Volleyball Bumping Drills

Bumping in volleyball is a simple forehand pass. It may be simple, but it is one of the most often used hits. You use it to receive serve or a free ball from the other team. Your ability to do this well can affect the flow of the entire play or even the entire game. Improving your bumping skills takes repetition either by yourself or with a partner.

  1. Against a wall

    • To do this you only need a volleyball, yourself and a wall. Start with a toss against the wall, begin bumping the ball back against the wall, aiming to hit the ball into the wall at the same spot. This sounds easy, but it can be difficult to keep the ball going. Keep at it until you can do it 100 times without the ball dropping.

    Peppering

    • Peppering is done with a partner and is just a simple, pass, set, hit between two people. No net is required. Toss the ball to your partner, who will bump it back. Set the ball back to your partner who will overhand hit the ball. Receive the overhand hit with a bump and the whole process starts over. Again repetition is key. Try and keep the ball going as long as possible.

    To a target

    • Place a target where the setter should be on the court. Have a player bump the ball to the setter from each position on the court. Start in right back and move clockwise through each position. If the passer shanks a ball, have her start over until she can hit the setter each time.