I have a problem with my over hand volleyball serve.?

Question

I can only serve over hand with a fist. The problem with this is that it's kinda hard to give the ball a good direction, this can make the ball go crazy. Whenever I try doing open handed the ball goes nowhere. I'm going to try out for high school vball so I really need to get this down!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

When fist hitting the ball, you probably should start strength training your arms and hands. dont try to just "hit the ball" concentrate on hitting it on the top of your palm- practice a LOT, I am still having a little trouble hitting too hard (my nick name is Killer- I broke a net off the poll- it took an hour to repair)

Answer 2

make sure you dont move you feet when you serve its okay to take a step or two but dont leap or do anything crazy like that. and practice a few times against a wall to swing and make you arm land right beside your thigh.

Answer 3

You don't have to serve over hand with a fist, you can also serve underhand it very easy first you take the ball and put it in your left hand and then take your right hand and take it behind you and swing to hit the ball and make shore you blend your knees well you do it.

Answer 4

I know this isnt much of an answer but so do I. What my coach told me to do is to through the ball up first and get the feel. Then you have to try to work on getting your rhythm right.

Answer 5

i used to have the same problem, when i first started playing i had to use a fist. finally i realized that if you just pull your hand back, jump a little and hit it as hard as you can and it will go over.

^^i think standing in place was so much harder! if you serve right handed, toss the ball in the air and step out with your left foot, then hit the ball.

that was a couple years ago, now i run and jump and you get a lot of momentum that way!

Answer 6

When you have practices, try open-handed as much as you can.  Try lifting weights, that works too.  What also might be your problem is your toss.  The perfect spot to hit the ball is  when it is sort of floating above your shoulder (if you're a lefty it should be your left shoulder, right shoulder if you're a righty).  I find that stepping into my serve helps me alot.  Before a game, when you're serving at the opposing team to warm up your serving, try an openhanded serve every few times.  Good luck!! Hope you have a good season.

Answer 7

Ok, so the first thing you have to do is the toss. This is actually the most important part of the serve. You want the toss to go to the top of your other arm extended above you, so, if you are right-handed, you would extend your right hand up, and throw the ball with your left hand up kind of sideways so that is meets your right hand. Then, when you are ready to hit, you take a step with your left foor(if you are right handed) and drag your right foot up naturally.

     Practice getting the ball up to your hand, and then landing in front of your right foot if you are right handed. Now, try to "load" your arm. This is done when, with your arm extended up, you pull your elbow back and keep your palm stretched and hard, and have the palm facing outward. Now your palm is next to your face, your palm facing outward, and your elbow above your shoulder horizontal to your body alignment. *REMEMBER* to keep your body facing foward at all times. Don't open up to the right or left when you hit.

       Now, depending on the type of serve you want to do(floater, fast, deep, short, left, right), you sweep around your elbow, and your forearm and hand follow, and, with your elbow in front, you stop it at about 17 degrees from your body alignment, and bring your forearm to stop with it. You want your arm to POP, and with some practice, your serve will ace. Just remember that on a floater, your entire arm stops once you have hit the ball, and on the rest it goes down vertically to your hip. When serving, remember that your power comes from your abs and the POP, and that if your ball doesn't go over the net, it means you aren't hitting the ball at the highest point of its arc.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

I had the EXACT same serving problem.  Here is what you have to do:

First, toss the ball about three feet above your head, but make sure it goes straight up, because your problem might be when you toss it, you are reaching back too far, and that's why you can only make it over with a fist, because your knuckles have more power than your fingers.

Second, bring your arm back like a bow and arrow, and make sure it is tight, so when you pull it forward and up, it hits the ball with enought force to make it go over the net.  Have on hand in front of the other, and pull that one back, while the other one moves forward.

Third, Hit the ball at it's highest point after you toss it, so it will go higher.  If you want it to float, snap your wrist and the ball will have no spin.  If you want to serve like Jordan Larson, you don't snap your wrist, just make sure your hand doesn't go down all the way, because that will make the ball go straight into the net.  Keep your hand high the whole time!

Then run to base, and Hopefully that answered your question!!

Answer 9

when serving with your hand open try these steps.

-toss the ball with just your left hand (if you are a righty) a good height over your head. the ball should be slightly infront of your body.

-these next steps should happen simultaneously:

-- step towards the ball with your left leg (this will transfer your weight.

--keeping your right elbow high lead through with your arm elbow still leading the way and then extend at the highest point of your reach and contact the ball there.

..ok... now things are sperate.

it will also help if you just get a coach to open up the gym for you, or one of your teammates to help you out in private.

good luck!

Answer 10

work on hitting the ball against the wall wit an open hand, keep your wrist firm. and focus on aiming, this will help alot, it did for me when i first started

Answer 11

dont serve it with your fist. you have to practice with your hand open. fist just makes it go out of control.

COMMON mistakes:

1. throwing the ball behind you.

2. throwing the ball too short

3. not focusing on the ball.

4. no footwork.

5. throwing the ball too low.

6. hitting the ball with fists or the bottom of your hand

7. not following through

8. not snapping your wrist.

9. when you bring your arm back, your arm goes behind your head.

how you know if your doing the mistakes:

1. if you have no power what so ever.

2. the ball hits your arm instead of your hand.

3. the ball goes out.

4. you dont have that extra push to put it over the net.

5. if when you throw it you bring it below your shoulders.

6. the ball goes out ,or really really high.

7. the ball dosent go far.

8. your trying really hard to get power, but you arent getting any.

9. your arm/shoulder hurts and oyu have no power.

how you can fix these mistakes:

1. throw it in front of you. it will feel weird at first

2. throw it higher.

3. 'bounce' the ball before you serve to gain focus on it.

4. talk to your coach and do footwork. if you have no coach, then start with your weight either on your left foot or right foot (which ever feels more comfortable). the foot with the weight on it should be behind the other foot, and the other foot should be pointed toward the net. when your abotu to hit the ball, shift your weight to the oppisite foot. some people take a step before they shift their weight.

5. start by holding the ball at shoulder height. dont go down.

6. practice htting the ball in the center of your palm. personally, i practice when i 'bounce' the ball before i serve.

7. after ball contact, keep your arm moving.

8. when you contact the ball, snap your wrist to give it power.

9. practice keeping your arm to the side of your head.

it takes repitition. practice like crazy!

good luck :]

Answer 12

Do all of the above.  And start at the 10 foot line.  (3 meter line if you prefer.)  Do your serve 5 times from there.  Once you complete 5, take one step back and do it again.  Every time you make a serve, take one step back.  When you get back to the service line, make 5 serves.  Start your practice with this drill until you are comfortable with your serve.  

There are 4 possilbe problems with your serve.  The toss, the stepping with your back foot, the contact with your hand, and your lack of confidence.  The first three are covered in the above answers.  If you do this drill, you will get the confidence you need.  When you look at the net, it looks so far away.  You do not think you can get the ball over.  Since you think that you can not get the ball over, you can not get the ball over.  Once you start getting confidence and believing that you can get the ball over, you will start getting the serve over.

Answer 13

hit the ball with your palm

Answer 14

I serve flathand, and here is what I do.

I throw the ball at and look directly at it. I take back my hand and hit the middle of the ball with the bottom of my hand. You have to have alot of arm power for that serve.