Overhand Serve?

Question

I am an avid volleyball player and I played this year on my high school team. I could occasionally get my overhand serve over, but it's not consistent. To make the team next year, I have to have a consistent overhand serve.

Are there any suggestions as to what I can do to achieve the serve? Techniques? Tricks? Anything will help.

Thank you, I appreciate it.

Answer 1

Just keep practicing as much as i can, mark a space off that is the correct distance behind the net and place something that is the height of the net even if you don't have a court and either hit to someone or against and wall and just practice and try and get it over the net mark because there are no real tricks it's just practice that is necessary

Answer 2

overhand serving is all about the toss!!!!

if that isn't good than your serve really won't be!!!

maybe you can just work on tossing over the summer, its quick, easy, and you can do it almost anywhere by yourself!!!

the more you practice, the better you will be!

Answer 3

Toss, toss, and more tosses.  Practice your toss without hitting the serve.  The biggest problem with overhand serves is the toss.  After you are convinced that your toss is consistent, make sure everything else is consistent.  (I read on another question that the person said you should bounce the ball 3 times every time.  While I am not saying to bounce the ball 3 times, I am saying that if you bounce it, bounce it the same number of times.)  

Practice your serve after you have practiced your toss.  The best way to get a consistent overhand serve is to just practice it.  Even if you can not go to the gym and practice your serve every day, practice your toss every day.

Answer 4

Hey-

To get your over hand serve over. Remeber to make sure that your elbow is above your shoulder. toss the ball in front of you. And swing at a high point. good luck

Answer 5

My suggestion is to throw it up about 2 and a half feet. Make a full circle with your arm movement just as if you were spiking a ball make sure that you hit it with your whole had for more power and it also gives you better direction. Also if you do a jump serve it will be a killer serve if you get it down pat

Good luck w/ tryouts next year

Answer 6

practice and practice!! believe me ! practice every day 2 hours only practice overhand serve! good luck!

Answer 7

Try tossing a volleyball in front of you parallel with a wall. Toss the ball parallel to the wall and make sure you make contact with the ball when it is in arms length. This should strengthen your arm and create more power for when you actually serve.

Answer 8

ok toss the ball with 1 hand not 2....and just pretend the ball is someones head you arent 2 hip about...it might b a lil mean but it totally works

Answer 9

Make sure you're doing your feet correctly.  Take a small step with your left foot and drag your right one.  Reach as high as you can, and follow through on your swing.

Answer 10

Make sure the toss is good that is the key to success.

The thing with your over hand serve is that the toss isn't consistent.

Also work on your timing that's a big part of it

GOOD LUCK!

i hope this helps

Answer 11

I reccomend that when you are getting ready to serve you hold the ball in your none hitting hand in front of you. When you are ready to hit the ball, bring your hitting hand straight back from the ball like drawing a bow and arrow. then toss the ball using the non hitting hand and follow through when you make contact

Answer 12

Try to have the same routine every time its your turn to surve. Dont let the little chants and pressure get to you just be calm and relaxed. That always helps me.

Answer 13

First off, make sure you have a good toss, right infront of you and a little higher than you can actually reach.  I was taught to do it like a bow and arrow...have you arm at an agngle up in the air, keep your eye on the ball and make direct contact to the ball and follow thru straight ahead. its really that simple..and thats all you really need to know.

Answer 14

Here is a good technique I found:

Cues: TOSS - STEP - HIT

    * Stand with shoulders facing the net

    * Hold ball in palm of non-dominant hand at chest level

    * Dominant elbow is held at 90-degrees behind body. Elbow remains at shoulder height or above throughout the entire serving motion.

    * Toss ball up and slightly in front of body.

      (A perfect toss lands just inside of the lead foot, in line with the hitting shoulder).

    * Step toward net with opposite foot

    * Arm is fully extended at point of contact

    * Hand is Ridged - Wrist is Locked

    * Accelerate arm toward ball and contact ball with heel of hand

    * Swing through middle back of ball using a punching motion (no fist)  

Of course you will need to practice, practice, practice!

Also, I found that watching videos of people serving helped me to visualize how I need to properly execute an overhand serve.  You can see some serves here: http://video.google.com/videosearch?um=1...

and here: http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/vid...

Hope that helps!

Answer 15

Practice, practice, practice.

You need to spend some time each day serving overhand.  The more you do it, the stronger your arm will become, and the more consistent your overhand serve will be.  But you can't do it without practicing the overhand serve.  

You will have to practice to find that rhythm that is right for you, too.  The time you take from whistle to serve, if you take steps or not, how and where you contact the ball.  Even your toss needs to be developed.  What works for me may not work for you.  You need to find your own thing and practice it to perfect it.

Good luck!