About this episode
Before: Preparation & Mindset •Visualize Success: Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and see yourself executing perfect skills. Imagine your powerful serve, your precise set, or your explosive attack. Mental rehearsal is a huge part of the game. Day 1: Skill Focus - Passing & Setting•Wall Passing: Day 2: Movement Focus - Approach & Jumping Power Day 3: Skill Focus - Hitting & Digging Day 4: Active Recovery & Mental Game Day 5: Skill Focus - Passing & Serving Prep•Wall Passing Day 6: Movement Focus - Explosiveness & Speed•Jumping & Plyometrics (Higher Intensity): Day 7: Review & Refine•Skill Review: •Full Game Visualization: Close your eyes and mentally play through an entire game, from serve receive to attacking, blocking, and defense, imagining successful plays. •Set New SMART Goals: Reflect on this week's progress and set new, challenging but attainable goals for the week ahead. After: Reflect & Recharge•Review Your Goals: At the end of each session, think back to your SMART goals. Did you meet them? What did you do well? What challenged you? •Celebrate Progress: Don't just focus on mistakes. Acknowledge and celebrate the effort you put in and the small victories you achieved. True athletic improvement isn't instant gratification; it’s earned through consistent effort and dedication to the process .•Rest & Hydrate: Your body needs time to recover and rebuild. Ensure you're getting enough sleep and drinking plenty of water, especially after working out.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------For the Future: Continuing to Level Up at Home 1.Get Your Own Ball: Seriously, it's almost impossible to make your dreams of being an elite player come true if you have to wait to get to practice to touch a volleyball. Having your own ball allows for constant practice and skill refinement. 2.Commit to Consistent Reps: Make solo drills a regular, non-negotiable part of your routine. Dedicate a specific amount of time each day or week to fundamental skills like wall setting (aim for 150 times a night!), wall passing, and footwork drills. 3.Cross-Train for Explosiveness: Continue to incorporate jump training and agility exercises into your routine, even outside of volleyball-specific drills. Multi-sport athletes often go far and develop a broader range of athletic abilities. 4.Deep Dive into Video Analysis: Don't just watch highlight reels; really study professional games and players online. Analyze their movements, strategy, and decision-making to build your volleyball IQ. You can even record yourself and analyze your own progress to pinpoint areas for improvement. 5.Consider Specialized Training (when ready): When you feel you've mastered the basics at home, look into private lessons or specialized clinics offered by academies like the Canadian Elite Academy that focus on specific skills like hitting variations, advanced defense, or setting. Keep that passion burning, embrace the grind, and trust the process. You're building skills and character that will serve you well, both on and off the court. Keep earning it!