107. Practice videos: Maciej Biernat - Budowlani Łódź (Part 2)

🔍 Intro

We've already featured 24 practice video articles with pro and college coaches, and today it's time for our 25th Practice session article here on volleybrains.com.

At VolleyBrains, we bring you inside practice gyms worldwide to see how top coaches develop their teams.

👊 The coach who's guiding us today

In this practice video session, we feature Maciej Biernat, head coach of PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź, one of Poland’s top women’s volleyball clubs competing in the TAURON Liga and the CEV Champions League.

A true product of the Budowlani system, coach Biernat began his journey with the club as a statistician, later served as an assistant coach, and in 2022 took over as head coach.

Since taking charge, he has guided Budowlani Łódź to consistent top-tier finishes — 3rd in 2023, 4th in 2024, and 3rd again in 2025 — while leading them back onto the European stage with regular CEV Champions League appearances, including a 2025 quarterfinal run.

His growing influence within Polish volleyball has also been recognized by the Polish Volleyball Federation, appointing him as head coach of Poland’s national university team for the Summer Universiade.

Known for his calm authority and analytical precision, Coach Biernat combines a statistician’s data-driven insight with a coach’s intuitive feel for player development.

⚡ What's inside the practice videos?

This is the second practice session that Coach Biernat has generously shared with VolleyBrains.

Filmed right after the New Year’s break, during the thick of Budowlani’s mid-season grind, these sessions offer an inside look at international-level professionals preparing for one of the world’s top competitions.

Even with injuries affecting the roster at the time, you’ll see athletes training with the precision, poise, and focus that define elite volleyball.

And a thank you to Coach Biernat for putting all of this together in English. It’s not his first language, and we truly appreciate the extra effort he’s making to give our members access to this kind of training environment.

Inside the session coach Biernat's big takeaways are:

• Short, confidence-building pre-match work:
  The day-before session stays simple, quick, and game-focused. No overload, no complicated patterns—just clean touches that reinforce rhythm and belief.
• Player-led warm-up:
  Earlier in the week the staff prescribes warm-ups, but the day before a match the athletes take ownership. Autonomy matters more than volume at this stage.
• Quality first touch, always:
  No rushing, no “electric” first contacts—just controlled setups that keep the team organized.
• Breakpoint preparation as a theme:
  The main six rehearse BP situations with precise feeds: fix the position, handle controlled hits on the body, and maintain balance with minimal, efficient movement.
• Defense built on stability:
  One or two steps max. Narrow base. Controlled movement in zone 6 prevents drifting and keeps reactions sharp.
• Efficiency with one court:
  Double activations, boxes, and creative setups ensure every player gets meaningful touches. Limited space doesn’t limit the quality of training.
• Attack rhythm without fatigue:
  Two-side hitting with setters on both ends provides targeted reps in zones 2 and 4. Short sequences (6–7 minutes) keep tempo high and legs fresh.
• Strategic defensive spacing:
  Against certain attackers, opening zone 6 is more effective than forcing a closed block. With strong defenders, controlled spacing becomes an advantage.
• No extra “feel-good” reps before a match:
  The day before competition is not the time for 100 extra swings or special requests. Confidence must come from executing under pressure, not repeating without consequence.

Practice notes

Some of you are from Poland or Polish speaking. Maciej's notes of this featured practice could be valuable to you.

VolleyBrain Members only sessions

25 minutes of narrated practice session