Digging Volleyball Tip
Use Forearms To Keep Attack Hits Off The Floor 

The digging volleyball skill is used by diggers who use their forearms to create a platform to deflect an attack hit in the air to keep it off the court floor. 

What is the definition of a dig in volleyball?

The dig is a digging volleyball skill

• used by a player in defense to
• keep the ball off the team's court floor
• using their forearms to deflect the ball back in the air 

once it has been attacked by an opposing team's hitter into your court.

The action of digging a ball is modeled after shoveling or digging something out of the ground with a shovel.

By digging a ball, a player is keeping it from

• hitting the ground so the opposing team scores
• creates an opportunity for your team to counterattack and run an offense in an attempt to score during a rally 

To dig the volleyball you need to know where to stand in the court.

You can't dig what you can't see. 

So, you need to place yourself in a ready position in volleyball where you can watch the opposing hitter hit the ball into your court.

To dig a volleyball, its your job to place yourself in the path of the oncoming ball that's been hit by an opposing team's hitter. 

In order to do that (depending on the defense your team is running) you need to stand outside of the block where you can see the hitter hit the ball. 

That means you need to be standing outside of the shadow of your blockers but in the path of the oncoming ball. 

Digging volleyball attack hits how does it work? 

At the same time, you present your platform in front of you, you block the path of the ball so it contacts your forearms and is deflected up in the air towards the middle of your court close to your team's ten foot line. 

Lower your hips before you dig

Just before you dig a ball, you lower your hips so they are below the level of the oncoming ball.

When your hips are lower than the ball when you dig the ball ...it will go up in the air.  

If your hips are too high then you have less control of the ball and the ball will shoot straight out instead of up in the air.

When you dig a ball it needs to go up in the air so the setter or another teammate can get to it to make a play. 

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. 

Okay here's where you need to go now! There are three options: 

1. Learn more about Digging Volleyball Skills and Defense by clicking the Related Links below. .
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
3. 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. 
4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss O.I Gotchu the Octopus wearing the #8 jersey below.  Miss O.I. is the libero for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
 ›
2. Volleyball Tutorial How To Dig In Volleyball A Step By Step Guide  ›
3. Digging Volleyball Tip Use Forearms To Keep Attack Hits Off The Floor
 ›

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