My setting is horrible. What are some drills for becoming a better setter that I could do on my own?

Question

I'm talking about Beach Volleyball. Is there a difference in technique? What is the technique anyway? I've never played organized ball, just pick-up at the beach.

Answer 1

no i don't THINK that there is a difference in technique for beach volleyball and reg. volleyball. just practice setting ( with a volleyball ) like against a wall or something.  and make sure you have that 'window' right above your forehead. and set with your fingertips, NOT, i repeat, NOT, your palms or any other part of your hands. practice, practice, practice! practice makes perfect! lol i play volleyball and i'm not that good of a setter either, so lol! but hope i helped!

Answer 2

Joel made a great point, a few actually.  The biggest problem I've seen with many setters is that they think it's all about the hands and the arms, but it's not.  Setting is a whole body action.  You have to start with your feet set.  Just like passing and attacking, if you aren't moving your feet to get into good position, you aren't doing your job.  Second, get your shoulders raised and your hands up early (again, it's about getting into position).  When the ball comes to you, you have your arms extended and your hands OPEN.  Make a diamond with your thumbs and forefingers and you should be seeing the ball through that diamond (a window).  Your thumbs and fingers should not be touching but should be close.  Now you're ready to receive the ball.  Have you ever done an egg toss?  When the egg comes in, if you don't accept it softly, it breaks.  Use the same principle with setting.  Accept the ball when it comes to you by bending your elbows and your knees ( your shoulders should still be up) and then reverse the motion of the ball by extending your whole body up and out in the direction in which you wish to set.  When you set, your fingers should be spread, covering as much of the ball as possible for maximum control and minimal spin (however, in outdoors I've known hitters that prefer a slight spin on the set to help control the direction of the ball in wind).  Remember that the set always comes from above the head, not from eye level.  If you find that your sets aren't strong enough -- practice keeping your shoulders up and set against a wall.  Place yourself about 6 inches from the wall and just work on keeping your shoulders up and your hands above your head.  Even though the sets are very soft (only traveling about a foot, round trip), you'll still improve your technique and strength.  Believe me, after about a minute of maintaining your arms above your head you'll feel the strain.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Hey i've played volleyball for years and i think i can help...take a ball up against a wall and get really close to it and then set only about 6'' away really fast it really helps or you can set to yourself while layin on the ground and then try to keep setting to yourself while standing up and then laying back down... its hard but it will get easy and ir really helps too. just remember to make a triangle with your hands close to your head and push out to like a "super man" position. lol!!sounds funny but it works.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

k just lay down on the floor and toss the

ball up and down in a setting mode

i sucked at setting until we were

taught this way

k

ummmmmm

also keep your hands and your spirit high

with your thumb and index finger

make a triangle

it helps a bunch

Answer 5

if you  have and shed or a barn  you can set up on it..... there is a technique and it is too put your index and your thumb figures together and spread them apart on the ball....... if you want you could go to volleyball.com and it will help you learn how to set..

hope my advice work...

your friend,

xox catlover xox

Answer 6

i`m one of the setters on my club team. make sure your hands are shaped like the ball. make sure you take the ball above your forhead and have your hands near your forehead so you don't bend your elbows alot. flick your wrists and not your elbows. if it helps, jump setting helps the ball get more air and not so much spin.

good luck!

Answer 7

Here is a very good drill that you can do by yourself that will definitely improve your game...

While standing (erect), start setting to yourself. Then, slowly, start to lower yourself, and sit on the floor, all without stopping. See if you can go from erect, to sitting, back to erect while continuing to set to yourself. If you can do that twice, you will surely make your team.

Answer 8

scoop the ball and dont throw it too high

hope it works!! thats what my coach said! :)

Answer 9

Yes I am a setter and at first i could not set at all. So what I did was i asked my coach for some tips. She told me to go to the side of my house, get really close and set the ball in baby sets. you know like little ones until you get good at it.

Hope this Works!!

:) Your Friend Cydney!

Answer 10

Always set from forehead level not eye level.... and square up to your target. for actual technique... i set for my school team and we went undefeated in regular season and came first after playoffs for our area... we came second at regionals so we didn't move on to provincials... anyways that aside... when setting keep a good base with your feet about shoulder width apart, and use your knees to help "push" the ball.. like what others have said... make a triangle with your thumbs and forefingers... try and get a feel for the ball by placing your hands on it like how they would be on it when you are setting it.. also try to move your hands as one... that way they get to the same spot at the same time and you can minimize the spin on the ball... like i said earlier set from your forehead not eye level... and the best thing you can do is just to keep practicing... works best with a partner who can keep passing or tossing the ball back to you and also encourage you while you practice

Answer 11

Nobody's mentioned it but there is a little difference in how hands are called at the beach versus hardcourt. In beach your hands can be a little slower, but the ball has to come out very clean. If you watch the olympic beach people they deep dish and do some not so pretty things (carrys) to the hardcourt players eyes, but the hardcourt setters seemingly get away with more doubles to the beach players eyes.

One other practice technique I've seen people do that is easy and you can do it on the couch no less is to rip open a ball and stuff a towel or two in it so that it's much heavier. Tape it up and then just set it a foot or two over your head repeatedly. It builds some muscles and works on muscle memory.