How to Do Volleyball Spike Approach

The volleyball spike is a fundamental skill needed for competitive play. While passing, serving and setting are required skills for this type of play, spiking is the most dramatic. Timing is the most important factor in spiking and requires practice to get everything just right. While there are several variances to spiking a volleyball like the height of the net, where the ball is set and a person's vertical jump, there is a basic way to approach spiking a volleyball.

Things You'll Need

  • Net
  • Volleyball
  • Proper athletic clothing
  • Setter
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Instructions

  1. Approach for a Right-Handed Hitter

    • 1

      Begin with your feet together.

    • 2

      Step with your right foot toward the net. Depending on how far back from the net you are, should determine the length of this step. Your arms should be behind you, creating momentum.

    • 3

      Step with your left foot, about the same distance as you did with your right.

    • 4

      Take a quick step with your right foot.

    • 5

      Take a quick step with your left foot. At this point you should be at your desired distance from the net.

    • 6

      With your feet together, jump straight up. All your momentum going toward the net should transfer to this straight-up jump. This is important so you don't run into the net.

    • 7

      As you jump up, your arms should be swinging from behind you to above your head.

    • 8

      Your left arm should be in front of you, above your head as a guide. Your right arm should be behind your head, elbow bent, ready to hit the ball. This motion looks similar to someone getting ready to shoot an arrow with a bow.

    • 9

      Assuming you've timed everything correctly, the ball should be in perfect position for you to hit.

    • 10

      With an open hand, contact with the ball, snap your wrist and swing all the way through the ball, straight down.

    • 11

      If everything was done correctly, you should land with your knees bent and feet roughly shoulder-width apart.

    Approach for a Left-Handed Hitter

    • 12

      If you're left-handed, the fundamentals are the same, but the footwork is opposite. For example, instead of taking your first step with your right foot, you would take your first step with your left foot. Refer to steps 1-7 in Section 1 but switch the feet.

    • 13

      When you jump to hit, your right arm should go up as a guide instead of your left. Refer to steps 8-11 in Section one, with your arms being in opposite positions.

    • 14

      Land with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.