Important Volleyball Hitting Drills
Volleyball hitting drills are a must for anybody who hopes to move from random occasional volleyball shots to becoming a serious contender as a volleyball player.
As with any vigorous physical activity, you should stretch and warm-up before starting your volleyball hitting drills. Similarly, while cooling down at the end of the session also make the time to stretch. This simple rule-of-thumb can go a long way in making you a stronger and more consistent athlete.
Volleyball hitting drills have to focus on the skill that you seek to improve. In volleyball extension, as in full body stretch, counts for a lot. By pushing yourself to keep your knee stretched and by holding your arm out without bending you may be able to gain the few inches that can make a big impact in a game.
The most basic drill you can try involves working with a partner. Throw the ball up for yourself and hit the ball to your partner. Focus on reaching maximum extension and on getting the right snap of the wrist while hitting the ball. While there is another person with you, this is just for the convenience of having somebody toss the ball back – so, at this point your focus is one getting the right form in hitting the volleyball. Make sure that you throw the ball at a sufficient height to make you jump to get the contact. You can also break this exercise up by only doing the reaching and snapping for several rounds and then you can start using the arm swing to get the ball to the other player. As you swing your arm, make sure that you practice the full stretch and extension. Expert coaches point out that the good players get more extension from this simple practice than from jumping higher.
As you feel your skill of reaching and hitting improving you can start to bring both your arms up in the air. This is a good aggressive position for a volleyball player and it is good to get into the habit of this stance while doing your volleyball hitting drills.
Another aspect of volleyball hitting drills should be placement. So you can have a partner throw the ball to you, set-up style, and then you should try and hit the ball to reach four pre-assigned spots on the other side of the net. This will help you learn control while making the hit. As you progress with this drill focus on making your upper body movement minimal so that the other team cannot guess your placement plan from your body angle.
While practicing volleyball hitting drills, you should try for team practice also. You can incorporate footwork and positioning practice into these drills. Try and recreate a game situation by doing this drill with six players. The coach will have to toss the ball over the net to the player in the passer position. The players at the net have to transition out of there and the setter has to penetrate to the net. The setter will have to pass the ball to one of three players in the attack position who will then have to take a good attack shot. This drill allows each player to think in terms of their own placement in relation to other team members. There is also the matter of practicing hitting in a situation that simulates a real game sequence. As part of the drill hitters and the setter should return to defensive positions after making the hit.
By practicing volleyball hitting drills which address form, position, placement and footwork as individuals and as a team you will find a dramatic improvement in your performance as a volleyball player individually and collectively.