VELOCITY: Getting up to Speed

VELOCITY: Getting Up to Speed
It’s time to challenge yourself to a manageable and effective running workout that will get you into volleyball shape. Doing speed workouts, such as this interval workout, two times a week will help you become a stronger, faster volleyball player.Interval trainingworkouts alternate high-intensity levels with lower-intensity effort to get the maximum result. These workouts are effective because they mimic sports’ start-and-stop motions with periods of sprinting or close-to-sprinting speeds followed by light jogging or rest. You can useinterval trainingworkouts any way you want - running, cycling, swimming, on elliptical trainers and treadmills.
To start, here are two options for setting your workout plan; I like the first plan best. As you build up endurance and strength, you can add time to your workout. If you use exercise machines, don't choose the interval workout; choose the manual one, and create your own intensities by adjusting it yourself. It'll give you greater control over the speeds and the workout.

Interval Workout I: Standard

This is a typical interval workout that only takes 25 minutes! You alternate a period of low intensity a period of higher intensity.
5 Minutes Warm-up:

~ Light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warm-up period

10 Intervals (15 Minutes):

~ 30 seconds at a high intensity sprint (the harder you work in this interval the more you will get out of the workout)

~ 60 seconds (1 minute) at a low intensity jog (try not to walk)

~ Repeat both intervals 10 times
5 Minutes Cool Down:

~ Light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period

After 2 or 3 weeks of training, try to increase the high intensity interval to 1 minute as well. This will make the work out 30 minutes instead of 25 minutes. If that is too much to start, try 45-second intervals first and then increase to 1-minute intervals.
Interval Workout II: Sports Conditioning
Sports are unpredictable. This interval simulates some of that unpredictability by having you doing different times and different intensities. Rest longer after the periods in which you use the most energy.
5 Minutes Warm-up:

~ Light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warm-up period

Intervals:

You can mix and match the orders and repetitions as much as you want, but try to keep the intervals to about 15-20 minutes total.

~ 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity - repeat once
~ 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity - repeat 4 times
~ 15 seconds full out sprint followed by 45 seconds rest - repeat 8 times
5 Minutes Cool Down

~ Light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period

Make the workout more difficult by increasing full out sprint time and decreasing rest time for the last interval.