What can i do to improve my overhand serve?

Question

i can serve the ball underhand perfectly but when i serve it overhand im a little short. what can i do to improve my serve?

Answer 1

you pro need a high toss....wear a hat while you are praticing your serve....trust me it will work....it will take time ...cause you can be really strong...but that doesn't mean the ball will get over it takes practice....serve the ball and stop.....look at where your hand finishes...cause remeber were every you hand aims that were the ball will go.....

Answer 2

I'm so glad you're perservering, it is such a good skill to have! Here are some tips that might improve your technique so you get it over the net:

1. TAKE YOUR TIME

The official rule is that you have 8 seconds to perform your serve. This is actually an eternity. Rushing your serve will only s***w up your routine, and cause you to lose serve and lose the point! So wait for the whistle!

2. CREATE A ROUTINE

Your routine is perhaps the most important aspect of your “pre-serve”.Decide how many bounces, slaps, etc. you will do before going into the serving motions.This will give you some familiarity and make your serve consistent.

This also includes knowing how far you are from the service line (“serves go over, feet don’t!”)

3. CHOOSE YOUR VICTIM

Picking a target on the floor will keep you from serving “out”.

Avoid good back row players, such as the libero as your victim. Find a possible hole on the floor (ex. in the middle of a cup formation)

4. THE TOSS

This is the most important aspect of the actual serve.

Bring the ball in both hands in front of your body.

Toss with both hands and do not toss between your legs!

5. FANCY FOOTWORK

Stand so that your feet are about shoulder width apart, with your foot the same side as your hitting arm slightly ahead of the opposite foot. Check: Are your feet/body facing your victim? Are your feet far enough from the service line?

6.THE TOSS CONTINUEDThrow the ball about 4 feet to double your height. Toss straight up- too far ahead/behind will throw off your serve.

7. CONTACTING THE BALL

Lead with your elbow.

Make solid contact on the top of the ball.

Don’t poke the ball-put some muscle into it!

NEVER, EVER fist the ball. Cast your palm as open as possible for the most surface area.

While contacting the ball, step with the foot opposite your hitting arm.

8. BODY MOVEMENTS

This will give you the most balance and propel your body.

Pull your non-hitting arm down, and let your hips twist when you hit the ball.

9. FOLLOW THROUGH

After hitting the ball, snap your wrist.

This will give you the top spin you want to make your serve difficult to receive. Drag your foot -the same side as your hitting arm-because you cannot take 2 steps.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

you have to keep trying to hit it as hard as you can. practice spiking(its the same concept). you need to get arm strength so lift weights(light ones)

Answer 4

Make sure that your tossing the ball up high enough. Don't through it up to high though cuz for some reason that messes the serve up. I used to be exactly like you. Now I can serve a whole game, without one problem! Also make sure your remeber to step. I used to forget to step and that made it so it was a little short. Make sure that your putting all the force you can into your serve. Think that your mad at someone and could punch that person that your "mad" at. Good Luck with your overhand serving

Answer 5

OK, I am just going to give you the steps for an over hand serve so that it will no be confusing.

Take the ball in your non-hitting hand when you are balanced throw the ball up just high enough so that when your hitting hand goes to it it will meet it exactly. Now when you come into contact with the ball your back leg should move forward to give more power. If there is still some distance in between the ball and the net try striking the ball with the bottom part of your hand it is not a preferred move but it should push it over just enough.  

Hopes this helps! luck!

Answer 6

The best way to improve your overhand serve is to control your toss. By that I mean if your toss is really high it gives you a higher chance of making an error on your contact. So here is what I would do:

1. Make your toss as low as possible, not so low that you can't hit the ball comfortably above your head but low as in maybe a 2 feet in the air above your head.

2. When you toss the ball you want to have it tossed in front of your hitting arm, not in directly centered in front of your body.

3. Make sure that when you swing through the ball (when you are actually serving) that you try to minimize the movement of your body. ex: you should be able to serve in your serving stance (non dominant foot about 2 feet in front of your dominant foot) and not move at all from that stance. Other than the swinging of the arm and some core movement there should be little to no movement of the rest of the body.

Try that I hope it helps.

Answer 7

just practice against a wall to get more power

Answer 8

its not how strong you are its how you serve it. the form

ok what you want to do is stuffen your hand. make it hard so that if someone hits your hand then it doesnt flop. make sure that you toss with the opposite hand that you write with. toss it up in the air but dont toss it too high. have your hitting hand up along with the ball...so it doesnt take that  much time to raise your hand when serving if its by your side. so keep the hand stiff and serve straight..dont tilt your hand or it will go to the side. but hit the ball right in the center but make sure you hit it when its above your head and not almost to your face or you will be tempted to move your hand under and hit it up.. that wont do anything but mess you up. and it wont even go over the net.

Answer 9

you have the same problem that i have

the problem maybe that ur throwing the ball too high

when you do so ur serve goes higher not farther

practice throwing the ball a little lower (at the highest a little above ur head not too much)

Once u get the hang of this all of ur energy will be put into getting the ball over and fast contrary to high and soft

Answer 10

Well first of all... you need to no what you are doing wrong! Like if you are throwing the ball to high practice throwing a ball up and down and you will get better at it! The second thing maybe that you are not using enough power when you hit it. Try just hitting the ball at home! You will soon get better! And the third thing is that you might be holding it wrong. Just keep trying and you will get those over hand serves right! Maybe ask your coach what the problem is or start going to volleyball clinics! I do over head serves and they are easy just keep on practicing!