Improve Volleyball Skills Using Drills Focusing on the 6 Basic Skills

To improve volleyball skills like passing, serving, setting, hitting, digging and blocking here are several drill ideas for each one to learn to play better

The 6 volleyball skills are passing, serving, setting, hitting, digging and blocking and are volleyball techniques you learn to play on varsity. (Ralph Aversen)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: The 6 volleyball skills are passing, serving, setting, hitting, digging and blocking and are volleyball techniques you learn to play on varsity. (Ralph Aversen)

Are you ready to learn how to improve volleyball skills needed to play on your varsity team?  

In short they are

These are the six most basic skills of volleyball a competitive middle or high school Vegas player needs to learn in order to make their high school team.


I'm going to talk briefly about each skill on this page so you can then explore the other larger sections I've created that break down every part of each of these skills in order to help you learn how to do each one properly. #Yourewelcome!


Let's start with serving...


How To Improve Volleyball Skills
What You Need To Know About Serving

The serve is the one volleyball skill you do all by yourself without the assistance of another player to help score a point for your team. (Ralph Aversen)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: The serve is the one volleyball skill you do all by yourself without the assistance of another player to help score a point for your team. (Ralph Aversen)


Serving... is the first opportunity a player has.. to score a point... without the help of any teammates... which is why you should get really good at doing this skill.

Great job Toni

Wonder why we sweat in our classes? Because we work hard!💪🏾💪🏾


Players improve their volleyball serving skills in my semi-private training and boot camp classes.


What's The Let Serve in Volleyball And More Serving Questions Answered⁠


Learn important volleyball service rules and answers to basic let serve questions about what's legal when serving a ball from behind the service line.⁠

What's a "let" serve in volleyball?⁠

The old rules were that when a server served a ball which nicked or touched the top of the net...


How To Improve Volleyball Skills  
 What is Passing in Volleyball?

6 Volleyball Skills: Passing Serving Setting Hitting Blocking Digging: In high school volleyball the ability to serve receive the serve also known as "passing a ball" (Keith Allison)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: In high school volleyball the ability to serve receive the serve also known as "passing a ball" (Matt Duboff)


In high school volleyball the ability to serve receive the serve also known as "passing a ball" from an opponent's serve to your setter is one of the most important volleyball skills to learn in order to play competitive indoor or sand volleyball games and tournaments.

Why? Basically because  if you can't pass then you can't play.



Passing is done when you hold both wrists together and with both thumbs side by side and pointing to the ground as you contact the ball on the  forearms of both arms.

Keeping your thumbs pointed to the ground, keeps your arms straight.


Your forearms, commonly known as "your platform", should be angled towards the target you plan on passing the ball to. 

These 3 volleyball passing tips will help improve volleyball skills for passing and will make a differene on how well you'll get the ball to the target


1. Keep your arms together without breaking them apart during the pass

2. Keep your feet on the ground when bumping the ball

3. Move your feet quickly to get to the ball


No matter how hard or easy the serve...keep your arms together when you pass a volleyball.


Fight to maintain good volleyball passing skill and technique. I'm guilty of committing this error when I know its an easy pass or free ball.


You have to fight the temptation of breaking your arms apart and keep them together especially when you are passing on the move.


That's why it's important to get stopped then use the correct technique.


Don't be lazy just because it seems like an easy pass to make.



How To Improve Volleyball Skills 
What is Setting?

Longhorns Texas setter about to set a volleyball to her middle hitter. (Ralph Aversen)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: Longhorns Texas setter about to set a volleyball to her middle hitter. (Ralph Aversen)


To set a volleyball means you contact the ball over your head using widespread open fingers to transfer the ball to a teammate or over the net. 

To Improve Volleyball Skills For Setting Check These Drills Out


  • Right hand jump set a two to yourself
  • Left hand jump set a two set to yourself
  • Jump set a four set to your partner

Repeat and have fun

  • Think outside the box! Be creative with your ball control drills.

You can do this at home against a wall.


Can you do this?

Try a one handed set ... set yourself a two ball.. then hit to your partner. ( Watch out Carm😂)

In Breakfast Club Working on keeping elbow high and swinging fast .. while still controlling the ball to your target.
Too easy? Then.. add the last two steps of your approach jump before hitting to your partner 💪🏾😂💪🏾😂💪🏾
Dm me and show me what you got😎💪🏾.




How To Improve Volleyball Skills 
What is Spiking in Volleyball

Spiking the ball describes what happens when a volleyball player delivers a high speed attack using a powerful armswing and a three or four step spike approach. (Al Case)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: Spiking the ball describes what happens when a volleyball player delivers a high speed attack using a powerful armswing and a three or four step spike approach. (Al Case)


Spiking the ball describes what happens when a volleyball player delivers a high speed attack using a powerful armswing and a three or four step spike approach. 


These volleyball hitting spike approach tips explain the three step and four step spike approach techniques which create the power for your hitting attacks.⁠

The volleyball spike approach is a set number of steps, usually a three-step approach or a four-step approach that a player makes to gather the speed and gain forward momentum needed to get in the air to make contact with the ball at its highest point. ⁠ ⁠

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.


Tips To Improve Volleyball Skills For Hitting For Players That're Shorter Than Average To Score Points⁠

6 Volleyball Skills: The hitter is trying to spike or hit the ball to an open space on the court so the receiving team can score a point. (Al Case)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: The hitter is trying to spike or hit the ball to an open space on the court so the receiving team can score a point. (Al Case)

Hitting off the block is the focus of one of these hitting drills for volleyball players who're short but want to score points against taller blockers in the front row.
shorter hitters can use against taller blockers to sideout and score points.⁠

I'll set up a left side hitter on one side of the net who's competing against a right side blocker on the other side of the net. ⁠

Both players start at the net with the Coach in the setter's position ready to toss balls to the hitter who will start the drill. ⁠

Lets say the left side hitter starts first. ⁠

When Coach slaps the ball left side hitter transitions off the net and has been instructed to only hit the ball down the line.


How To Improve Volleyball Skills  
What Is Blocking?

6 Volleyball Skills: A volleyball block is the first opportunity at the net to defend a ball by attempting to keep an opposing hitter from hitting the ball into your court. (Ralph Arvesen)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: A volleyball block is the first opportunity at the net to defend a ball by attempting to keep an opposing hitter from hitting the ball into your court. (Ralph Arvesen)


A volleyball block is the first opportunity at the net to defend a ball by attempting to keep an opposing hitter from hitting the ball into your court. 



A volleyball block is the first opportunity at the net to defend a ball by attempting to keep an opposing hitter from hitting the ball into your court. (Ralph Arvesen)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: A volleyball block is the first opportunity at the net to defend a ball by attempting to keep an opposing hitter from hitting the ball into your court.


Basic Volleyball Skills  
What Is Digging?

6 Volleyball Skills: Its the responsibility of the players in the back row also known as diggers to keep the ball of the floor, if the ball happens to get past their block. (Al Case)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: Its the responsibility of the players in the back row also known as diggers to keep the ball of the floor, if the ball happens to get past their block. (Al Case)

While its the blockers job to try and stop the ball at the net, its the responsibility of the players in the back row also known as diggers to keep the ball off the floor, if the ball happens to get past their block. 

To dig a ball while your team is in defense a back row player will clasp both wrists together placing one closed fist into the palm of the other hand and point both thumbs down to keep both elbows straight while creating a platform.


This platform becomes the flat surface used to redirect a hard hit spike or attack back up in the air angled toward the direction you need the ball to go. (Denis Wright)How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig: This platform becomes the flat surface used to redirect a hard hit spike or attack back up in the air angled toward the direction you need the ball to go. (Denis Wright)


This platform becomes the flat surface used to redirect a hard hit spike or attack back up in the air angled toward the direction you need the ball to go while keeping it off the floor.   






How To Improve Volleyball Skills:
Where Do You Go From Here?


What do you need to do now? You have three options: 

  1. Learn more about Serving
  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. 


Learn how to improve volleyball skills in the pages below. 

  1. Improve Your Volleyball Playing with Private Volleybakk Coach April Chapple
    2.  ›
  2. Improve Volleyball Skills Using Drills Focusing on the 6 Basic Skills



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I always wanted to create the ultimate volleyball mom thank you gift which turns out ...happens to be in the form of a volleyball shirt which I think shows appreciation for who moms are.I always wanted to create the ultimate volleyball mom/dad thank you gift which turns out .happens to be in the form of a volleyball shirt which I think shows appreciation for who moms/dad are.

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