How to spike harder in volleyball. Spike Revolution

Want to spike harder, break the opposing block and deform the ball the way Leon does? Getting more power on your spike isn't just natural talent: it's technique, upper-body explosive strength and specific training — three things you can all train.

1. Attacking technique

Before you add force, it pays to stop leaking it. Three things to work on:

• An effective approach — a fast, clean 2 or 3 step approach builds the momentum you then transfer into the jump
• The hitting arm — the movement has to be smooth and coordinated, with a good high-elbow set-up
• Ball contact — hit at the highest point you can reach, using your whole body and not just the shoulder

2. The five components of a powerful attack

• Arm strength — strong muscles put more speed on the ball
• Shoulder mobility — elastic shoulders allow a wide, unrestricted movement and cut injury risk
• Core stability — a strong midsection transfers force from the legs to the arm instead of leaking it
• Trunk-to-upper-limb coordination — it's the chain that links the takeoff to the hit
• Muscle elasticity and reactivity — you need them to hit fast, not just hard

The most underrated one is the core. You can have very strong arms, but if the trunk gives way in the air the force gets lost on the way.

3. Specific training for shoulders and core

• Plank and variations — trunk stability
• Shoulder mobility — targeted exercises to increase range of motion
• Resisted trunk rotations — power in the twist during the attack

4. Your head counts as much as your arm

Beyond the physical work, attitude makes the difference: determination, visualising the movement and aggression on court. A hitter who goes up convinced hits differently from one hoping the ball gets through.

First though: how high are you hitting from?

Spike power also depends on how high above the ball you are at contact: the more you jump, the more angle you have to close over the block instead of hitting into it.

With the JHP jump test you measure your vertical in two minutes, free: you upload a two-second video and get the height in centimeters.

➡️ Measure your jump, free

Spike Revolution: the program for attacking power

Spike Revolution is the JHP plan built around upper-body explosive strength: 16 weeks of work on the spike across strength, mobility and technique at the net. It's €60 on its own.

What's inside:

• Workout program — 2 sessions a week for the whole length of the season
• Execution videos — detailed exercises, warm-up, cool-down and load management
• Advanced techniques — practical guidance for working on explosive arm strength
• Bonus — videos on technique, strengthening and refining your attack

If you want the rest too — jump, plyometrics, weight room, injury prevention — the JHP subscription includes Spike Revolution and 12 more programs at €99/year. From two courses up, the subscription is the better deal.

If you don't have a gym, the bodyweight version of the same work is Volley PowerShot (€40).