Helpful Illustrations/Diagrams to Common Volleyball Skills

Below you will find some illustrations/diagrams to common volleyball skills by progression, courtesy of USA Volleyball.

SERVING

Sooner or later, every player ends up in the right back position and gets to put the ball in play. 

Your serving options are:

Overhand Serve

This is the most popular serve in competitive volleyball. There are many variations that you can master with practice. As in any serve, make sure you don’t touch or cross the end line at any time during your serve. This type of serve offers speed and deception.

When using the overhead serve, the ball passes over the net quickly and can be made to do a number of different things including dropping quickly and floating erratically. Strike the ball with either an open hand or a slightly cupped hand. A rigid wrist will allow you greatest power. Toss the ball over your head about three feet and slightly to your left and take a step forward with your weight shifting from your right foot to your left foot. Arch your back slightly and bend your arm at the elbow as the right arm comes behind your head and is brought forward to strike the ball. Finish with a follow through to your hip. Once you know what open spot on the other side you will serve, focus on the ball, from toss to contact.

OVERHAND SERVE BALL ACTION
The floater
This ball flight has no stabilizing spin and will dart more like a knuckle ball in baseball. The secret is to simply hit the ball in the center - in relation to its line of flight - so very little or no spin occurs. Floaters work equally well with the underhand serve or the overhand. The movement of the ball is very unpredictable to the opposing players.

The top spin
This ball flight results when the ball is struck on top using wrist snap and moves very quickly over the net. The beauty of this shot is that it drops suddenly, leaving little time for an opponent to react.

The jump serve 
This ball flight requires a higher toss and a literal jump in the air. Apply contact with the ball just as in the Top Spin serve, and the results can be even more devastating given the added force of the jump. However, this is the hardest serve to master, and without sufficient top spin, the ball will likely end up way out of bounds. It’s safest to aim this serve at the middle of the court.

The curve
This ball flight can be most effective outdoors in windy conditions. Approach the shot just like a top spin serve until the moment of impact and then hit the ball left or right of center. The ball will curve in the direction in which it is hit.

Underhand Serve

Since this is the easiest serve to execute, don’t be embarrassed to use it in novice or recreational situations. The goal of any serve is to get the ball in play. Sure, we all like to hit an “ace” that rockets across the net, but the first obligation is to maintain serve. The technique is to gently toss the ball up and in front of yourself while bringing the other hand forward to make contact. A simple toss of several inches will suffice. Make contact with the heel of the hand or the open part of the palm along the index finger and the thumb. If you prefer to fold you fingers into your palm for strength or control, keep your thumb out to the side and avoid striking the ball with your knuckles. Such an irregular surface can make the ball go in unpredictable directions. Stand outside the court, anywhere along and behind the end line, about ten feet from the right sideline. If you’re right-handed, hold the ball in you left hand and take a step forward with your left foot while lobbing the ball ever so slightly in front of yourself. All this time you bring your right arm back past your hip and then forward to meet the ball just as it is coming down from the low toss. Never take your eyes off the ball. Just before you start your serve make a mental picture of the opponent’s positions on the court and decide where you’re going to attempt to put the ball.

Forearm Pass

PASSING

In volleyball much is made of the ability to serve because of the personal fitness and deception that can be demonstrated; to set, which is volleyball’s answer to the quarterback position of football; to finish a rally with the placement and power of a spike.

Perhaps the least recognized and most critical element of volleyball is the pass. In recreational volleyball it is the greatest moment of confusion because some players are concerned about returning the ball while others are just plain uncertain where that ball is going to go after the first touch.

More points are lost on a team’s inability to deal effectively with the first ball over the net than at any other point in a game. Most experienced players value a teammate who can pass, as much as they do a good outside hitter and setter. The reason is simple. A good pass will transform your team from a defensive posture to an offensive attack. The most common and effective form of passing is the forearm pass. It’s the easiest way to get the ball under control. The only way you can be called for a foul is if the ball rolls up your arms or comes to rest on you arms which will result in a held ball call.

The forearm pass is also known as the bump pass. To use it correctly, you must join your hands together and allow the ball to strike the fleshy part of your forearms simultaneously. There many ways of joining your hands, we’ll touch on a couple here. But the best way to learn yourself is to watch a few players and experiment. A common mistake is to allow the ball to strike your wrists or hands, often resulting in an unpredictable pass or a ball returned over the net, commonly called an overpass. The best way to avoid this problem is to remind yourself to bend your wrists and hands down before impact to help cushion the ball.

TWO HAND POSITIONS

Wrapped fist - Make a fist with your dominant hand and wrap it in the palm of your other hand, with both thumbs side by side and pointing at the floor.

Cupped palms - Bring your hands together as if you were going to take a sip of water from your hands, and lay your thumbs across the top as in Wrapped Fist position. Some players even like to lock their fingers under their thumbs. See Diagram Below.

Pick the passing method that works best for you. Don’t be concerned about which method is better than the other. It’s really about personal choice and effective control. Whichever you choose, keep these five points in mind:

1. Keep the ball between your wrists and elbows in the fattest part of the forearm
2. Press the wrists and hands down to hyperextend the arms
3. Lock your elbows. This gives the ball the most area to hit, and helps you control the direction of your pass.
4. Try to bend your knees before the ball gets to you so that you can both absorb the serve and re-direct the pass.
5. Don’t swing at the ball, but do try to shrug your shoulders toward your target at the moment of impact.

Setting

SETTING

The setter runs the offense, and determines which hitter to set. Sometimes, a team has two setters. The key to good setting is consistency. The basic premise of setting is to take a bump pass and convert it to a well placed ball that can be effectively hit by another player to the opponent’s court. The proper technique for setting is to raise your hands about five inches above your head with your thumbs on the bottom and pointed towards your eyes. Your fingers should be loose and slightly cupped. Don’t spread your hands any farther than necessary to receive the ball. As a guide, you’ll have a two to three inch gap between both of your thumbs and both of your forefingers.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about setting:
1. Get to the ball.
2. Face your target (except when you’re deliberately making a back set).
3. Bend your elbows and your knees.
4. Look at the ball through the opening between your hands.
5. Bring both hands into contact with the ball simultaneously.
6. Don’t let the ball touch your palm. This is called a push, and is a violation. If the ball comes to rest in you hand, or you strike the ball unevenly with either hand, you’ll be in violation.
7. Receive the ball over your head, and let it snap out of your finger pads. Keep your hands above your face or you’ll be whistled.

Six basic types of sets 

(The names of the sets may vary with different volleyball programs):

One Set - Set a foot or two over the net and hit while the ball is still rising. This is the quickest of sets and is usually for the middle hitter.
Two Set - Set two to four feet above the net and is also quick. Again, this ball is usually for the middle hitter.
Three Set - Also set low and fast (about 4-6 feet above the net and delivered midway between the setter and the sideline). This ball is for either the middle or outside hitter.
Four Set - A low set (1 - 2 feet above the net) for the outside hitter that is delivered near the sideline and over the net. Sometimes called a “Shoot Set.”
Five Set - A high Backset near the sideline.
Six Set - (fist hand signal) A high outside set to either sideline.

Finally, there is a time when the setter gets to try and score. This is called a “setter dump” and is executed when the setter comes to the net but instead of setting, pushes the ball over the net in a “tip” play.

INDIVIDUAL DEFENSE

There are only two ways to mount a successful defense in the game of volleyball; digging and blocking. Both require hard work. You must be willing to sacrifice physically.

Blocking

Blocking

The surest way to cripple your opponent’s attack is to take away a hitter’s spike. And the surest way to do that is with a well coordinated blocking scheme. Blockers don’t need to take a running start, but must stay close to the net and leap up. If you require a running start to jump, you probably don’t belong in the block. Stand with your hands and fingers held fully extended above the shoulders. Focus on the hitter in front of you and slide into the path of the descending ball at the point where it will cross the net. 

Your jump should occur just slightly after the hitter’s. Knees must be bent before takeoff to jump straight up. As you jump, fully extend your arms and hands. Spread your fingers, but keep them rigid, and bend your wrists as you rise above the net so that your hands break the plane of the net. If you keep your arms just a few inches apart, you’ll avoid letting a ball go through them.

If you’re a shorter player forced to block, bend your wrists back instead of forward and don’t try to penetrate the net after the block which should put the ball in good position for either you or another teammate to play it. This is called a soft block. Blocks don’t count as hits so you can legally play them (except in beach doubles, where it does count as first touch). The double block usually relies on the middle hitter and one of the outside hitters to obstruct as much hitting space as possible. 

The outside hitter must establish the position of the block, and the middle hitter moves to the position and closes the block. The middle hitter gets close enough to insure that the ball cannot get between the blockers’ bodies or outstretched arms. If positioned correctly, the blockers prevent the cross-court shot and the line shot.
The triple block is used occasionally and requires all three front row players to participate. No back line players may come up to block.

Digging

Digging
The proper technique for a dig is similar to a bump pass, but your knees are bent much more and your weight is more forward to be able to extend yourself to the floor if necessary to retrieve the ball. Sprawling, rolling and diving are extremely important techniques used to dig a ball. Proper execution, leg placement, timing of floor contact, and returning to your feet are considerations. Watch others, ask for instruction and practice these skills often in non-game conditions to avoid injury to yourself or others.

Spiking

 Spike Approach 

HITTING

If there is a moment of truth in volleyball, it is the perfectly hit spike. The spike combines power, speed and athleticism to provide the excitement that is uniquely volleyball. The spike is used to either put the ball down in a portion of the court where the opposition is not, or to strike the ball so hard that the defenders are unable to deal with it effectively. Front row players can attack the ball from anywhere on the court. Back row players can only attack from behind the three meter line.

Hitters must master such techniques as the:
Cross Court Shot - This ball must be hit extremely hard while aiming for a space on the floor between the front row players and the back row player that is diagonally positioned farthest from the hitter.

Tip or Dink Shot - The most important aspect of this shot is hitting with a wrist that does not break. Just push or roll the ball with the fingertips over the outstretched hands of the blocker(s). Be sure to face the direction of the dink or a push or carry may be called.

Line Shot - The simplest way to describe this shot is to imagine a left outside hitter who is right-handed receiving a set from her right side, rotating her body as she drops her left shoulder, and aiming the ball for the left sideline.

Soft Top Spin Shot - Commonly called a “roll shot” or off-speed attack, this ball is contacted a little softer and on the lower portion of the ball. The players hand then rolls over the top of the ball. This action creates top spin which causes the ball to drop quickly, usually just behind the front line players.

Hitting combines various elements of technique. Your approach to the net, speed, planting of feet, jumping, timing, body position, and distance from the net are among the factors that contribute to the success of your hit. If you’re experiencing difficulty in any aspect of your hit, or repeatedly making an error, ask a qualified instructor to study your form and make suggestions.

"Block you very much"

5 main skills in volleyball, courtesy of Volleyball Australia