Volleyball Techniques

Volleyball is a versatile sport that families enjoy on the beach and others play indoors in a gym. Children can begin playing volleyball at a young age and it's a popular high school and college sport. The best volleyball players go on to play professionally. All learn the five basic volleyball techniques: serving, passing, setting, blocking and digging.

  1. Serving

    • Serious volleyballers serve by tossing the ball up in front of their serving arm, holding the serving arm high, with the elbow pointed upward. Then they hit the middle of the ball with the middle of their hand and follow through with the arm.

    Passing

    • Passing the ball helps your team carry out plays. To prepare, clasp your hands together and form a platform for the ball with the insides of your forearms, keeping your elbows straight. Pass the ball using your hips and legs, squatting and then popping upward and bumping the ball forward with your forearms. Be stable before passing. A more advanced passing technique is passing the ball with your arms over your heads. Flick the ball quickly with your fingertips, moving it in the desired direction.

    Setting

    • When you set the volleyball, you are placing it in position for another player to smash, or "spike", it over the net. You must be in the proper position when you are about to set. Be close enough to the player bumping the ball to you so that you can get under it and set it. When setting, use your fingertips to push the ball straight upward. The higher the set the better because the spiker has more time to get into position.

    Blocking

    • Blocking is when the other team is spiking the volleyball over the net and players on the opposing team jump up at the net and attempt to hit it back. A key to this technique is judging the other team's movements and knowing where the spiker will be. Jump straight up at the net with your arms straight over the head. Your fingers should be spread wide, with the muscles tense. That makes it easier to block the ball and helps you avoid jamming your fingers.

    Digging

    • Digging is when the ball is spiked downward on your side of the net and you have to hit it back up before it hits the ground. You need fast reflexes and quick reactions.Be ready to move toward the ball and have your hands clasped and in front of you, ready to hit the ball. When you hit the ball, try to guide it toward a teammate so that it stays in play.