Volleyball: serving overhand?

Question

Please help me!!!! I have to serve overhand!!! When I serve, i know my toss is a bit off, but it's better than last year. When I serve, It goes into the top of the net. When i tried hitting it with my fist (my friend did this and she got it over) it went in a totally different direction. I don't know if its just that i don't have enough power--if so what should i do to get some more strength/power?--or if its something else. I also read online about keeping your left foot back (I'm a righty) and as you toss it step forward, getting for force into the serve. Unfortunately, I have no idea how that works, so can anyone explain that to me?

Basically, I need lots of advice on how to serve overhand. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

its all in toss of the ball if you toss it right you dont have to hit it that hard and it will go over and when u go to hit step forward with your left foot.

Answer 2

For 2 years I tried everything to try and serve overhand.  I never could.  

This year since I am in high school, we have waaay better coaches and players.  

The first day at practice a 6'3" senior taught me how to serve overhand.

I still don't have a lot of power but i can get it over.

I stand as close to the line as I can without stepping over with my left foot forward and my right foot back.(now I do, but when I couldn't get it over at all, I started close and worked my way back)

It's kind of like a bow and arrow.

Hold the ball in your left hand with your arm extended all the way out, and pull your right arm back by your ear.  keep your right hand the same way it would be when you hit it.

Then toss the ball up and swing as hard as you can.  Make contact with the palm of your hand.

Keep trying and eventually you will get it.  It took me about 2 weeks of practices to get 6/10 serves over and in the place I was aiming for.  

Since I still don't serve really hard, I aim for a 4.

Most people serve a 5 or a 1.

Hope I helped!

Good Luck!!

Answer 3

When you serve overhand, the lower part of your hand gives the power to the serve and the forward direction.  Use your fingers to guide the ball down a bit so it doesn't go out of bounds.  You don't have to kill the ball every time.  Just place it where they aren't.  Stepping as you serve will give you power, just like when you throw a baseball.  I am not an expert, but I know your hitting hand is important to guide the ball.  If you are hitting into the net, hit the ball with  the base of your hand in an upwards direction.

Answer 4

Do not hit it with your fist.  You may get more power, but you have no control.  It will not help to get it over the net and then hit it out.  

Do not keep your left foot back as a righty.  You keep your right foot back.  If you insist on taking a step, you should take a little one with your left foot.  PLANT your right foot.  Push hard off your right foot.  Do not move your right foot.  

Practice your toss.  Do 10 and take a 1 minute break.  Do 10 and take a 1 minute break.  Do at least 100 tosses without hitting the ball.  

Start at the 10 foot line and get your serve over 5 times.  Take one step back and get 5 over.  Keep doing this until you get back to the service line.

You just need to get some positive things with your serve.  It could be that since you do not believe that you could get the serve over, you can not get the serve over.  You have to convince your brain that you can get the serve over.

Answer 5

ok.   well first off try stepping into the ball you can get more power that way and also remember to swing your hand fast and hard. try not to swing all the way through,  though. hope this works!!!!!

Answer 6

I used to like overhand serve and I always used it except in a rare instance.  I always used my entire hand to hit the ball and it felt like my hand cupped the ball closely and I had very good control as to where it landed to the point most of my serves scored points.  I hardly ever had the problem of not going over the net.  Using the fist did not give me as much control, even though it seemd to have landed with more force on the other side.

For a female using the entire hand may be a little too tough to hit it with a lot of force.  You can try folding your fingers conveniently to form a cup and hit it to see if you feel comfortable, if the ball goes any faster and with more force.  Be careful not to hit the ball with your folded fingers, which can injure you, just the palm-particularly the bottom part where there is more flesh.  If you carefully experiment with your feet you can find out which foot forward and where will give the best power.  As to hitting the net, you must conscientiously attempt to hit it at a little higher angle, not too much though.  Practicing by yourself will allow you to condition yourself and your hand liesurely without the pressure of the game.  Experiment and find out what configuration of your hand will give you best force and confort. Daily for 10 minutes or so, at a selected confortable time point during the day, sit down with the eyes closed and meditate or contemplate and visualize that you are doing it right every time you hit the ball.  It appears to me that your problem is as much of the attitude, confidence and anticipation as it is physical; in other words, it is a mind thing also and I think you can do it when you program your mind ahead of every game and every private practice.  Patient practice and persistance pays off.  Good Luck.