Is volleyball good for you? What experts want you to know
Alex Morgan on FIFA study and women’s health
Now retired from the game of soccer, Alex Morgan insights some of her personal thoughts on women’s health, especially pertaining to women athletes.
Sports Seriously
Invented in 1895, volleyball has grown into one of the most popular sports today. In the United States, it’s now the No. 1 team sport for girls in high school and college, per the USA Volleyball Foundation; and boys’ participation has also climbed sharply, with the number of male high school players increasing by 56% over the past decade.
Its global reach is no less compelling. Volleyball ranks among the most-watched events of the Summer Olympics, its professional teams have nearly 1 billion dedicated fans and the sport is played recreationally at least once a week by an estimated 800 million people worldwide.
Players and spectators alike are drawn to the fast pace, thrilling back-and-forth rallies and dramatic athletic feats like diving saves and towering blocks.
But volleyball offers more than just excitement and fun gameplay. It also delivers a broad array of mental and physical health benefits.
How is volleyball played?
Volleyball is played between two teams on opposite sides of a net, across a rectangular court usually set on hardwood, sand, grass, or a synthetic surface. The action unfolds as the players hit a served ball “back and forth over the net, with each side allowed up to three touches before sending it to the other team,” explains Erica Morgan, head girls’ volleyball coach at Cedar Valley High School in Utah. If the ball hits the ground within the boundaries on your side, the other team gets a point, so the aim is simple: “Land the ball on the opposing team’s court or force an error,” she says.
Because the ball is always in motion, the players have to be too – jumping, running, diving and hitting to keep rallies alive and gain points on the other team. “On the court, we focus heavily on blocking, serve-receive, a quick offensive system and a shift defense strategy,” Morgan says.
Why is volleyball good for your physical health?
The nonstop movement of volleyball makes it a powerful workout – and the training behind the sport is just as demanding. “Volleyball practices include running, weightlifting, agility training, injury prevention training and side-to-side movement work,” says Morgan.
That variety translates into health gains “similar to HIIT, with bursts of high intensity followed by recovery intervals,” says Dr. Chantal Nguyen, a chief resident at Stanford Medicine’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic. Physical demands make the sport especially good for the heart. “From a cardiovascular standpoint, volleyball helps lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, decreases cholesterol, improves glucose tolerance and optimizes overall cardiac function,” she explains. A 2018 intervention study even found that regular volleyball training can boost cardiovascular function by up to 30%.
Strength and toning also come with the territory since every serve, spike and block engages the legs, shoulders, arms and core. “Because volleyball involves the use of upper extremities, lower extremities and core muscles, it truly is a whole-body workout,” says Dr. Matthew Anastasi, a sports medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic. “Muscles such as the quadriceps, calves, biceps, triceps, rotator cuff and abdominal wall are constantly engaged and often strengthened.”
The sport also improves flexibility, agility, and coordination through rapid directional changes, dives, hits and jumps that sharpen reflexes and hand-eye coordination. In fact, research shows the sport can improve reaction time by as much as 20% compared to other team sports. Its high intensity also makes it one of the most effective calorie-burners, “and among the top aerobic forms of exercise,” adds Anastasi.
Bone health is another benefit. “From a musculoskeletal standpoint, volleyball has been shown to improve upper and lower limb strength, dynamic balance, power and agility,” says Nguyen. Such benefits are among the reasons Anastasi emphasizes the sport’s ability to help players “reduce their risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis.”
Is volleyball good for your brain?
But volleyball doesn’t just build physical strength. It also sharpens the mind and strengthens social well-being. A 2022 systematic review, for instance, found the sport significantly improves cognitive function – particularly executive functions like decision-making, mental flexibility and attention.
It has also been shown to foster confidence, resilience and leadership since volleyball “helps athletes learn how to handle pressure and develop skills that serve them in college, careers, and life,” says Morgan. Nguyen agrees, noting that the game “comprehensively enhances physical, social and psychological health, and releases endorphins that improve mood and connectivity.”
Team sports in general are also linked to higher self-esteem, greater life satisfaction, reduced depression, and stronger social bonds – and volleyball is no exception. “Volleyball requires all players to rely on one another, since no one athlete can pass, set and hit at the same time,” Morgan explains. “This teaches selflessness, responsibility and teamwork.” Research also shows that the sport fosters psychological safety, which helps reduce stress and anxiety.
Of course, safety on the court matters too. “It is always important to train properly, maintain adequate fluid intake and frequently refuel with optimized nutrition and sleep,” says Nguyen. “A proper warm-up of five to 10 minutes of light movement and stretching before and after a match can significantly reduce injury risk,” adds Anastasi.
So long as players keep these and other safety practices in mind, the mental and physical benefits may extend even further beyond the court. “I’ve seen shy players become vocal leaders and athletes discover more about themselves through their relationships with their teammates,” says Morgan. “One of the greatest joys of coaching is watching players grow not only in skill but also in confidence and character.”
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