Volleyball Spike
Preparatory
· Feet shoulder width apart (Ready position)
· Body Square to the net
· Knees bent
· Arms in ready position
Execution
· The steps
o 3 steps: first step leads with your jumping foot. Second step with your non leaping foot and the third step is when you jump.
o Depending on where the ball is, longer or shorter strides may be necessary
o Before jumping; legs should be shoulder width apart to maintain balance. Knees should be bent to prepare for the jump and arm should be extended all the way back
· The Jump (Elevator)
o Keep body turned 30 degrees from the net with your hitting shoulder (Room to execute the spike and you can see the ball approaching.)
o Swing arms forward and upwards while pushing off with your legs (Skiing)
o Focus on jumping vertically over horizontal
· The Hit
o Reach arms above your head, pull your right elbow back and bend it to about 90 degrees (Mid-Air Salute)
o Hitting hand should be curved to the shape of the ball
o Rotate your right arm around the shoulder joint and quickly move your elbow forward.
o Forearm moves forward as the hand approaches the ball (Drop the Hammer)
o Try to hit ball at highest point
Follow-through
o Bring arm back after striking the ball
o Bend knees to absorb the force of the landing
Middle School: 3 v 3 volleyball game with a smaller net so spikes can be obtained. To practice jumping vertically wall touching would be effective (pick a spot on the wall and jump vertically to touch it).
High School: 6 v 6 regulation net game. Emphasize the set and spike with teammates.
Middle School With Smaller Net
High School: 6 v 6 regulation game
Volleyball drills 'n' skills (2007, June 18). Retrieved March 19, 2009, from http://www.volleyballdrillsnskills.com/how-to-spike-a-volleyball.html
Tilp, M., Wagner, H., & Muller, E. (2008). Differences in 3d kinematics between volleyball and beach volleyball spike movements [Electronic version]. Sports biomechanics, 7(3), 386-398.
Marcelino, R., Mesquita, I., & Afonso, J. (2008). The weight of terminal actions in Volleyball. Contributions of the spike, serve and block for the teams' rankings in the World League 2005. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 8(2), 1-7.
