The Volleyball Spike Approach For Hitting The 3 and 4 Step Approach

The volleyball spike approach for hitting is also called the spike approach and is done by a spiker who takes 3 or 4 steps to a ball in the air before hitting it.

The Volleyball Approach - Three Steps
When using a three-step spike approach if you're a right handed hitter you'd step on your left foot first. (Penn State News)

The Volleyball Spike Approach - Three Steps When using a three-step spike approach if you're a right handed hitter you'd step on your left foot first. (Penn State News)

The Volleyball Spike Approach - Three Steps

When using a three-step spike approach if you're a right handed hitter you'd step on your left foot first.

Watch as Syd uses her three step spike approach to hit this set.

Step One of the Three Step Volleyball Approach

The directional step is the first of three...

which you'd use to propel yourself closer to where you want to contact the ball...
this is your directional step...and
this should be the slower step you take...

Step One of the Three Step Volleyball Approach
The directional step is the first of 3 which you'd use to propel yourself closer to where you want to contact the ball. (Matt Pendleton)

Step One of the Three Step Volleyball Spike Approach The directional step is the first of 3 which you'd use to propel yourself closer to where you want to contact the ball. (Matt Pendleton)

For a quick review...

As a right handed hitter you'd

step on your left foot first ...
which you'd use to propel yourself closer to where you want to contact the ball...
This is your directional step...and this should be the slower step you take..

The Volleyball Spike Approach-As a right handed hitter you'd, step on your left foot first which you'd use to propel yourself closer to where you want to contact the ball... This is your directional step. (Matt Pendleton)

Step Two and Three of the Three Step Volleyball Spike Approach

The last two steps...right foot then left foot occur almost simultaneously...

Outside Hitter Jacob Ceci Swings Hard Against The Blocker's Hand To Score During Volleyball Practice

...and should be

the fastest,
most aggressive steps in the entire spike approach

because these are the steps that propel you upward and into the air towards the ball.

Volleyball Approach: When you take a good aggressive approach, make contact with the ball at its highest point and swing fast and high contacting the ball at its 12 noon point. (Ralph Arvesen)

Volleyball Spike Approach: When you take a good aggressive approach, make contact with the ball at its highest point and swing fast and high contacting the ball at its 12 noon point. (Ralph Arvesen)

Doing this helps you contact the ball at your highest possible contact point above the net.

The Volleyball Spike:
The Four Step Approach To Spiking A Volleyball

Volleyball Approach: Penn State middle hitter Haleigh Washington attacks against Howard (Penn State News)

Volleyball Spike Approach: Penn State middle hitter Haleigh Washington attacks against Howard (Penn State News)

In a four step approach,

once you've made the first two steps of your spike approach that get you closer to the ball,
you then start your arm swing motion,
swinging both arms back ..before
swinging them both forward

Your hand should contact the TOP third of the ball, if not then your spiked ball won't have a downward trajectory into the court, but will go sailing out towards the back wall and out of the court.

The Volleyball Spike Approach: It's important when you spike the ball that your hand makes contact on the TOP third of the ball, if not then your spiked ball will not have a downward trajectory into the court, but instead will go sailing long towards the back wall and out of the court.

As both arms swing forward at the same time the last two steps are taken which lifts you into the air, like a plane that has taken off at the end of the runway.

In the air,

you pull back the elbow of your hitting arm,
keeping it above the level of your ear while the arm is above your head.

BYU freshman and three year semi-private training and boot camp class client Kate Prior uses her volleyball spike approach to hit from the outside.

Holding your elbow high and using a bow and arrow type movement to make contact with the ball so that it clears the net, you bring your hitting arm forward so it contacts the top third of the ball.

Hold your elbow high to make contact with the ball so that it clears the net, bring your hitting arm forward so it contacts the top third of the ball. (Ralph Arvesen)

During the volleyball spike approach hold your elbow high to make contact with the ball so that it clears the net, bring your hitting arm forward so it contacts the top third of the ball. (Ralph Arvesen)

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

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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.

Volleyball Basics: Where Do you Go From Here?

No need to guess where you need to go now? Here are three options:

Learn more about Spiking by clicking the related links below.
Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
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.
Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Mr T.T. MUGB the Lion, wearing the #7 jersey below.