Volleyball Jump Serve and Hit Approach!!!?

Question

Hey everyone!

I wanted to join a local team or club or something, and I was wondering if you guys could help me out! I can get my normal overhand serve over 9 out of 10 times when I am practicing, but I have trouble getting the power needed when I am in games. I think I get too nervous, you know, all the pressure on me? So, I was thinking that a jump serve would help give me more power. What do you think? Do you have any tips/instructions/advice you could give me? Videos would be great too!

As for the hit approach, I can usually hit it while I am in the air, but it doesn't have much power cause I usually just jump right underneath the ball instead of doing a complete approach. Any tips/instructions/advice? Again, videos!!!

Also, I don't know what position to try for. What do I need to practice for each position to get good enough? I was thinking back row because my hit approach and block aren't very good. Can I be a back row setter? Just curious. Pleeaaassseee help me!!!!! Thanks!!!!!

Answer 1

These are the best volleyball videos you can find.

http://www.fivb.org/en/technical/worldch...

They show the world's top international players executing various skills. Watch the serving clips at least.

You said that you are having trouble getting the serving power you need in games. This may sound stupid, but when you are practicing serving, try to always serve your best like you are in a match. It is very easy to lose focus when you are serving 100+ balls.

For the jump-serve: Hand contact is very very important. It is easy to swing your arm where you want the ball to go, but it will only go there with good contact. Practice hitting the ball with topspin against the floor by a wall, and let it rebound off the floor then wall back to you.

Once you get better at this you can try to do it consecutively. This is a very simple way to practice hand contact, but it gives you lots of repetitions in a short amount of time.

The other key to good jump serving is a consistent toss. Make sure you toss with your hitting hand to keep the ball in line with your arm. Toss height and distance forward varies from athlete to athlete. What is important is that you try to make your tosses all the same.

2 tips- 1. Get extra topspin by snapping your wrist when you toss. 2. Many high level jump serves are done with a very high toss. Watch vids.

Basically work on your contact for accuracy, and work on your toss which is basically you setting yourself.  

As for your position, I think you will have a hard time becoming a setter if you have not played much before. Try middle front if you can jump or are tall. Otherwise go for outside hitter or defensive specialist.

Good luck, work hard, focus on mechanics when you practice

Answer 2

Serving is as much mental as it is physical.  If you have problems concentrating, practice it the same way everytime with the same pace etc.  If you practice calmly and confidently, you will serve that way.  Also, if you feel like you are having problems with strength, weight lifting is a great way to cut that problem out.  If you want to try a jump serve, try starting with a jump float.  It's much easier than a jump topspin and is what I start people at.  Start in a normal serving stance (I call it bow and arrow) and many beginners prefer to toss with 2 hands, thats fine.  Toss the ball slightly in front of you and take the last two steps of an approach (right left if your a righty), hop and contact the ball.  Try starting at the 3 M line (10 ft line) and work your way back toward the end line as your serves go over.  Scott Koskie is a great example of a jump float server!  Any videos you can find of him would be great to study, I'll include a few.  

If the coach has offered to give you lessons, take them and see what she feels you would be good at.  It'll be easier for you to learn one position at a time since you're a late starter.  As for setting, if that's what you would like to do, go for it!  However, there is an extreme amount of stress on setters at the collegiate level and being a new player, it might be more difficult for you to make the necessary calls and decisions required to play this position.  

If you really want to play collegiate volleyball...go for it.  Erica Lott (currently a senior at BYU) never touched a volleyball before she was recruited and redshirted as a freshman.  It is possible, but you will have to put in more work than those you will be competing against.

www.vballclips.com

Answer 3

youtube.com/ncvc14s

hitting- you should have a 4 step approach- right left, right left for righties, the opposite for lefties. make sure you swing your arms back behind you. this gives you momentum. you should start your approach right as the ball gets into the setters hands. right left, right left. as you step you should be swinging your arms back. on t he last step, swing your arms in front of you, the left in front to spot the ball, the right back like throwing a football. then just swing through and snap your wrist with your right hand. itll take a while to get used to it. (lefties do the opposite.

jump serve- this will be a lil difficult at first, but once you get enough reps in, youll get the hang of it. for a jump float serve, stand just like you would in a regular standing serve. hold the ball in your left hand, right arm up and back. left foot in front. then, right left, toss, right left, jump and swing through the ball. you dont need to swing your arms back for this serve. this ist meant to have a lot of power. and DONT SNAP YOUR WRIST. this is a float serve. float serves dont have top spin and can float side to side, up and down if you hit the ball right, which makes it extremely difficult for passers.

Answer 4

mmkay. Here goes.

A jump serve is actually harder to get than a regular serve, which is why you hardly see anyone do a jump serve (even in college games, only 3 or 4 players usually do). To get the power you need, perhaps try imagining that the ball is the head of an ex. It works every time.

Now, positions.

In most systems (4-2s, 6-2s, 5-1s,) everyone, except for the libero/setter is a hitter at one point. So, hopefully you're fairly good at setting/digging, because liberos and setters have hard jobs.

I would first try a YMCA/YWCA league before the school one, just to get experience in a relaxed atmosphere.