The VBSC Podcast

Strength for the Court: Greg Herceg & Miles Partain Break Down Volleyball Performance

Episode Summary

In this special joint episode of the VBSC Podcast, host and Volleyball Strength Coach Greg Herceg teams up with professional beach volleyball player and 2024 Paris Olympian Miles Partain for an in-depth conversation about the science and strategy behind training for volleyball performance. Greg and Miles dive into one of the most underexplored topics in volleyball: the difference between muscular and elastic athletes — and why training one type like the other can actually hurt performance. Miles shares his own journey of discovering he's a highly elastic jumper with a remarkable 25-inch gap between his standing and approach jumps, and how understanding that has completely reshaped how he trains. The conversation covers the real cost of heavy sand jumping on tendon elasticity, how to think about weekly jump volume the same way baseball tracks pitch counts, and why Miles believes reducing his practice load — not increasing it — is the key to qualifying for the next Olympics. Greg breaks down his triphasic training philosophy, explaining how athletes should move from general to specific training across an off-season, and how to keep progressing when there essentially is no off-season. They also tackle the nuances of squat depth and progression, the surprisingly limited role of arm isolation work for volleyball athletes, and the importance of eliminating weak links — from ankles to wrists — before they become the thing that holds you back. Whether you're a recreational player, a club athlete, or a professional looking to stay competitive deep into a long season, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply to your own training immediately.

Episode Notes

VBSC Podcast — Joint Episode with Greg Herceg & Miles Partain

In this special joint episode, volleyball strength coach Greg Herceg sits down with professional beach volleyball player and Olympian Miles Partain for a wide-ranging conversation about training, performance, and what it actually takes to maximize your game on and off the court.

About the Guests:

Greg Herceg (@the.volleyball.strength.coach) is a former D1 All-Conference Opposite at Ball State University with a master's degree in sports performance. He's trained over 1,000 volleyball players — from high school to the pro level — and runs an online strength and conditioning business focused on volleyball-specific training for adult players.

Miles Partain (@milespartain) is a former D1 All-American Setter at UCLA and a professional beach volleyball player who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He's based in Los Angeles and works as a high-performance coordinator, helping junior and adult athletes maximize their potential through strength, skill, and mobility development.

What We Cover:

• Muscular vs. elastic jumpers — understanding the two types of force production and why it matters for volleyball training
• The fascia training debate — is it overhyped, or are traditional strength coaches just protecting their brand?
• Sand vs. hard surface jumping — how beach volleyball changes your elastic qualities over time and what to do about it
• Standing jump vs. approach jump — why the gap between the two reveals your jumper type (Miles shares his shocking 14" standing / 39" approach split from UCLA)
• Jump counts and training load — drawing parallels to baseball pitch counts and how to think about weekly jump volume
• The Vert wearable — how Greg uses it with clients to track jumps and measure max effort height
• The "pick two" principle — you can have health, skill improvement, OR vertical jump improvement — but not all three at once
• Total recoverable volume — the framework for understanding why you can't train everything at max intensity all the time
• Off-season vs. in-season programming — triphasic training blocks, GPP phases, French contrast training, and how to peak for playoffs
• Conjugate vs. triphasic periodization — which approach works best for athletes who are always "in season"
• Full depth vs. partial squats — when to go deep and when sport-specific range of motion is what you actually need
• Upper body training for volleyball — the role (or lack thereof) of arm isolation work, and why reducing it has Miles jumping the highest he has in years
• Eliminating weak links — why ankles, calves, and wrists matter more than most athletes realize

Connect & Resources:

- Greg Herceg: Instagram/YouTube — @thevolleyballstrengthcoach | TikTok — @vbstrengthcoach

- Miles Partain: Instagram/TikTok — @milespartain | YouTube — @milesjpartain