Volleyball for Single Parents: Start Playing Again

Volleyball is one of those sports lots of us played at school, on holiday or on a beach in our twenties, and then quietly dropped. If you are raising kids alone, a weekly game can be something that is completely yours: a team, a bit of shouting, and an hour where nobody asks you where their other shoe is. This guide to volleyball for single parents covers how to start again as an adult, how to fit it around the kids, and the two areas I would prepare before you set foot on court: how you land from a jump, and your shoulders.

I coach busy mums and dads in Archway, and when clients take up a jumping sport after years away, the problems are nearly always the same. They jump fine. They land badly. And they swing at the ball with shoulders that have spent ten years hunched over a laptop and a buggy. Both are very fixable.

How to start volleyball as an adult

You do not need to be tall, sporty or young. Recreational volleyball is full of beginners in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Here is how I would go about it:

1. Look for “beginner” or “social” sessions. Many clubs and leisure centres run recreational sessions where teams are mixed on the night. Search your borough name with “volleyball beginners” or check Volleyball England’s club finder.
2. Try indoor first. Indoor courts run all year, the ball is predictable and the floor is even. Beach and grass volleyball are brilliant in summer but harder on the legs.
3. Go with a friend if you can. Walking into a sports hall alone is daunting. Another parent from school is ideal, and you can share babysitting on alternate weeks.
4. Kit is minimal. Indoor court trainers with good grip, comfortable clothes, water. Knee pads are worth buying once you start diving for balls, but not for your first session.
5. Tell the organiser you are new. Good sessions will pair you with patient players and explain the basic rotation.

Fitting it round the kids

Evening sessions are tricky without a babysitter. Options that work for my clients: swapping one evening a fortnight with another solo parent, using the nights children spend with their other parent, or weekend sessions where a teenager might even join you.

Volleyball for single parents: why your landing matters most

Jumping is the fun part. Landing is where knees and ankles get hurt. In volleyball you jump to block and to hit, often landing on one foot, close to other players’ feet. Poor landings usually look like this:

• Landing stiff-legged with a loud thud.
• Knees collapsing inwards on landing.
• Landing on one leg, off balance, after reaching for the ball.

The good news is that landing is a skill, and you can practise it at home.

The 3-week jump-landing plan

Do this twice a week. Trainers on, clear floor, ideally not upstairs late at night. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

Week 1: learn to absorb

• Squat holds: sit back to a chair height, hold 20 seconds. 3 sets.
• Drop squats: stand tall, then quickly drop into a quarter squat and freeze, knees over toes, chest up. 3 sets of 6.
• Calf raises: 3 sets of 12.

Week 2: small jumps, soft landings

• Pogo hops: small, quiet bounces on the balls of your feet. 3 sets of 15 seconds.
• Jump and stick: a small jump up, land on both feet as quietly as possible and hold for 2 seconds. 3 sets of 5.
• Split squats: 3 sets of 8 each side.

Week 3: one leg and reaching

• Jump, reach and stick: jump while reaching overhead with both hands, land and hold. 3 sets of 5.
• Single-leg balance with a reach: stand on one leg, reach forward and to the side. 3 sets of 5 each leg.
• Lateral hop and stick: small hop sideways onto both feet, then onto one. 2 sets of 5 each way.

Landing cues I use in class: “quiet feet”, “knees over toes”, “hips back like sitting down”. If any jump hurts your knees, ankles or back, stop and go back a week. My post on box jumps for single parents goes deeper on landing mechanics if you want more.

Shoulder work for serving and hitting

An overhead serve or spike puts a lot of speed through the shoulder. Most adult beginners have tight chests and weak upper backs, so the shoulder takes the strain. This 10-minute routine fixes a lot of that. You need a light resistance band.

• Band pull-aparts: 3 sets of 15. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Band external rotations: elbow at your side, forearm moving outwards. 3 sets of 12 each arm, light band.
• Face pulls: band anchored at head height, pull towards your forehead with elbows high. 3 sets of 12.
• Wall angels: back flat to a wall, slide arms up and down. 2 sets of 10.
• Doorway chest stretch: 30 seconds each side.

In your first few sessions, use an underarm serve until your shoulder feels strong. There is no shame in it. Plenty of social players serve underarm for months.

If you have had a shoulder, knee or ankle injury before, or if you get pain that does not settle within a couple of days, check with your GP or a physio before going further. The NHS page on sprains and strains covers what to do for a rolled ankle, which is the most common volleyball knock.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Volleyball needs legs that jump and land well, a strong trunk and shoulders that can handle overhead work. My SYP Bootcamp classes build exactly that, without needing to be “sporty”. We practise squats, lunges, low-impact jumps with easier options, and plenty of upper back work. If you have spent years hunched over a desk, my guide to core exercises for beginners is a useful companion. For the bigger picture on getting exercise in as a solo parent, read my guide to single parent fitness.

FAQs

Am I too old to start volleyball?

No. Plenty of adults start or return to volleyball in their 30s, 40s and beyond. Choose beginner or social sessions, build up jumping gradually and prepare your landings and shoulders.

Is volleyball good exercise?

Yes. It involves short bursts of movement, jumping, quick changes of direction and a lot of upper body work. It also builds teamwork and is very social.

Do I need knee pads for volleyball?

Not for your first sessions. Once you start diving or kneeling for low balls, knee pads help protect your knees from bruising.

Is beach volleyball harder than indoor?

Most people find it more tiring, because moving and jumping in sand takes more effort. It is lower impact on landing, though, so some people prefer it.

Book your first class

If you want to feel strong and springy before your first game, come and train with us. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, with no more than 10 people and £15 a class. We are indoors in a church hall, so it is weatherproof, and every exercise has an easier and harder option. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would rather have the whole session focused on you, I also offer private personal training in Archway through SYP Fitness.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.