How to Improve Volleyball Skills
Develop Skills Faster

Learn how to improve volleyball skills faster.

Think About the End Result

The first thing you need to understand is what end result are you after. What are you trying to accomplish? 

For example, for spiking a volleyball, what is the end result of a successful spike?

Ask the same question for all the skills. What is the end result of passing? 

What is the end result of a successful serve?

Start by focusing on the end result. When you understand what you are trying to do, then you can start focusing on practicing the skill. 

How to Improve at Spiking

The fastest way to improve a skill is to focus on the last part of the skill first.

For example, for spiking a volleyball, the last part of the skill is contacting the ball on your hand. There are different ways to contact the ball. You could contact the ball to create topspin. You could contact the ball to make the ball float. 

You could not think about how you contact it. Not paying attention to how you contact the ball will result in not controlling the ball.

When I spike, I like to create topspin by "clawing" at the ball. I like to do this because this will help me control the ball. I like to put spin on the ball so I can control the ball and be better at placing the ball in the court. 

Practice Contacting the ball to Create Topspin

The first thing I would work on when trying to improve at spiking is drills that involve improving the hand contact. It's important to get a feel of what it's like to contact the ball correctly.

There are different steps to learn to spike. For example, the volleyball approach is an important step. You need to have good footwork to the ball in order to get in position to spike. You need to have good timing. This means you need to be good at anticipating the set and be good at getting in the correct position at the correct time.

However, the footwork and timing are useless if your hand contact isn't good. The contact is the most important part of spiking. 

The contact should be focused on first when learning to spike. If you can develop a good hand contact on the ball, then you will control the ball well even if you struggle with learning the correct footwork. 

Practice Footwork and Timing

Once you become comfortable contacting the ball, start including the footwork and timing. Practice your footwork separate so that you can learn the steps. Once you become fairly comfortable with your footwork, bring the footwork together with a spike.

Game-like Training

The most important thing is to practice the entire skill within a game-like situation. This means you need to perform the skill by having a setter set you the ball. You need to watch and read the set so you can learn how to get in position to spike. By watching the setter, you will learn how to read and anticipate the ball. To be a good spiker, you must develop these anticipation skills. If you don't develop these skills, then you will struggle to get in position to spike.

Game-like Situations

You need to practice spiking in real game situations. This is when you can become more skilled at spiking. For example, learn to spike when up against a blocker. Learn how to see the court and recognize where the defender is so you can make a good decision where to hit the ball. 

How to Improve at Passing

To improve your passing skills, the first thing you need know is the body position for passing. Start by passing an easy ball. This could be just a simple partner pepper drill.

Focus on perfect passing form. 

Next, add footwork. Learn to move the feet and take a step as you pass. Become more aware of your feet when you pass. 

Moving the feet is what you must do to get in a good position. Become more aware of your foot movement and develop consistent movement patterns. 

Improve Your Range

Practice moving greater distances to get in position to pass. 

Start by taking many steps forward to get to a ball to pass. Learn what it feels like to come forward to pass a ball. 

Practice passing a deep ball. Learn what it feels like to move deep into the court to get to a deep ball. Learn to shuffle the feet backwards toward the end line. Learn how to take the ball off-line. 

Most balls will be taken mid-line, but there will always be situations where you will need to take the ball off-line. Practice both skills. 

How to Improve at Serving

The most important part of learning to serve is the contact. You need to understand how to contact the ball correctly. Are you serving topspin or a floater? Do you not care about the spin? Are you just focusing on placing the serve into a zone?

You need to think about what you are trying to do. What are you trying to make the ball do?

Pay attention to your contact every time you serve the ball. Watch what happens to the ball after you serve it. Did the ball float? Did the ball spin? What sound did you hand make when you contacted the ball?

The starting position is important for serving. Get in the habit of always starting in the same start position. 

The toss is also really important. Many servers miss serves because of a poor toss. You want a consistent toss. Your goal for serving should be to have a consistent serving routine. If you are consistent from the toss to the contact, you will be more consistent and accurate with your serves. 

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