Explore Basic
Volleyball
Skills
with the Experts
Learning about volleyball skills.
How to
pass? How to serve? How to block? How to dig?
How to develop basic volleyball technical
skills
further?
This section is for a starting
volleyball player to get a clear
understanding of basic skills, or for a starting coach to learn how to
teach those skills.
After explaining the basics, we will go into
deeper aspects of each skill and present how to develop skills
further.
Volleyball Skills
- What Volleyball Players Should Learn First?
Before getting into learning technical volleyball
skills, there are some important essentials that need to be addressed
and learned first.
- Volleyball Basic Position. Volleyball
Stance.
A basic position, a stance in volleyball is a comfortable, good
balanced
position.
A player has a well-balanced volleyball stance when her feet are
slightly wider than
your shoulders, knees are bent (hips are lowered closer to ground) and
body weight
is shifted a little bit more on the ball of you feet vs. heels.
Volleyball players use the basic
stance as they prepare for the serve receive or defense - when they are
getting ready to move to the ball.
- Volleyball Shuffling
Shuffling is the
basic footwork used in volleyball.
Shuffling is the correct way to move under the ball when
receiving the serve or defending the offense.
It can be
described as “a player
takes multiple tiny little steps after another.”
When shuffling a
player moves either forward, backward, left or right.
The most important thing
in shuffling is: feet should not cross-over.
Shuffling is crucial when
moving to the ball, especially when a player has to do little
adjustments in the last moment when the ball approaches.
Learning
Volleyball Skills
- Volleyball Shuffling
Volleyball Skills - Very Basics of Volleyball
Shuffling
Shuffling can be introduced simply by moving
different directions (left, right, forward and backward) by
shuffling
and changing direction rapidly. Focus should be on
- moving the feet quickly and
- not crossing over with your feet.
Volleyball
Skills - How to
Practice Shuffling?
Integrate Shuffling into the Passing or Defensive
Drills
After introduction, the best way to practice shuffling is to combine it
to volleyball passing or defensive drills. Make players takes
few shuffle steps before the pass or defense - just like it happens in
the match. Very rarely volleyball players do not have to move before
the pass or defense in the match.
Volleyball Skills - Shuffling in Volleyball
Footwork Drills
A good idea is to integrate footwork drills,
including shuffling, into the practice.
When practicing shuffling
coaches should pay extra attention that players stay low in their basic
position (hips closer to ground, knees bend, good balance, weight on
the toes).
Players get exhausted very quickly if it the
position is low and shuffling is done with a good speed.
It is
important to run relatively short 10-15 second sets and give players
little rest between the sets. For example, coach can add 4-6 sets of
shuffling in the beginning of practice, and possibly repeating the sets
in the middle or end of practice again.
The coach can spread the players all over the
court
having some distance between players.  Then players will move
simultaneously around the court according the signs (left, right,
backwards or forward) of the coach, changing direction rapidly.
The coach can also add a dive into the shuffling
exercise. When the signal is heard, the players need to dive
to get
up as fast as they can to continue shuffling.
Volleyball Skills - Other Volleyball
Footwork
When the team learns other type of footwork, for example a blocking
footwork, spike approach
footwork or some short bursts of sprints, also those can be added into
the mix.
Important
Methods in the Volleyball Skills Training
We present few ideas what we have been using in volleyball skills
training.
Most
of these principles can be applied to any player level, from the
beginners to pros.
The learning process is always similar, no matter
how old or experienced the players are.
I - Show an
Example
Show
players a clear image of the skill. The coach could
demonstrate
it by him/herself or to use a player as a model.
Alternatives are to show the example by using video
or pictures. Repeat it several times.
II - Teach
Players to Focus 100% and Think What They Do in Practice
Make
sure the players are fully focused though the drills.  They
shouldn’t just go through the motions, which is a very common i.e. in
repetitive volleyball skills training.
When players
learn to think about the skill (cognitive learning) – and keep
their mind fully focused on what they are doing - they will learn the
skill better when performing it (motor learning).
When
players become more aware about the techniques, it draws a
clear
picture in their mind how the skill should be done. As a result players
learn to correct the errors and improve the techniques by themselves.
They learn to notice little mistakes what they did when
performing the skill.
This type of thought process in training
gets us into method called visualization. You can read more
about
visualization in the other sections.
III
- Run Game-like Volleyball Drills
By game-like drills we mean drills, which
mimic the game.
As soon as possible
For
the beginning players the volleyball skills needs to be
introduced
– without the net – or even without the ball first. However, the goal
is to move to the game-like drills as soon as possible.
As much as
Possible
It is definitely not rocket science that players learn the volleyball
skills needed in the match by repeating the skills in
the practice. Therefore, run game-like drills as much as
possible!
How to Run Game-like
Volleyball Drills?
These
following set ups are not always possible due to lack of space, amount
of players, players’ skill level, or any other reason - but the coach
should always aim to use the following game-like settings.
Passing
When practicing passing, the ball should be sent from the other side of
the net, just like in the match.
Setting
When practicing setting, the ball should be served over the net, and
passed for the setter.
Also there could be a block in the other side of the net, which the
setter is playing against.
(If
not using the passer, the ball feeder should be feeding different kind
of balls for the setter, just like in the match, where the pass is
constantly different.
Volleyball
skills training in which "the
serve-pass-set-spike" -sequence is not followed is not the most
beneficial one for an experienced team, BUT it could be useful in
private lessons or practices
which have fewer participants. Or in beginner drills in which players
may not have enough ball control to run more complex drills.)
Offense
When
practicing offense, the ball should be served over the net - and passed
for the setter before the offense. There should a block and defense for
the hitter.
(Secondary option, which is not the most
beneficial way is; the ball feeder should be feeding pass-like balls
for the setter from the different locations around the court.)
Defense
When practicing defense, the ball should be hit over the net.
The
hitter should hit the ball from the setter’s set. And passers
should pass the ball for the setter. When having that in place, the
defender learns to read the spiker, the speed of the set, the setter
and the location of the pass.
Blocking
When
practicing volleyball skills in blocking, it is important the blocker
gets opportunity to practice "reading". 
The blockers need to
learn to read the passer, the ball which is passed for the setter, the
setter, the ball which is set for the hitter, and the spiker who will
hit the ball over the net.
Serve, Pass,
Set, Spike and Block
So, the perfect set up to practice
volleyball skills in blocking is having somebody to serve the ball
over, pass the ball for the setter – and having an approaching hitter
to swing the ball.
(In some cases when practicing defense or
blocking the coach may choose to have the offensive player on the
stand. I.e. if players are not skilled enough to swing an
accurate ball for the blockers and defenders, it could be needed to
have the spiker
on the stand to hit the balls.
 However, it is not the best
possible
option since the spiker is not approaching, or the ball is not set for
the spiker, or the pass is not performed.
Despite the critics toward using stands, still the very best National
Teams in the world use them.)
IV - Breaking
Down the Drills
For
beginning volleyball players all the complex volleyball skills needs to
be taught by focusing on one piece at the time.
For
example when teaching the spike approach very few players are able to
pick it up correctly as a whole.
When teaching the spike spike approach
the coach should ask players to focus on the footwork first – without
even worrying about other parts (yet).  The coach focuses solely on the
footwork at first.
Then when the footwork has been learned,
the
coach asks players to focus on connecting the arm usage with the
footwork, etc, etc.
The same concept can be applied for more
experienced players when practicing for example attacking.
First,
we teach an outside hitter to hit a line swing the line – and repeat it
one after another.
Secondly, we teach outside hitter to swing angle -
then to “use the block” – then to swing after the own pass.
The list of skills continues on and on. I.e. we can vary the
speed of the set (high
set, shoot), etc.
Why is that?
All the volleyball skills are learned through repetition.
All the different volleyball skills need different motor skills.
For
example right side hitting is different from the left side
hitting.  If the player is only practicing left side
hitting,
s/he
will never become a skilled right side hitter.
Or if players only practice
hitting angle, they won’t learn to hit the line.
It helps players to learn the volleyball skills effectively when
repeating the specific skill over and over again.
Does this
make players like robots?
No,
it makes them completely the opposite, very creative players.
Each
spike differs slightly from the other spikes. Once players learn
all
those slightly different motor skills, players are able to use them all
in the game and become very creative
players.
They become players who are able to adjust – and use different
approaches and swings naturally in the game.
They are not forced to one
kind of approach or one kind of a swing anymore.
On this page we just scratched the surface a little bit. You find much
more information and drills examples in other pages.
Next: Learning
Technical
Volleyball Skills
How to Pass? How to Set? How to Spike?
How to Serve?
After basic position and shuffling have been learned players are ready
for volleyball drills, which teach the technical volleyball skills -
passing and setting to begin with.
To read more about the basic volleyball skills,
follow the links in
the bottom of
this page.
Volleyball
Mini-games to Improve Volleyball Skills
You can use volleyball mini-games to improve technical
volleyball skills. Mini-games are one way to
make volleyball skills
training more fun and exciting.
Read more about Mini-games in "How to Play Volleyball"-section.
Why Developing
Skills is Important in Volleyball?
Learning volleyball skills is the single
most important thing in volleyball.
How to Learn Volleyball Skills Properly?
Beginning volleyball players may find volleyball very challenging
since volleyball skills could be difficult to learn - harder
than in other ball games.
Learning basic volleyball skills takes lots
of patience and countless
repetitions. Players simply need to do tons of repetitions to learn the
skills properly, which makes volleyball training challenging also for
the
coaches.
How to Keep Volleyball Skills Training
Interesting?
There is a challenge for the coaches to keep drills interesting and
players motivated - and avoid long monotonous, repeating drills.  In the
pages we
present few ideas how to make skills training and continuous
repetitions more fun for the players.
Volleyball Skills Training from
Beginners to Pros
Often technical skills training is associated with beginning
volleyball
players, but top level volleyball players also spend lots of practice
time to hone technical skills.
Often technical drills for top level players are more complex,
but you may see them do the very basics
also. It is a very common sight to see professional
caliber players to sharpen passing skills by passing the ball after
another in practice.
The same principles of learning - i.e. repetition of a specific skill-
apply to beginners as well as more experienced players.
Next: Learning
Volleyball Strategies with Game-like Drills
While improving basic volleyball techniques it
is also important to start learning about tactical side of volleyball,
in other words volleyball strategies.
Game-like drills, which mimic the game closely help players to transfer
their skills to the game - also give the coach opportunity to
teach volleyball strategies for the players.
To read more about these games, go to Steps for
Playing Volleyball page
under How to Play Volleyball -section.
Volleyball Skills Related Pages
Volleyball Passing Skills
Essentials of Volleyball Passing
This passing section of basic skills focuses on few the most important
aspects of passing.
Advanced
Volleyball Serve Receive Techniques
Going beyond "perfect passing form" and extending your passing range.
Overhead
Volleyball Passing
Learning how to use overhead serve receive.
Controversial
Volleyball Serve Receive Technique
Read about controversial serve receive technique, which is widely used
by the best volleyball players in the world.
Various Volleyball Passing Techniques
Get familiar with various passing techniques. Take a look at pictures.
Volleyball Passing Skills: Shanking Balls in the Game? How To Fix It?
How
to Improve Volleyball Skills
How to improve volleyball passing skills during the match?
How
to Improve Volleyball Passing Skills 2
More volleyball serve receive tips. Passing badly? Tips to
start passing better in
the match.
Volleyball
Spiking Skills
Essentials
of Volleyball Spike
Explore the volleyball spike section and receive tips to become skilled
at hitting volleyball. Includes the most important tips for the
volleyball spike.
Volleyball
Transition
Read
and check out the videos about volleyball transition. How to transition
from a blocker to a hitter? How to transition from a blocker
to a
defensive player and then to a hitter.
Volleyball Serving Skills
Skills
- Essentials of Volleyball Serve
The basics of volleyball serve will introduce some ideas to become an
efficient server. Discover important serving tips.
Volleyball Digging Skills
Basics
of Volleyball Digging
Learn the posture in digging. How to dig the ball which is landing on
the side?
Learning
More Volleyball
Digging Skills - Hard Driven Spike
How to dig hard driven spike?
Volleyball
Overhead Digging
Read about volleyball overhead digging. How to dig with open hands?
Volleyball Digging
Rolling Diving
How to dig, roll and dive? What is a pancake?
Volleyball Blocking Skills
Volleyball
Blocking Basics - How to Put the Ball Down?
How to stop the hitter? How to put the ball down into the
opponent's court?
Volleyball
Blocking Skills - How to Place the Block?
How to place the block? When to jump?
Blocking
in Volleyball - Read the Hitter
How to know which direction the hitter swings? How to read the hitter?
Skills Training
Basic
Skills in Volleyball - What is "Volleyball Juggling"?
Learn ball control and hand-eye coordination with "Volleyball Juggling"
drills.
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