I suck at serving overhand in volleyball, advice?

Question

tryouts, are in a couple weeks, & i still dont noe how to overhand serve, yea i dont think its much of the skill, i think i jus have really weak arms. any advice on what i could do to improve in a couple weeks.

Answer 1

it's probably not your weak arms, its probably just your approach. start with your legs together, rather than spread apart. and as you hit the ball, take a step. if your right handed, step with your right food and vice versa. make sure you have a high enough toss, and as you contact the ball with an OPEN HAND, snap your wrist a little so that you dont have a wild serve, itll just snap down on the opposite side.

Answer 2

here are some tips:

1. dont use a closed fist, use a strong open hand.

2. give yourself a nice high toss. but make sure its not in front of you or behind you or so high you have to reach for it or so low you have to move your arm down for it.

3. follow through make sure your arm does like a circle kinda.

Answer 3

Overhand serving is really essential. Here's the proper technique:

1. TAKE YOUR TIME

The official rule is that you have 8 seconds to perform your serve. This is actually an eternity. Rushing your serve will only s***w up your routine, and cause you to lose serve and lose the point! So wait for the whistle!

2. CREATE A ROUTINE

Your routine is perhaps the most important aspect of your “pre-serve”.Decide how many bounces, slaps, etc. you will do before going into the serving motions.This will give you some familiarity and make your serve consistent.

This also includes knowing how far you are from the service line (“serves go over, feet don’t!”)

3. CHOOSE YOUR VICTIM

Picking a target on the floor will keep you from serving “out”.

Avoid good back row players, such as the libero as your victim. Find a possible hole on the floor (ex. in the middle of a cup formation)

4. THE TOSS

This is the most important aspect of the actual serve.

Bring the ball in both hands in front of your body.

Toss with both hands and do not toss between your legs!

5. FANCY FOOTWORK

Stand so that your feet are about shoulder width apart, with your foot the same side as your hitting arm slightly ahead of the opposite foot. Check: Are your feet/body facing your victim? Are your feet far enough from the service line?

6.THE TOSS CONTINUEDThrow the ball about 4 feet to double your height. Toss straight up- too far ahead/behind will throw off your serve.

7. CONTACTING THE BALL

Lead with your elbow.

Make solid contact on the top of the ball.

Don’t poke the ball-put some muscle into it!

NEVER, EVER fist the ball. Cast your palm as open as possible for the most surface area.

While contacting the ball, step with the foot opposite your hitting arm.

8. BODY MOVEMENTS

This will give you the most balance and propel your body.

Pull your non-hitting arm down, and let your hips twist when you hit the ball.

9. FOLLOW THROUGH

After hitting the ball, snap your wrist.

This will give you the top spin you want to make your serve difficult to receive. Drag your foot -the same side as your hitting arm-because you cannot take 2 steps.

I'd also advise starting close, in a practice settting, and working your way back behind the line, to built up arm strength,

Answer 4

it's all in the toss.  make sure you that you find a consistent toss that you can work with.

i toss it with my right arm in front of me with backspin and i hit it much like a spike.

BEND YOUR WRIST as you hit the ball and hit it with your lower palm but curl your fingers around the ball with the impact.  this will drop the ball, but don't hit it too low or it will hit the net.

what else can i say besides PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

Answer 5

I love doing overhand serves..Best thing when practicing is to have a really good volleyball position. Foot in front of the other with the front knee slightly bent. A good tip for tossing the ball is to make sure the ball lands in the distance between your front foot and your back foot. That shows that the ball is good to hit.

2. Don't have a closed fist while doing overhand serves. That makes the ball go out of control..Open palm and hit with the meaty part of your palm.

3. Your approach is the most important thing in volleyball. Don't be doubtful on whether the ball is going to make it over the net. Just be relaxed and confident. Don't toss the ball to high or else the ball is going to not make it over the net. Just a little above your head and with a good swing, you're good to go.

Just practice practice practice. Even if you have weak arms, you can still do overhand serves with the tips mentioned above. It's all about the technique and approach.

Good luck and hope your make the team!

Answer 6

to do a good overhead serve has often nothing to do with your strengh or weakness. it´s rather a matter of technic and practise.

I am sure, that you´ll succeed when you practise the next couple of weeks.

inthis.heart gave you the advice to make a step forward (right hand, right food). i do not agree. it´s right that you have more power 1. when you make a step and 2. when you use the same arm and the same food.

But the disadvantage is, that your serve is more inaccurate and insecure.

If it is only a lack of power. try it, but to do an technical correct service it would not be the best way.

(i know what i am talking about because i switched from this misbehaviour some time ago. It was hard and i liked the way inthis.heart described, but to change was a good think for me)

My advice would be:

look for a stable position. feet slightly apart. left a bit in front of you(when you use your right hand).

take the volleyball in both hands and throw it in the air... (thats not so easy).- it have to be a bit in front of you over your head but in front of you.

to locate the position of the ball, where you have to hit it. use your left arm. outstretch it and hit it with your right arm.

when you throw the ball into the air use your left again to aim and then hit the ball with your right.

take care that you have a good body tension and a straight steady arm and hand. your fingers should be spread.

the power comes from your arm movement. try not to change the ankle of your body..

a good curve of your smashing arm is important.

i am sorry, that my english is not so good, but i hope that you´ll succeed in the tryouts.

good luck.

and keep on going... volleyball is fun!

Answer 7

i know coaches will always tell you to throw the ball nice and high but, WRONG.  the higher you throw the ball the more time you have to think about it and more places you could hit the ball rong. so through kind of low and pretend the ball is your siblings head (always works for me). also if your right handed start with your left foot in front  and as soon as you through up the ball take a step with your right foot than hit that ball, if your left handed vice versa.  if you want to put some spin on the ball follow through but if you want to hit a floater (harder to pass and will imperess coaches) instead of following through when you hit the ball stop your hand when it is out strait in front of your head. also remember to hit the ball with a big hand make your  hand as spread out as it can go and as flat as it can go. well good luck at try outs hope i helped.

Answer 8

Alot of people close their hand into a fist when serving, this is not the best way. Use the bottom right part of your open hand, basically your lower palm instead of trying to use a closed fist.

Answer 9

If you think you have weak arm then do this drill and it'll help you get the strength.  Have someone stand 20 feet away from you.  Throw the ball like you're pitching a baseball. You can put your left arm up[right if you're a lefty]  then throw the ball and step forward with your left leg[or right] at the same time.  It'll look like a windmill movement.  Then after 25 good throws both you and the person step back 3 big step then you do 25 more throws.  After that you can serve and see if it helped.  Good luck :]