Smarter Volleyball Training: How KINEXON Transforms Load Management
In elite volleyball, athletes face up to 80 matches per year — a demanding schedule that requires precise load management. In the latest podcast episode of The Xtra Edge, Sebastiano Cencini shares how he uses KINEXON Sports technology to monitor player workload, prevent injuries, and optimize performance.
“Data, if you measure day by day, allows you to increase control over your activity. It’s not just a signal to stop people — it’s a tool to protect athletes, guide decisions, and improve performance.” – Sebastiano Cencini, Head Physiotherapist for Savino Del Bene Volley Scandicci
Managing Load Across the Season
With national & international club competition as well as national team tournaments, volleyball players have little true off-season. Cencini emphasizes the importance of tracking cumulative load, not just daily metrics.
Practical Tip:
- Use KINEXON to monitor jump count, jump height, and accumulated acceleration load over time.
- Create simple graphs to visualize weekly and monthly trends and identify overload risks early.
Individualized Training Over One-Size-Fits-All
Each athlete has a unique load profile based on position, age, injury history, and national team duties. Cencini prefers individual conversations over team meetings to build trust and explain data-driven decisions.
Practical Tip:
- Conduct a 15 – 20 day observation period with KINEXON for new players to establish baseline movement profiles.
- Compare new athletes to historical data from similar profiles to guide training goals.
Position-Specific Load Insights
A surprising insight: the libero, who doesn’t jump, ranked among the top 3 in accumulated acceleration load. This highlights the importance of tracking intense directional changes and sprints, not just jumps.
Practical Tip:
- Analyze acceleration load per minute to assess session intensity.
- Use this data to plan recovery strategies for players with high movement loads —even if they don’t jump as much compared to other playing positions.
Data-Driven Return-to-Play Protocols
After injuries, Cencini uses KINEXON PERFORM IMU to guide the return-to-play process, comparing current metrics to pre-injury benchmarks to determine readiness for team training.
Practical Tip:
- Document pre-injury jump height and volume as a benchmark.
- Use the PERFORM IMU to progressively reintroduce load and share visual reports with athletes and coaches.
Quality Over Quantity
It’s not about how many jumps an athlete performs, but how well they perform them. Cencini prefers 50 high-quality jumps over 100 mediocre ones — because peak jump height can be the difference between scoring or getting blocked.
Practical Tip:
- Use KINEXON to assess jump quality (height, speed).
- Reduce jump volume strategically to preserve joint health while maintaining intensity.
More Data, Better Decisions
Cencini advocates for better tracking of shoulder load, such as spike counts and movement intensity. He also calls for more research on female athletes, noting that most sports science data is based on male populations.
Practical Tip:
- Supplement KINEXON with subjective feedback and force platforms.
- Encourage collaboration and continuous education within the coaching team —consider forming volleyball-specific networks like those in basketball.
KINEXON PERFORM IMU as a Key to Smarter Volleyball Performance
Sebastiano Cencini demonstrates how PERFORM IMU is more than a tracking tool — it’s a foundation for managing injury risk, individualized training, and team communication. For Strength & Conditioning Coaches in volleyball, it’s a powerful ally —when used with intention to inform better decisions.
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