3 Exercises To Improve Spike Skills By Hitting With A Faster Armswing

These 3 volleyball drills to improve hitting more balls in the court with a much quicker armswing and an aggressive spike approach to help reach over blockers.

I recommend these three exercises to improve spike skills if your problem is that you have a slow spike approach and a slow arm swing. (photo Erik Drost)

I recommend these three exercises to improve spike skills if your problem is that you have a slow spike approach and a slow arm swing.

First you fneed to speed up the last two steps of your three or four step spike approach in order to

• increase your vertical jump and 
• gather speed in order to create power

These exercises to improve spike approach technique focus on hitting approach speed and review the three step and four step spike approach techniques that create the power for your spiking attacks.⁠

Your hitting or spike approach is a set number of steps, usually a three-step approach or a four-step approach that you make

• to gather the speed
• gain forward momentum

needed to get in the air to make contact with the ball at its highest point. ⁠

Think of it this way, a hitter needs a runway to take off just like an airplane does. 

When an airplane is ready for take off, it makes its approach down the runway to gather speed and velocity so that it can lift itself up in the air.⁠

Well, a player learns to do the same thing, before they can hit a ball and before they begin to initiate their volleyball spike technique. ⁠

Problem: If you find yourself hitting balls out

• because you’re underneath the ball that’s been set to you and 
• if you’re looking for ways to get the most power out of your spike approach jump… this drill could help you solve those to issues.

Hadley works on:

Solution:

👉🏾attacking the last two steps of her spike approach .. while also

👉🏾working on staying behind the ball she bump sets to herself without drifting under it.

1. Bump to yourself then

2. bump set to yourself..

3. take the last two steps of your spike approach… combined with your aggressive well timed armswing.

With your armswing..

👉🏾Keep your elbow high as you reach to hit the ball ..

👉🏾contacting it at the 12 o’clock spot on the ball.

In this version I had Hadley start with her back to the net.. just to make it more challenging.. but you don’t have to do it that way.

Good luck!

Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!

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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. 

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