The Dig and Dive Volleyball Digging Using The Sprawl And The Extension

The "sprawl" and the "extension" are two advanced dig and dive volleyball skills where you take one step while lowering your body to the floor before digging.

In advanced volleyball ball dig defense training my coaches and I spend many hours on digging practice drills teaching the sprawl, the extension
the barrel roll.

In advanced dig and dive volleyball defense training my coaches and I spend many hours on digging practice drills teaching the sprawl, the extension the barrel roll.

In advanced volleyball defense training my coaches and I spend many hours on digging practice drills teaching things like..

the sprawl
the extension
the barrel roll

Dig and Dive Volleyball
How Does A No Step Sprawl Help You Dig in Volleyball?

Dig and Dive Volleyball Using The No Step Sprawl Technique

This requires a digger to quickly sink their hips below the level of the ball once the ball has been hit at them so they can position their angled platform directly underneath the path of the oncoming ball and control the ball up into the air.

The sprawl is a quick way to drop to the ground faster than an oncoming ball in a way to get your defensive platform arms underneath the ball to deflect it back up in the air before the ball hits the floor.

Use the sprawl when you don't have time to take a step to a ball before digging it because its dropping very quickly to the floor.

Dig and Dive Volleyball
How Does A One Step Extension Help You Dig in Volleyball?

Dig and Dive Volleyball Using The One Step Extension

Using the extension digging technique requires a digger to take one or two steps to get closer to the ball before digging it.

Usually players will use an extension technique if they need to hit the ground after deflecting the ball in the air because they are off balance after digging the ball.

This way they can quickly get back up unhurt and continue playing.

We teach the one step extension digging method for balls that fall to the right or the left of a player in defense.

You take one big step towards the ball while lowering yourself to the floor so you can get one arm under the ball to deflect it back up before it hits the ground.

If the ball is falling to the right side of your body

you take a giant step with your right foot
lowering yourself to the ground while your left hand is placed on the ground to help you lower your body
your right arm extends under the ball with a closed fist turned sideways that helps deflect the ball back into the air high enough for a second player to get to the ball to make a play.

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Follow me on Instagram @coach_apchap to improve your game even faster!

I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list.

Defense is an attitude!
Watch Japan dig after dig, amazing volleyball defense!

Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out more of my volleyball passing articles by clicking one of the links below! (April Chapple)

Volleyball Training:
Where To Go From Here

Alright, alright, alright! Time to study something something. You still have those three options:

Let's learn more about defense, digging and how to defend your court by exploring the Related Links below.
Or you can choose the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started.