How a dynamic warm-up improves volleyball player performance
“Time wasted without a ball is wasted time.”
Volleyball players, parents, and coaches are probably familiar with this phrase. It has merit— gym time is limited and, after all, how can you grow your skill without practice?
However, skill development is not the goal of a warm-up.
A warm-ups goal is to prepare the athlete for performance while reducing chances of injury. How? It should athletes into game-speed by raising their temperature, activating and mobilizing their muscle groups and joints through full ranges of motion, and progressing into high-intensity, dynamic exercises. Pepper doesn’t cover all these bases.
Let’s dig into the research about the importance of a dynamic warm-up, and what makes a good one. And read until the end to get your free volleyball dynamic warm-up!
What Makes a Good Dynamic Warm-up?
A good dynamic warm-up follows the RAMP protocol.
RAMP stands for Raise, Activate and Mobilize, and Potentiate.
Through raising the body’s temperature, athletes activate individual muscle groups and joints and mobilize them through full ranges of motion, and then in the potentiation phase, perform movements that intensify to resemble the explosiveness, movement, and game-time-speed of the sport. The RAMP protocol is well-regarded in the strength and conditioning field.
Why a Dynamic Warm-up Better Prepares and Protects Players
It improves reaction time and reflexes
A study published earlier this month tested two groups of female volleyball players (1). One group did a dynamic warm-up, and the other group did a series of agility drills (think ladders, “fast feet,” etc.). Before the groups did their exercises, they took a baseline reading of reaction times using FITLIGHT sensor disks placed on the wall. The disks light up, and players had to hit them as soon as they could.
After the groups did either the warm-up or the agility drills, they re-took the test. The group that did the dynamic warm-up had significantly better reaction times, while the agility group did not.
It can reduce chances of injury
A literature review published in 2023 found some conflicting evidence, but overall, “warm-ups incorporating dynamic stretching and dynamic activity show a reduction in injury incidence” (2) versus static stretching.
Another study published in 2022 tested a dynamic warm-up program with soccer players that followed a RAMP protocol (3). One group followed the warm-up, while the other did their typical team warm-up (jogging, basic drills, and static stretches). Overtime, the pre- and post-tests measurements showed that the dynamic warm-up may provide additional protection against injury incidence.
Download our Free Volleyball Player Warm-up PDF
We’ve factored in the dynamic movements and demands of the sport in this dynamic warm-up. Each movement is accompanied with a video, eliminating guess work. Do this warm-up with a partner or a team, and feel confident that you’re ready to perform when the clock starts.
This warm-up should take about 15 minutes to perform once the athlete gets familiar with it.
About Raymer Strength & Rehab
We provide sports performance training and access to physical therapy services in Indianapolis. Our expert staff apply data-driven training methodologies to help our athletes improve their strength, speed, and agility… and reduce their chances of injury.
We’ve trained volleyball athletes remotely and in-person for years, helping them reach their performance goals by staying up on the latest published research. Each of our athletes follows their own individual program, so we’ve learned a lot about what works, and what doesn’t.
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References:
Cieśluk, K., Sadowska, D., & Krzepota, J. (2025). Assessing Changes in Reaction Time Following RAMP Warm-Up and Short-Term Repeated Volleyball Specific Exercise in Young Players. Sensors, 25(1), 125. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25010125
Behm, D. G., Alizadeh, S., Daneshjoo, A., & Konrad, A. (2023). Potential Effects of Dynamic Stretching on Injury Incidence of Athletes: A Narrative Review of Risk Factors. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 53(7), 1359–1373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01847-8
Asgari, M., Alizadeh, M. H., Shahrbanian, S., Nolte, K., & Jaitner, T. (2022). Effects of the FIFA 11+ and a modified warm-up programme on injury prevention and performance improvement among youth male football players. PloS one, 17(10), e0275545. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275545