What Is Dig In Volleyball? 9 Ways On How To Improve Your Digging Skill

What is dig in volleyball and how do you learn to dig well behind your block so you can see which balls you need to defend and keep off the floor in a rally.

Volleyball Digging: How you stop a hard hit spike or attack hit ball by placing your platformed arms in the path of the ball to deflect it in the air to keep it from hitting your floor.(Al Case)

What is dig in volleyball? A dig is how you stop a hard hit, spike or attack hit ball by placing your platformed arms in the path of the ball to deflect it in the air to keep it from hitting your floor.(Al Case)

Ready to quickly learn how to level up your 'dig' game and become a key player on your team?

You've come to the right place!

Welcome to "What Is Dig In Volleyball? 9 Ways On How To Improve Your Digging Skill".

This is your fast route to becoming a better player, starting today!

Whether you're

aspiring to earn more playing time,
looking to outplay a teammate for a starting position
longing to be known as the libero with the best ball control skills on your team,

my coaching tips are the antidote for your struggles.

What is dig in volleyball?

To dig a ball means you prevent a hard hit spike or an attack hit ball from the opposing team by

placing your platformed arms held together...in the path of the ball to deflect it up in the air to keep it from hitting your team's court floor.

With the information below, you'll learn quickly how to improve your digging skills with this easy-to-read breakdown of the steps to take as a

libero
defensive specialist
back court defender

which starts from the moment the opposing team serves until after you finish your dig.

How to Dig in Volleyball:

To dig a volleyball up in defense you keep an attacked ball by the opposing team off your court floor by extending your arms and hands under the ball to deflect it back in the air before it hits the floor.

What Is Dig In Volleyball?
Before The Serve - How Do You Dig A Ball?

Volleyball digging means you prevent a hard hit spike or an attack hit by placing your platformed arms held together and in the path of the ball to deflect it up in the air (Matt Van Winkle)

What Is Dig In Volleyball? Digging a ball means you prevent a hard hit spike or an attack hit by placing your platformed arms held together and in the path of the ball to deflect it up in the air (Matt Van Winkle)

How do you defend a spike in volleyball?
Before the serve what are the four things you need to do in order to prepare to dig a ball?

How do you defend a spike in volleyball? - Before the serve what are the four things you need to do?

Verbally establish your defensive assignment and defensive position.
Identify where the setter is as well as the number and location of eligible attackers.
Know the style of offense of the opposing team (Do they set high outside balls? play-set combinations?, Do they quick set or does their setter dump? etc.) and identify the probable options.
Do you know the opposing team's hitter tendencies?

How Do You Dig In Volleyball?
Verbally establish your defensive assignment and defensive position.

1. Verbally establish your defensive assignment and defensive position. Talk about this to your teammates between plays.

Does the opposing team set high balls to the outsides or do they run quick plays?
Are you digging line or cross court?

Volleyball Digging Drills: The Hit And Dig Drill We Do In Boot Camps, Practice and Private Sessions is used in warmups to improve hitting technique and digging technique skills.

What team defense are you playing and where do you need to be in that defense?

Behind the block? deep down the line?
Do you cover tips to the middle or do you cover the seam between the block?

As a digger you need to know the answers to these and you communicate/confirm this to your blockers and other diggers

What Is Dig In Volleyball?
Identify where the setter is as well as the number and location of eligible attackers.

2. Identify where the setter is as well as the number and location of eligible attackers.

Is the setter front row? If so tell your teammates and locate the other two front row eligible hitters.
Is she backrow? Then locate the jersey number and location of the hitters and tell all your teammates both in the front row and backrow

What is dig in volleyball?: Is the setter front row? Tell your teammates and locate the other 2 eligible hitters. Is she backrow? Then tell your teammates and count the hitters (Ralph Arvesen)

What is dig in volleyball?
Know the style of offense of the opposing team (high outside, play-set combination, quick set, setter dumps, etc.) and identify the probable options.

3. Know the style of offense of the opposing team (high outside, play-set combination, quick set, setter dumps, etc.) and identify the probable options.

Who are you going to dig?
Where in the backcourt are you going to dig them?
Are you supposed to dig hard hits or run down the tips?
Do you cover the seams?

Volleyball Digging; Identify the style of offensive options of the opposing team (high sets, fast sets, setter dumps) Who're you going to dig?

What is dig in volleyball? Identify the style of offensive options of the opposing team (high sets, fast sets, setter dumps) Who're you going to dig?

What is dig in volleyball?
Do you know the opposing team's hitter tendencies?

4. Do you know the opposing team's hitter tendencies?

Who tips all the time?
Who can only hit cross court?
Who hits on the way down from her spike approach?
Who has a slow arm swing

Click here to read more information about how to dig a volleyball.

Quiz Time! Test Your Skills: Interactive Volleyball Quiz Section

Are you ready to cement your understanding of the volleyball 'dig' and prove just how much you've mastered?

Let's find out!

This insightful 12-question quiz covers everything related to the 'dig' in volleyball that we've discussed above.

From the fundamental techniques to the strategies, it's time to show how much you've learned!

1. What is the purpose of a 'dig' in volleyball?
a) To block a shot from the opposing team
b) To serve the ball
c) To prevent a ball from hitting your team's court floor
d) To spike the ball

2. True or False: 'Digging' should only be done by a libero?

3. Before the serve, what is the first thing you do to prepare for a dig?

a) Get into a ready position
b) Run towards the net
c) Verbally establish your defensive assignment and defensive position
d) Execute a block

4. Which of the following is NOT a common tendency you might watch for in opposing hitters?

a) They tip all the time
b) They only hit cross court
c) They serve the ball
d) They hit on the way down from their spike approach

5. True or False: A good digger should be aware of the style of offense of the opposing team and identify probable options.

6. 'Digging' is a term used to refer to

a) A serve technique
b) A type of attack
c) A blocking technique
d) A defensive technique to keep the ball in play

7. True or False: Knowing the opposing team's hitter tendencies is crucial for efficient digging.

8. As a digger, knowing the answers to these is important. But which of these is NOT necessary?

a) Who tips all the time?
b) Who can only hit cross court?
c) Who hits on the way down from her spike approach?
d) Who has the best celebratory dance?

9. True or False: Knowing the style of offense of the opposing team and opposing team's hitter tendencies, are considered part of the preparations made when getting ready to dig a ball in volleyball.

10. When you are off balance after digging a ball, what should you do?

a) Fall to the floor
b) Try to serve the ball
c) Immediately jump back up
d) Stay in the same position

11. You should use the 'extension' digging technique when the ball falls

a) Right in front of you
b) Behind you
c) On your right side or left side
d) Above head height

12. True or False: Performing an 'extension', you don't need to reach the ground with one arm when the ball falls on one side of your body.

Remember, whether you got all the answers right or there were a few you weren't sure about, the most important thing is that you're learning and having fun.

Challenge your friends to complete the quiz and see who knows the most about volleyball defense strategies!

Keep practicing, and keep digging deep into the thrilling world of volleyball.

Quiz Answer Key:

1: c - To prevent a ball from hitting your team's court floor

2: False

3: c - Verbally establish your defensive assignment and defensive position

4: c - They serve the ball

5: True

6: d - A defensive technique to keep the ball in play

7: True

8: d - Who has the best celebratory dance?

9: True

10: a - Fall to the floor

11: c - On your right side or left side

12: False

Remember, whether you answered all correctly or missed a few, the most important thing is that you're learning and having fun!

Share this quiz with your friends and teammates, and see who knows the most about volleyball digs!

Keep practicing and keep digging deeper into the fascinating world of volleyball.

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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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