Volleyball Blocking: Angle of arms/hands?

Question

I'm a right outside hitter and play in a BB league. Since I'm a right outside I face the other team's strong side hitter. My block keeps getting tooled. I get good contact but usually bounces oddly off my arms (not my palms).

Part of my problem is I'm not angling my arms/hands when I penetrate the other side of the net. Since it's my job to set the position of the block with my feet (and my middle blocker slides to my hip to close the block) at what angle do I extend my arms and hands? I'm assuming I will square up to the hitter as I watch him approach the net.

Do I angle towards the middle of the court? Angle both arms and palms? If I angle towards the middle though won't the hitter just bang off my right arm and go down the line?

Answer 1

mmmk, first you need yo make sure your inside hand is lined up with the ball, and yes, you angle your arms toward the middle of the court. As long as you keep your arms strong,

she cant hit line. But yeah, you definitely need to angle hands and arms to te middle because its embarrassing to have it bounce of the block and go out...

Answer 2

Good question, one reason why you keep getting tooled (i think) is because you're reaching up with your arms instead of across the net. try and penetrate when you block and get your entire hand over the net. Second, you want to angle yourself towards the middle, but not too much, and turn your right hand in at about a 45 degree angle towards the center of the court, and keep your left hand pointed straight ahead.

I always find it easiest to start the game giving the hitter a little bit of line, until he/she decides to start swinging down the line. this helps to prevent getting tooled and getting more solid blocks, as you don't have to think as much about getting out there as taking away your section of the court with your block(unless he/she is a lefty, in which you should be giving no line at all)

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

ok. angle to the middle. Also try getting a little bit more out side so that you can get a better angle in.

You just have to rely on your middle block to be there to close up that gap. But you need to talk to them about that.