Volleyball drills and tips for beginners

Posts Tagged ‘Volleyball spike’

What do you need to do to improve your hitting?

How do you get past the level of playing “jungle ball” and all the lack of control that implies and become a good, ACCURATE player??  I’m glad you asked, but I think you already knew the answer, practice, practice, practice.  Yes more drills.  Now I hear the groaning, but don’t despair. If you have seen “The Karate Kid” and remember “wax on, wax off” you know how much this will improve your game.  You may not beat up any bullies, but getting in that game winning shot is just as rewarding.

Before beginning any drills make sure to do some warming up and stretching.  You also want to finish with a cool down and stretching, your muscles will be extremely grateful the next day.  Drills tend to be pretty specific to the skill you are trying to improve. One key thing to focus on is getting full extension.  The fuller you extend yourself the stronger your shots and the further your range of motion.  One extra inch of extension from your arm being straight rather than slightly bent can make that shot a winner. 

The “reach and snap” drill is great for two reasons; it works on your accuracy and positioning with your coach observing you, and you are lined up so that you can see other players and what they are doing correctly or incorrectly and learn from them as well.  You line up towards the back of the court with your side facing the net.  The ball is then tossed in the air, you jump and “reach” and then with a wrist “snap” you hit the ball over the net.  You are trying to get as much reach or extension as possible and also put some spin on the ball.  The observing in this drill is just as important as the doing.  Keep your eyes on the ball, even when you aren’t up, you’ll see the difference that just a little elbow bending can make in making your shots less effective.

After you work on getting your form right so you have that control, you want to get your placement down.  The goal here is to put the ball anywhere the opposing team has no one in position, or to hit the ball towards the weakest player.  That may sound mean, but that’s the Darwinism of volleyball.  In a “four corner” drill you are practicing placing you shots in all four corners of the court.  Your coach or partner will toss up a ball to you, set-style, and you need to practice the movements that will alter the ball placement.  As you practice you will see that many times just a small upper body rotation is all that you will need to add.  When you start getting better you can learn to alter your body position so it is more difficult for the opposing team to read where you will be sending the ball, this is good to learn.

So now you are gaining some skills, and it’s time to add in a drill that incorporates everything you have been learning.   The “running transition” drill does just this. You begin at the net, run to the back line, hit a shot, run forward to half court, hit another shot, run to the net, and hit another shot.  This mimics more accurately what you could be moving like in a game.  It helps you work on hitting, of course, but also, your footwork, your timing and your positioning; and turns you into a more well-rounded player.  Drills seem redundant at first, but the best athletes continue to do them, Tiger does, and if it works for him….

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