DRILLS OF VOLLEYBALL
PLANNING PRACTICES
1. Warming up
2. Reviewing previously taught skills
3. Teaching and practicing new skills
4. Practicing under competitive conditions
5. Cooling down
SELECTING DRILLS
Selecting drills is also an
important part of planning
practices. Once you have
decided your objective for
a practice, you must
determine what you wish
to accomplish in each drill.
1. Passing and Setting the Ball
a. Bump the volleyball to yourself. In
volleyball, a bump or forearm pass is
when you pass the ball to another
player. In this case, pass the ball to
yourself. Toss the ball up slightly. Then
as it comes down, get into your passing
position, and bounce the ball off your
forearms so it goes back up. Then get
back into position and pass it back
up.Think of this activity like juggling. Keep
the ball up as long as you can by passing it
to yourself.
• This drill will improve your passing form,
strength, and reaction time.
1. Passing and Setting the Ball
b. Set the ball to yourself. A set,
sometimes called an overhead pass,
sends the ball straight up in the air for
another player to spike. Rather than
hitting the ball with your forearms,
place both hands above your head and
hit the ball straight up with your fingers.
Toss the ball up lightly and set the ball
when it comes down. Do the same
exercise and keep the ball up for as long as
you can with sets.
• Start by hitting the ball straight up. Then
pass it more off to the side so you have
to run to pass it again. This is a physical
workout as well as a passing drill.
1. Passing and Setting the Ball
c. Alternate between passing and setting
to yourself. Once you’ve gotten good at
both types of passes, combine them for an
advanced practice routine. Toss the ball up
and pick a passing type to start with. Then
switch between each pass type, keeping
the ball up for as long as possible.Start by
alternating the passing type each time the ball
comes down. Then start switching at random
times. For example, do 3 forearm passes, then
1 overhead pass. This keeps your body guessing
and improves your reaction time.
• Gradually pass the ball further distances.
Practice covering long distances quickly to
improve your performance in the game.
1. Passing and Setting the Ball
d. Pass the ball at different objects to
improve your accuracy. After you’ve
gotten good at passing to yourself, work
on your accuracy. Pick a specific object or
point. Then toss the ball up and pass it
towards that point. Get as close as
possible to improve your accuracy.[2]Use
both passing types for this exercise to
improve your overall accuracy.
• Get creative with the targets you choose.
Try drawing multiple chalk spots on the
ground and a brick wall. Try to hit each
point one right after the other.
• For very precise passing, try getting the ball
into a garbage can or similar container.
2. Working Against a Wall
a. Make a mark at least 7 feet (2.1 m) high
on a brick wall with no windows. For
practice serving and spiking, find a flat wall
with no windows so you won’t break
anything. Regulation height for volleyball
nets ranges from 7 feet (2.1 m) for youth
leagues to 7 ft. 11 5/8 inches (2.43 meters)
for adult men. If you know the exact height of
the net you use, draw a chalk line at that
height. Otherwise, make the line at least 7
feet (2.1 m) high to practice hitting over the
net.[3]The wall on a handball court works well for
this exercise if you live near a park with a
handball court.
• Stand 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m) away from the
wall whenever you’re about to serve, pass, or
spike against the wall.
2. Working Against a Wall
b. Serve the volleyball against the
wall. Stand 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m)
away from the wall and get into your
serve position. Then toss the ball up
and serve it towards the wall. Aim to
get it over the line that you drew so you
know that your serve would’ve gone
over the net.Work on your serving aim by
picking a specific spot on the wall to aim
for. Draw a circle on that spot if you need
help visualizing it.
• There are multiple serve types, like over
and underhanded. Practice them all
against the wall.
2. Working Against a Wall
c. Volley against the wall. After
you’ve gotten used to serving against
the wall, start hitting the ball back.
Serve and chase the ball down before
it lands, just like if you were playing a
game. Hit the ball back at the wall as if
you were hitting it over a net. Keep
this volley going as long as you can.
Focus on getting the ball over the line you
drew, but don’t stop if some of your hits
are too low. Just try to keep the ball up as
long as possible. This trains your reaction
time and physical conditioning.
2. Working Against a Wall
d. Spike the ball against the
wall. While spiking usually requires a
setup from a teammate, you can still
go through the motions and spike the
ball towards the wall. Toss the ball up
in front of you. Then go through your
spiking setup. When the ball falls
down to you, spike it against the wall.
Try to get your spikes over the line you
drew so they will clear the net in a real
game.
• Work on your accuracy by aiming at
different points along the wall. Spike
the ball as close to them as you can.
2. Working Against a Wall
e. Do a solo pepper drill. In volleyball,
peppering is a drill where 2 players pass
the ball to each other. With the wall, you
can do the routine by yourself. Start by
serving the ball against the wall. When it
bounces back to you, bump it to another
location. Then get under the ball and set
it. Finally, hit the ball against the wall.
After serving, repeat this drill as many times
as you can without the ball hitting the
ground: bump, set, hit.
• If you have trouble doing this all at once,
start smaller. Serve the ball and then catch
it when it bounces back. Then bounce it up
and catch it. Work your way up to doing
the whole drill.
2. Working Against a Wall
f.
Practice
blocking
against
the
wall. Besides hitting the ball, blocking is
another fundamental volleyball skill. Stand 1
foot (0.30 m) away from the wall with your
hands extended up. Then bend your knees
and do a vertical jump as high as you can.
When you reach your highest point, push
your hands forward as if you were blocking
a volleyball. Get your hands at least as high as
the line you drew so you can block a ball going
over a real net.
• Challenge yourself by trying to reach higher
areas of the wall. Set a point and do a vertical
leap. Reach your hands up to try and reach it.
HEALTHY SAFETY GUIDELINES
Safe Volleyball Gear
Use the right gear:
• Knee pads to protect the knees when sliding or falling.
• Padded shorts to protect the hips when diving for a ball.
• Other pads and braces such as elbow or forearm pads, ankle or wrist
braces, or thumb splints.
• Volleyball shoes for good traction on gym floors and extra padding for
comfort.
• Mouthguards to protect the teeth, lips, cheeks, and tongue.
• Prescription goggles for players who wear glasses and shatterproof
sunglasses when playing outside.
• Athletic supporters for guys and sports bras for girls for support and
comfort.
HEALTHY SAFETY GUIDELINES
To prevent injuries during training, players should:
• Be in good shape before playing volleyball.
• Always warm up and stretch before practice and matches.
• Use proper technique.
• Stop training if you get injured or feel pain. You need to get checked
by an athletic trainer, coach, doctor, or nurse before going back on
the court.
• Play different sports throughout the year to prevent overuse
injuries.