How do I make my serve go over?

Question

I have been trying to get my serve to go over for a long time. I know that you have a high toss in front of your hitting arm, elbow ear height, stiff wrist, power, and step into the ball. I do all of that and still cant get it over!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I know this might sound harsh but you just will have to serve underhand even if everyone else serves over hand.  A girl on my team made it because even though she couldn't serve overhand she was good at placing the ball with an underhand serve and it went over all the time.  Throughout the whole two seasons she did that, she missed maybe five at the most.  

If you want to continue to try overhand(which I don't suggest right now) then your problem might not be the technique but your strength.  Try going to the gym and lift weights before you try to overhand serve again.  Good Luck to you!  Go Go Gadget!

Answer 2

First can you throw the ball over the net from the service line. Try it, take a step with the opposite foot from you throwing hand. If you can throw it over the net you can serve it over the net.

If this is successful remember the motion step, throw. To serve the ball over the net all you have to do is make a nice toss and throw your hand at the ball. Make sure you watch your hand strike to ball. The ball of your hand should strike the mid part ball. For extra insurance mabey mid to lower portion, this forces the ball higher. it should work with a little practice.

Answer 3

I have the same problem

Answer 4

Ok, so now, lets go over the basics: Throw the Ball into your hitting arm, about one step in front of you. Make sure it is high enough so that your arm will hit it at the height of its arc. Now, you have to do something, which I am sure you know of, but I will just go over it. One has to Load the arm. This is done when you bring your elbow back at ears height, but it is behind the head, and your outstretched palm is next to your ear.

Now you throw the ball. As you throw, or after, take a small step with your nondominant foot(if you are righty, left foot) and then your dominant foot as you swing through the ball. This is executed when you swing your elbow around in a counter clockwise motion so as to turn the rest of your arm above your head with it(although its kinda confusing without pics), but what you feel is all of the pressure in your armpit, and you transfer all of that into your palm with your hit. Keep your elbow in front of your forearm, so that at the final moment, you can pop your forearm and palm so that the ball goes over.

Here are some good excersises:

Throw the ball over from the service line just so you know how far to serve it. Warm up by throwing the ball over the net.

Practice tossing your ball, and without hitting it, make sure it is always in the same place.

Swing your arm in various ways so that you can adjust to where you feel most comfortable,

and most of all, open handed, and practice.

Answer 5

u are thinking that u just have to hit it 7ft high. Try hitting the ball at least 8ft high and once u get that down u will be able to make the ball fly over the net no problem.

Answer 6

Some of that is true, but that is not all you have to do!

Start just behind the service line with your dominent foot forward (D-Foot) and your other one behind. Have both feet facing forward.

Through the ball up so you can hit it at its highest point. Basically, through it only as high as you can reach.

When you swing for the ball you need to step with your other foot and then bring your D-Foot up after you swung.

As for how your arms should be. Toss with the hand that you wont hit with. Your swining arm should be at about where your ear is. Hit the ball at its highest point and follow through! Make sure that your follow through goes straight down, it should finish alongside your body.

MAKE SURE YOUR HIPS ARE FACING THE DIREST YOU WANT THE BALL TO GO!!!!!

Hit the ball with the palm of your hand, but dont keep everything stiff. Let the rest of your hand shape around the ball when your palm hits it.

This is what they taught us to do at a volleyball camp. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Well, we do this thing called the waitress. You hold your left hand out in front of you with the ball in your hand, draw your right arm back like a bow and arrow. also have your right tow pointed out in front keep all your weight on your back foot. throw the ball up go to hit it and stop at the top it will make the volleyball a nice floater ball. Practice doing that over and over. when your practicing the ball should drop right in front of your toes, if it doesnt you have done something wrong.

Good luck, hope my advidce helps.

Answer 8

confidence is your key and timing. Just keep practicing over and over and you will get it. don't be discouraged! practice until you get it. (and try a higher toss)

Answer 9

I'd disagree with two of your tips for serving.  Maybe these are part of the issue.

If your serve doesn't work most of the time, try serving underhanded.  I know it isn't as cool and may get you minus points in a tryout, but it is the easiest way to put the ball in play.  Nothing is worse than serving into the net for your team's momentum--if you serve into the net a lot, serve underhand and work on your overhead serve by yourself.

Since you want to learn a real serve, here are the problems I see.  You should not use a high toss.  You should almost be hitting the ball out of your hand.  Right when that elbow is by your ear and your swing is in motion, you should toss it slightly to get it off your fingers.  The high toss is only for a jump-serve, and you aren't there yet.  

The next is the stiff wrist.  The wrist should be stiff, but bent backward, not in line with the arm.  You strike just below the center of the ball with the palm (the bottom of the palm--the thumb part of your palm) of your hand and follow through, and the ball will roll as your fingers go through.  This gives it a little backspin, which improves control and, when you get good at it, makes the ball sink after it crosses the net.  

While you did say step into it, swinging through the ball (follow-through) is very important to both power and control.  After you strike the ball, your hand should end up in front of you, not still over your head.