Landing Is a Skill: The Most Overlooked Ability in Volleyball
- Sonny Wilson
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
Throughout this Volleyball Injury Series, we've explored why knee injuries happen, what causes jumper's knee, how ACL injuries occur, and why strength training is essential for building resilient athletes.
Now we've reached perhaps the most overlooked topic of all.
LANDING.
Every volleyball player wants to jump higher.
Far fewer spend time learning how to land better.
Yet every jump ends with a landing.
And over the course of a season, those landings may number in the thousands.
Learning to land efficiently isn't simply about reducing injury risk.
It's about becoming a better athlete.
At PuncHIIT Fitness, we believe landing deserves to be coached just as carefully as serving, passing, blocking, or attacking.
Because landing is a skill.
And like every other skill in volleyball, it improves with deliberate practice.
Every Jump Ends With a Landing
Volleyball is built around explosive movement.
Athletes jump to:
Attack
Block
Serve
Change direction
Recover
But gravity guarantees one thing.
Every jump finishes with a landing.
When athletes only focus on producing force, they miss half of the movement.
The ability to absorb force is equally important.
Why Landing Matters
Good landings allow athletes to:
Reduce unnecessary stress on the knees
Improve balance
Recover more quickly for the next movement
Maintain better court positioning
Produce more efficient movement
Build confidence during explosive play
Landing well isn't simply about injury prevention.
It's about performance.
What Good Landing Mechanics Look Like
Although every athlete is different, effective landings usually share several characteristics.
Soft Landings
Great athletes often land quietly.
That quiet landing reflects efficient force absorption.
Hips and Knees Working Together
Rather than remaining upright, athletes absorb force by bending through both the hips and knees.
This distributes load throughout the entire lower body.
Stable Knee Alignment
The knees should generally track in the same direction as the feet.
Good control—not rigidity—is the goal.
Strong Trunk Position
The trunk helps organize the entire body.
Good posture allows force to be transferred more efficiently.
Balanced Foot Contact
Landing under control prepares athletes for the next movement rather than simply surviving the current one.
Common Landing Mistakes
Several movement patterns increase stress on the lower body.
These include:
Landing stiff-legged
Allowing the knees to collapse inward
Landing heavily
Poor trunk control
Excessive forward lean
Losing balance after landing
None of these automatically cause injury.
However, repeatedly exposing the body to inefficient movement may increase stress over time.
Why Fatigue Changes Everything
Landing mechanics often look excellent early in practice.
They frequently deteriorate later.
Fatigue affects:
Coordination
Reaction time
Force production
Decision-making
Movement quality
This is one reason coaches should observe athletes throughout an entire practice—not just during warm-ups.
Can Landing Be Trained?
Absolutely.
Like serving or blocking, landing improves with repetition and coaching.
Useful drills include:
Stick Landings
Athletes jump and "stick" the landing before moving again.
This teaches control.
Single-Leg Landings
Develop balance and stability.
Drop Landings
Focus on absorbing force efficiently.
Deceleration Drills
Teach athletes to slow the body under control.
Plyometric Progressions
Power should be built gradually while maintaining excellent movement quality.
Quality always comes before intensity.
Strength Makes Better Landings Possible
Good landing mechanics don't happen through coaching alone.
The body also needs the physical capacity to perform them repeatedly.
Strong:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Calves
Core
all contribute to efficient force absorption.
That's why our previous article focused on strength training.
Movement quality and strength work together.
Neither replaces the other.
Coaching the Landing, Not Just the Jump
One of the biggest opportunities in volleyball coaching is simply paying more attention to how athletes finish each jump.
Many coaches naturally celebrate:
Higher jumps
Harder hits
Bigger blocks
Few spend equal time coaching:
Better landings
Better deceleration
Better recovery positions
Yet these qualities often determine how well an athlete performs throughout an entire season.
The PuncHIIT Perspective
At PuncHIIT Fitness, we don't separate performance from injury prevention.
They're the same conversation.
Athletes who move efficiently usually perform more efficiently.
Athletes who control force generally produce force more effectively.
That's why we coach the entire movement.
Not just the exciting part.
Jumping gets the highlight reel.
Landing keeps athletes on the court.
That's why our philosophy remains:
STOP EXERCISING – START TRAINING
Training means developing every part of athletic performance—including the moments that most people overlook.
Key Takeaways
Every jump ends with a landing.
Landing mechanics directly influence both performance and injury risk.
Efficient landings require strength, coordination, balance, and practice.
Fatigue often changes movement quality.
Landing should be coached as deliberately as any volleyball skill.
Volleyball rewards athletes who can repeatedly produce explosive movement.
The best athletes don't simply jump higher.
They land better.
And when they consistently land better, they're better prepared to jump again.
That's what long-term athletic development looks like.
Continue the Volleyball Injury Series
Part 5: Landing Is a Skill: The Most Overlooked Ability in Volleyball (You are here)
Suggested Internal Links
Volleyball Injury Series - (Parts 1–4) - links above
Research References
Hewett TE, Myer GD, Ford KR. Neuromuscular Training Improves Landing Mechanics and Reduces ACL Injury Risk.
Padua DA, et al. Landing Error Scoring System (LESS): A Reliable Clinical Assessment Tool.
Myer GD, et al. Biomechanical Measures During Landing and Injury Risk.
National Strength and Conditioning Association. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.
American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
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