Whats The Correct Ready Position In Volleyball For Blockers At The Net

The ready position in volleyball for blocking means your feet are shoulder width apart and parallel to each other with whole body squared and facing the net.  

This ready position in volleyball for blocking permits you to jump up quickly to penetrate your hands over the net to block a ball without touching the net on your way up (Bill Shaner)

My blocking advice starts with the correct ready position at the net. 

When learning how to block a ball correctly, you want to be in a "ready position" at the net before the rally starts.

The "ready position in volleyball blocking" starts with your feet at shoulder width apart and parallel to each other and both feet are perpendicular to the net.

For the lower body positioning, your hips and whole body are squared up and facing the net.

Knees are in a slight squat in a ready loaded position which allows you to either

a) side step,

b) cross over step or

c) shuffle step along the net

either to the right or left or to jump up quickly if they need to stop a quick attack.

Ready Position in Volleyball: Illini blockers watching the opposing setter in a loaded Blocking Ready Position in Volleyball (Photo Richard Yuan) (Richard Yuan)

You, the blocker, should be about half your arm's length away from the net.

This ready position in volleyball blocking safely permits you  to jump up to penetrate your hands over the net to block a ball without touching the net on your way up which you would be whistled for.

The starting position for your arms are with elbows bent at 90 degrees and with hands, widespread fingers and open palms facing the net just at or above your shoulder level.

The ready position in volleyball blocking for arms: elbows bent at 90 degrees with hands, widespread fingers and open palms facing the net just at/above shoulder level. (Aversen)

Your hands need to stay at the level of your shoulders or a little bit higher.

When blocking your hands and arms are in a ready volleyball position so you go up and block the ball, sealing the net, using very little time and movement to get over the net.

When the block is performed, your hands and arms are in a ready volleyball position to just go up and block the ball, sealing the net, using minimal additional time and movement to get over the net.

Some coaches advise their middle blockers  to have their hands even slightly higher.

Say, just above their head when they're in their "ready position in volleyball" because this places their hands closer to the position they need, to be able to penetrate the plane of the net faster, in order to stop a quick attack.

Before the start of a rally, in defense at the net, your upper body ready volleyball position should be with your shoulders squared up--that means parallel---and facing the net.

The blockers in their ready position should always be looking at the opposing team's setter, the ball she sets and the available hitters across the net.

The blockers in their ready volleyball position should always be looking at the opposing team's setter, the ball she sets and the available hitters across the net. (Aversen)

Blockers should call out and identify to their teammates which hitters are eligible to hit.

Blockers in ready volleyball position calling out the block. As a front row blocker on defense, you should never turn around to watch your server serve the ball. (Laurie T Mayers)

As a front row blocker on defense, you should never turn around to watch your server serve the ball.

If you do this it means you are turning your back on the opposing team and not paying attention to what the opposing team's offense could be and who could be running an attack. 

This means you are not identifying who could be getting the next ball from the opposing setter or even more importantly which hitter could be running an offensive attack that will bring them to your area of the net.

In the photo above, you can tell that the front row blockers are paying attention to the other team's hitters in serve receive and that they are calling out the locations and jersey numbers of these hitters that are in the front row.

They are also holding up their fingers to indicate how many front row hitters are in the opposing team's front row.

By doing this, they are making sure that their  backrow players know

• how many hitters could be hitting the ball and
• where these hitters are located in serve receive.

All these actions are a part of the front row player's ready position in volleyball for blocking responsibilities.

CROSSNET Four Square Volleyball Net & Game Set - Volleyball Set for Backyards - Yard Games for Kids and Adults Game Four Square Volleyball - Includes Poles, Carrying Backpack

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This has been an important message by your favorite volleyball coach! That's me!!

Thanks for visiting.

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

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. 

High School Varsity Volleyball: 
Where Do You Go From Here?

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

1. Learn more about Serving and Basic Skills
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. 

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
 ›
2. Six High School Varsity Volleyball Skills That Top Prep Players Crush
 ›
3. Whats The Correct Ready Position In Volleyball For Blockers At The Net
›



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