10 Hitting Tactics Short Volleyball Players Use Against Big Blockers 

These are 10 hitting tactics that short volleyball players, can rely on hit against and sideout and score against teams with big blockers in the front row.  

These hitting strategies are things to work on during your practices that will help you improve your scoring abilities when hitting in the front row.

The good news is that alot of these tactics give shorter hitters options to use to score when they face two big blockers at the net. 

• Practice your roll shots that go over the block to the middle of the court. 

This spot is often out of the opposing defenders reach.

I have plenty of video of Vegas players during rallies this past season continuously tipping the ball behind the opposing block, where the defender is waiting to pick up balls. 

You can end rallies alot faster if you learn to make points by aiming for the middle of the court with off speed or roll shots.

By doing this regularly, especially when your team is in serve receive and you need to sideout,  you could see plenty of playing time as well as score a ton of points. 

• Hit to the deep corners of the opposing court 

In long rallies, quite often the defensive players on the opposing side usually start creeping up in the court towards the ten foot line, leaving lots of area in the back row wide open.

• Remember Zones 1 and 6 are usually wide open in long rallies so just hit high and aim long to the back corners to score a point or sideout.

You can be any height to hit high and deep. This takes practice so learn to do it when you have scrimmages and competitions in practices.

• Learn to hit high, contacting the ball at its highest height 

You may have to tell your setter to set you a bit further off the net to stay behind the ball and still be able to see the court and the block while hitting deep and long. 

• Hit a lot of “high, long, and deep” hitting reps so your body and arms learn and memorize what strength and ball speed it takes to get the ball to fall in these deep corners

Playing doubles, triples, and four against four in practice is a good time to do this. 

• Hit the imperfect set, not just the perfect set.

Learn to hit those balls that the op- posing team and everybody in the gym thinks you are going to tip or roll shot over. 

That means the ball that is above the height of the net but a little outside or a little inside or a little off the net.

Learn to be comfortable, with doing the uncomfortable.

Want to become a fearless and respected hitter? Then get good at hitting the imperfect sets. 

• Attack high free balls over to the opposing team and reduce the number of easy free balls you give them. 

Be aggressive.

Think about attacking the ball first when it is high enough to make a decent approach.

If it’s coming at you fast, then pass the free ball deep, deep to Zone 1 to force the opposing setter to pass the first ball.

But if you can take an approach, then take the approach and send a more powerful ball over the net. 

Don’t give the opposing team anything free or easy if you can help it.

Your job is to make it difficult for them to score points on you, not make it easy for them. 

• Against a tall block in front of you, imagine the blocker’s arm closest to the antenna has a bull’s eye with your name on it, where you take aim at as a target

Follow through with your armswing so the ball travels off the blocker’s arm and back outside of the sideline.

Point for you. Get good at performing this hitting tactic. 

• Soft tip into the block on purpose

Practice aiming the tip into the opposing blocker’s wrists or upper forearms so the ball will bounce off high and back into your court if you get a trap set.

Your teammates who are covering you (they better be) will have a chance to replay the ball and run an offensive play again. 

• Save broken plays by having the courage to aim the ball for the block 

Increase your skill at this play and you will learn a trick that elite players use to give themselves another opportunity to attack the ball. 

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

1. Learn more about Playing Volleyball by clicking the Related Links below. .
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)

Improve Your Volleyball

 ›

Playing Volleyball Using Two Smart Strategies To Improve Your Game

›

10 Hitting Tactics Short Volleyball Players Use Against Big Blockers

Learn More About Tactics

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