How to dive in volleyball?

Question

Well, we are starting to learn to dive. It seems pretty simple to do, but I can't seem to do it. I don't know, but it seems I have a fear of diving, like I'm diving or I'll hurt myself. I just need to know any tips to diving or getting over it. I know I'll have to do it a lot, so I appreciate any help you can give.

P.S. I wear kneepads.

Answer 1

pretend the floor is a big cushion and that it won't hurt. my little secret trick to make it so you don't get floor burns is to but baby powder on....i know it sounds weird but it works

Answer 2

Only practice will do it. Once you've done it once - say it to yourself internally "I can do it!" and remember how you did it. Once you've done it once - you can do it again and again...

You do have to keep in mind, to slow down, before contact with the ball, or try to... otherwise you lose complete control over the ball. If you can dig right down to the ground, ie. using that area of your hand, just below your thumb joint - you should be OK...

Do some practice with a friend, with a practice volleyball, outside of team/etc practice..

Answer 3

You just do it.

You can really "learn" you just have to get to the ground before the ball, it's all about timing. Just dive onto the ground, it's not hard, your over thinking it. You can't really learn how. It's just something you do.

Just do it.

I never learned, I was just always going after the ball and diving. Diving is my favorite thing to do in volleyball.

And spiking [:

Answer 4

I know the feeling. Except I love diving. Try practicing on a sand court first. Thats really what got me started.

Answer 5

OK as you know you want to stay low in volleyball... well this is helpful for when you are diving because you are closer to the ground and it is much easier.. try not to land on your knees... knee pads give you cushion but it can still hurt your knee.... like one girl on my team dislocated her knee from landing on them... so try and land on your stomach or side.... hope this helped a little!!!

volleyball is my favorite sport!!!

<3<3

Answer 6

when you dive make sure that you are not hitting your hips in the ground instead use your thighs and ribs as most as possible. Start really low without running first, and dive that low first then slowly start getting higher and higher and Than start walking and dive then get into running

Answer 7

just stay low the entire time. the lower you are to the ground, the less it hurts when you dive (not that it should). the rest is just instinct. the person above is right, you can do more to yourself by not diving that you can by diving.

Answer 8

f*** i do it all the time. you just have to go for it. dont even think about it. first off, for fun like i do, just run and slide down a hardwood floor or hallway or w/e. then you might be cooler with the whole falling thing and trusting your kneepads. than jsut dive on a rug so when u fall u dont get hurt no matter what, ok?:

hope i helped!

Answer 9

All you have to do is jump for your life.

Answer 10

I love diving on the floor...i am not libero but i am a good passer

so

that is what knee pads are for

anyway

when u r about to pass the ball make sure that u r under the ball (like dont go on the floor for no reason when you can do it standing up)

you shouldnt be scared at all your just going on the floor but remember be aggressive and maybe watch a volleyball game with the college players and maybe ask your coach to help you out with it

here are a few videos

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iORt4PMgEL4

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6rbJRpYdj0Q

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcMWi6YDdJM&f...

Answer 11

start with pading then and after you fear goes away start taking some of it off and youll be fine

Answer 12

when you dive it should be a natural reaction. you shouldnt think about oh i might get hurt! well no pain no gain. but when you dive make sure you turn your knee in so you dont land on it! if you dive correctly you shouldnt need kneepads

Answer 13

First of first, try not to dive if you can move your feet and get yourself under the ball.

If you have to dive, you either hit the ball in the air then land with both hands, or reach out with your right/left hand hitting while supporting your body with your left/right hand.

You might want to roll over after the dive, which will give you more protection. You can even roll-over-to-stand and get ready for your next action, which make you more stand out.

Here below are some helpful links that would provide more details:

http://volleyball.about.com/library/howt...

http://volleyball.about.com/od/diggin1/a...

Remember, you dive for those hard-to-reach, not because that you don't want to move your feet.

Answer 14

my coach told me that more people got hurt not divung for the ball than when they did dive for it! so my advice is think of it as doing whatever you can so that the ball doesnt touch the ground

Answer 15

I was the same way!

You just have to think to yourself

"I'm willing to do ANYTHING i can to prevent that ball from hitting the floor"

Or think about the punishment your coach might give you if you give the other team that point.

Work on basic sprawls around your house. Keep your kneepads on at home!

If you push yourself out enough, your weight will be moving forward more than down, and you will slide easily, without pain. Use those legs. Crouch down, lunge foreward, turn one knee out, extend those arms, and get that ball!

Answer 16

You just have to do it. The lower you are, the easier it is b/c you dont fall as far. You're going to be majorly brusied but it gets better quickly. Kneepads are probably a good idea. Try to fall on the side of your thigh and not your knees :]

Answer 17

Diving isn't jumping its a push with your legs.  Yes sometimes you do jump but that's normally last resort or just bad form.  It shouldn't hur if you have the form right.  When your diving straight in front of you there is two ways: 1-if its only about 2-3 feet in front of you, you'll use what our team calls frogger.  In one swift motion you'll fall to your knees [[they'll hit at the same time, don't be an old man]] and extend your body out. before you hit the ground, with both hands shovel the ball up towards the setter and fall to the ground.  You'll normally hit it right before your arms touch the ground, its very fast.  2-If its about body length in front of you or more you'll push of with both feet towards the ground and in front of you towards the ball.  if the ball is more to the right you land SLIGHTLY on your right side and same for the left, you'll shovel the ball up to the setter right as you hit t he ground.  DON'T STICK TO THE GROUND.  when you've it the ball you will roll to the direction you leaned, so if its to the right roll to the right with your body straight [[like a tree]] and get up as fast as you can.  

Now when it is off the side depending on the distance.  1-this is if its about 3-4 feet away you'll collapse the leg closest to the ball and land on your butt.  shovel the ball and continue falling until your shoulders hit the floor [[your legs should go in the air slightly due to speed]].  2-this is if its way off to the side and sometime a little bit forward.  Push with all  your might and collapse that leg closest to the ball.  Stretch your body and shovel the ball sideways towards the setter.  your legs should keep going and after you hit the ball you will tuck your arms and your legs should roll over your shoulders almost as if your doing a backwards summersalt thing.  Your feet should land  on the ground and push yourself up.

the last one should look something like this :

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=...

and the forward dive:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/59525...

except its easy to do the tree roll thing, it hurts less...

Answer 18

I hate to dive to, it makes me sooo nervous that I'll hurt myself. But, all you have to do is think " I'm gonna die if I let that ball touch the floor!" or whatever.. make sure you know how to dive correctly and rolling on the floor after you dive takes away some of the impact. Hope i helped

kailey H

Answer 19

well, I play Libero and I dive a lot. The key thing you have to remember is when you take your first step DO NOT PUT YOUR KNEE DOWN FIRST! You need to turn your knee inside and land on your hip. In other words you really don't need knee pads at all if you do it right. The only time I would ever use knee pads is when I had games. But to make sure I did it right everyday in practice I wouldn't use knee pads. The key thing is though is practice. Good Luck.

Answer 20

If you can dive properly, you won't hurt yourself.

You can also lose your knee pads. Below are some tips:

1. Keep your body low

    - Lower your body, less impact when you hit the floor.

2. Never dive side ways

    - you can seriously hurt your hips.

    - If you have to go side ways, collapse quickly and roll in one move.

3. Dive by dipping your upper body and flipping up your legs   with your knees bent to keep your knees from hitting the floor.

4. Land on your stomach, NEVER on your KNEES.

    - Keep your body arched and your legs bent.

    - Land and slide on your stomach.

*imagine landing an airplane, not dropping a bomb.

You can practice diving on a mattress or a mat on the floor.

As Dan mentioned above, you need to know when to dive and when to roll.  Also, see if you can learn how to collapse.

Regular stretching should be done when you do these moves.

Good Luck.