocking, defending, approaching and covering.

When players train speed in a volleyball-specific way, the entire team system becomes more stable and efficient. Movement patterns improve, technical skills hold up under pressure, and rallies become more controlled.

Key principles for effective volleyball speed training

1. Train volleyball-specific movements

The best volleyball speed and quickness drills mimic movements used in real match situations: defensive shuffles, crossover steps to chase tips, approach steps for attacking, block footwork and short acceleration
patterns. The more realistic the movement, the greater the transfer to competition.

2. Keep efforts short and explosive

Volleyball actions rarely last longer than a few seconds. Ideal volleyball footwork speed drills use short bursts of 3–8 seconds followed by enough rest to maintain quality. True speed requires freshness.

3. Progress from footwork → ball → decisions

A simple structure for mixed-level groups:

• Start with fast, technical footwork patterns without the ball.
• Add ball contacts to combine speed with control.
• Introduce decision-making or reading elements to simulate match reality.

4. Prioritise quality over quantity

Speed training loses effectiveness when players get tired or sloppy. Short, sharp repetitions of volleyball reaction speed drills are far more valuable than long conditioning-like sets.

Using volleyball speed drills with youth and senior players

Because this page targets a mixed audience, adapt the training to suit different levels. The same family of volleyball speed drills can be used with both youth and senior teams when you adjust:

• Distances: shorter for younger players, slightly longer for seniors.
• Work–rest ratio: more recovery for youth to maintain quality.
• Complexity: simple guided patterns for beginners, more reactive tasks for advanced players.

This makes your speed training scalable across age groups and team levels.

Categories of volleyball speed drills

To build a balanced speed training block, combine exercises from these categories:

1. Footwork-based speed drills
Improve directional changes, shuffles, crossover steps and diagonal movements that match real defensive and transition patterns.

2. Reaction-based speed drills
Players respond to visual or verbal cues or to the trajectory of the ball. This builds true on-court quickness.

3. Approach speed drills
Focus on the acceleration and rhythm of the attacking approach. Cleaner timing, faster last steps and controlled take-offs.

4. Transition and quickness drills
Connect roles such as block → defense, defense → attack, or serve receive → offense. Reduce “dead time” between actions.

Integrating volleyball speed drills into practice

Use a block of speed work at the start of practice when athletes are fresh, or embed speed elements directly within technical and tactical drills. For example, begin a defensive drill with a rapid movement pattern, or require a fast
transition before every attack.

One or two focused speed sessions per week are enough to build quickness without overloading players. Youth groups benefit from short, playful speed tasks, while senior or performance teams can handle more targeted work.

Common mistakes in volleyball speed training

• Turning speed work into conditioning: overly long intervals slow players down and reduce quality.
• Using non-volleyball movements: overly general drills rarely transfer to match performance.
• Lack of coaching cues: players need simple focus points such as “feet first”, “stay low”, “quick steps”.
• Not adapting to different levels: youth and adults require different spacing, intensity and complexity.

How VolleyballXL helps with volleyball speed drills

VolleyballXL is an online training platform with hundreds of volleyball exercises and complete practice plans. For volleyball speed drills, VolleybalXL offers a rich library of drills covering footwork, reaction,
approach, and transition speed — all organised for easy use with youth, senior and performance teams. Explore the available drills and ready-made sessions to help your players become faster and sharper in every rally.