Thursday, March 22, 2012

How to spike

How to Spike a Volleyball

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Volleyball is a popular sport among boys and girls. Spiking is an excellent skill in the game. This guide entails how to spike a volleyball.

Steps

Stretch your arms and legs for 10-20 seconds each before starting. This will reduce your risk of pulling a muscle or injuring yourself.
Position yourself behind the 10-foot line (attack line), which is the line that is about 4 feet away from the net. If you have long legs or take bigger steps, stand a little farther back. If you are left handed, you may want to spike on the right side of the court, and on the left if you are right handed. If you are tall or can jump higher, try the middle.
Watch the setter. If you are playing outside (left) hitter, call "Outside, outside" and similarly if you are middle or back (also called weak side because it's the setter's weak side). Many teams come up with codes for each side, so use them if yours does. If your team uses numbers for the sets, make sure you call the right number.
Start your approach after the ball is set. If you are right-handed, your approach should be "Left foot, right foot-left foot, jump" and vice versa if you are left-handed. The last two steps should place your feet at somewhat of a 45-degree angle from the net.
Prepare to jump. As you take the last two steps, extend your arms downwards and backwards and bend your knees.
Jump right before you reach the ball. Keep in mind you want to jump a little bit forward to be able to hit the ball harder. You want to make contact with the ball in front of you, not directly overhead. Keep your eye on the ball, and leap up, swinging your arms up in front of you (it will help you jump higher, but be careful to not contact the net for it results in a penalty). Try to get an arch in your back which will provide more power. Use your arms to get yourself higher above the net using a swinging motion
Prepare to hit the ball. As you're in the air, point to the ball with your weak hand, and pull your hitting hand back so that the back of your hand is right next to your ear--just as if you're pulling a bow and arrow. You should use your weak hand as a guide for your hit.
Extend your hitting hand straight out above you, and hit the ball, contacting the upper half of the ball with the heel of your open hand at the very top of your swing. For maximum impact, keep an open palm. Again, the contact point should always be in front of your head, not above it.
Snap your wrist downward to impart topspin and direct the ball down into your opponent's court while spreading your fingers.. Be careful not to "carry" or "hold" the ball for even a second.
Follow through. Bring your arm down "through" the ball and next to your body. This ensures that you don't lose momentum throughout your hit. Be sure to bend your knees to absorb the shock when you land.

Video

{{{1}}}

Tips

If you are a middle player and are being set a short set close to the net (called a "B" or a "2" by some teams), you will need to start your approach before the ball is set.
You don't always have to spike the ball on an attack shot. A well-placed dink (a soft shot to an uncovered part of the court), wipe (a light touch to hit the ball into the opposing player's block and to the ground), or shoot set (a long flat set to an uncovered part of the court) can catch your opponents by surprise and win you the point.
When jumping, the more you swing your arms back and then up, the higher you will be able to jump. This is due to your momentum.
If you're having problems hitting the ball down, do exercises to increase your vertical leap so that you can jump high enough to "get on top" of the ball.
For the ball to go down you must have topspin, and in order to get topspin you must flick your wrist when hitting the ball. Practice hitting the ball against a wall and flicking your wrist forward.
You may want to work on your abdominal muscles before you learn to spike- strong abs help you hit harder! Use all your might and strength!
When you are jumping jump straight up not towards the net
The most commonly used hitting approach is: Left, Right, Left, Jump, Spike! Remember to think of a rhythm for your steps, as it helps you get familiar with the approach.
Another way to do your approach is to right, and then left, right...then on your 3rd steps bring your arms back and jump up to hit.
Contact the ball with your entire hand, in effect "slapping" it. This will allow you to have greater control over where the ball goes. Additionally, it will add topspin to the ball which will make the ball travel to the ground more quickly. It will also make a loud slapping sound.
When spiking, Don't jump too early. If you do, you will be too high in the air while the ball is too low. If this happens, set or tip it over. Trying to spike it will only make it hit the net.
There are many, many different types of approaches; and the one your coach teaches may be different from the approach explained above.

Warnings

Don't allow your hand or arm to cross over the net during a spike--this is a fault.
Keep in mind that in organized competitive volleyball there are many rules governing who may spike the ball and how. Check your organization's rules, and make sure you understand them.
Always stretch before doing any vigorous physical exercise to prevent serious injury.

Things You'll Need

Volleyball
Volleyball net
At least one teammate
Kneepads

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

About.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Spike a Volleyball. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to set

How to Set a Volleyball

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Every good spike is backed by a good set. This is an easy move to learn, but a difficult one to master. This move can also be used when the ball is over your shoulders, therefore too high to bump. The set is called an overhead pass when not assisting a spike. Make sure you hit the ball with your finger tips (it is easier to control the ball that way, and you should make sure that the ball is high enough so the spiker can get the ball over the net.

Steps

Extend your arms up over your head.Your thumbs should be about 2 to 4 inches above your forehead. Spread your fingers apart as if someone were going to place the volleyball right into your hands. Your elbows should not be facing out,but pulled in about even with your shoulders.
Position your hands so that you can see them above your forehead and finish with ball shaped hands.
Spread your feet about shoulder width apart. For good technique, you need to have good footwork. The right foot should always be forward when you set. This helps you subtract more errors. Bend your knees and shift your weight to the balls of your feet so that when the ball comes to you, you can quickly bounce up and get it. Your release is key in the tempo of the set. Slow release means slow tempo and fast means a quicker tempo. Such as a 31.
When you are ready to set, center yourself under the ball, and push upwards, straightening your arms and legs as you go. If setting backwards apply the same rules except push the ball backwards. This is done with all wrists. Throwing your thumbs back. Extend your hand forward in the direction that you want the ball to go. Pull back.
When you set the ball get directly under it, so that it is coming right toward your forehead. Put your hands in the shape of a triangle right above your forehead (this is why a set is sometimes called a "forehead pass" ) and let the ball touch as much of your fingers as possible (all ten fingers should be touching the ball) without touching your palms. Push straight up- at the end of your set your arms should be straight and your set should be as high as possible, therefore giving your teammates as much time as possible to get under the ball.
When you bend your knees make sure you rise up and not jump (only for more advance setters, not beginners)

Video

Tips

Put your arms over head, but have them bent. Your hands should be in a position where they are almost touching each other to make a triangle. When you are ready to set you must use your finger tips (try using just your thumb and your two pointer fingers) to tilt the ball forward, but your arms will change position. They will have to be higher above your head; almost like your arms spring up when getting ready to set ball.
Do not hold the ball in your hands for even a second, this is called a carry, or hold.
When you are getting ready to set the ball, you may want to look through the diamond "window" you made with your fingers.
Make sure you touch the ball only with your fingertips, not your palms.
You may practice setting against a wall to improve your skills
You should never hear a slap from your palm this means your using your palms not your fingers.

Warnings

If you have your hands too far apart the ball might pound you in the face.
Do not hit the ball with too much force or you may injure your fingers or hands
This technique takes practice and it will be difficult when you first begin

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Set a Volleyball. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to bump a volleyball

How to Bump a Volleyball

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
The bump is the most basic and most essential skill in volleyball. The bump is used to hit a ball that is below the head, and is typically used as the first touch to receive a serve or return. If you're going to master volleyball, you'll need to master the bump. Here's how.

Steps

'Get in Position.' You should be in "athletic posture." Place your feet about shoulder width apart, lean forward a bit, on your toes, ready to move, and bend your knees, keeping them in line with your toes.
Make sure that you don't hit the ball with only one hand, because this action can cause a foul.
Move to the ball so that it will come down squarely in front of you. You can bump the ball backwards, of course, but you still want to make sure that you make contact with the ball right in front of you (you may need to turn away from the net).
Prepare your arms. Make your forearms into a flat "platform" by holding your arms out straight in front of you, but down a little. Clasp your hands in front of you, with your thumbs together, side-by-side. Don't lace your fingers together, for this will make you loose control of the ball. You can either make a fist with one hand and wrap the other around it, or you can bend one thumb down to its palm, and rest it on the other hand. Remember to keep your elbows locked and your knees bent.
Pass the ball. Keep your eye on the ball. Follow the trajectory of the ball as it comes down and even as you hit it. Make contact with the ball at about waist-level. When the ball is right above your forearms, straighten your legs so that your arms move up to meet it. Try to contact the ball about a third of the way between your wrists and your elbows (closer to the wrists rather than to the elbows). At the same time, move your arms forward and up slightly, but keep in mind that the majority of the force should come from your legs.
Aim the ball. Dip or twist your shoulder to aim the ball. You can't really aim with your forearms, because you need to keep them flat in order to provide a good platform for the ball. Instead move from the shoulders so that both arms stay together and move as one unit. Ideally, you can square up with the ball so you can just hit it straight forward.
Use your legs. Using your knees, and a little power from your arms, push through the ball.
It is helpful, when learning to bump, if you place you left hand in a fist facing up and wrap your right hand around it soon this will become habit.
Watch the ball with your eyes, not your whole body, try and keep your chin down, because it gives you more control of the ball. Some coaches will even have you put the collar of your shirt in your mouth to keep your chin down.

Video

Tips

Remember, keep your arms straight and level. If you tilt your arms a little, the ball will go in the direction perpendicular to the angle of your arms. This can be done purposefully in order to hit the ball towards a teammate. Make sure that you have the ability to hit a straight bump so you can better control where the ball goes when you have to hit it in a game.
While you can use the bump to hit the ball back over the net, in more advanced play it is usually used simply to get the ball under control and in position for the set and spike.
Practice is definitely necessary when learning the bump. A good way to practice is to bump a volleyball against a wall as many times as you can in a row.
Try not to "swing" your arms when passing a ball. This could cause a "wild" pass. Your arms should not come above shoulder-level. Instead, try to square up with the ball so you can hit it straight forward or, if that's not possible, dip your shoulder to aim.
You can get more power in your bump by transferring your weight forward as you hit it.
If you're playing with more than three people you may want to call the ball, by saying "MINE!" to avoid running into each other
If the ball is coming at you fast, you may not need to put as much power in to your bump.
DO NOT LEAN to the ball! do not bend your back as it poses bad control. Bend your knees and take a jump-step forward or back. ONLY lean in desperate situations i.e. you running full force after a ball that was hit wide.

Warnings

Be sure not to cross your fingers. This could lead to injury if the ball accidentally hits your hands.
Do not hit the ball with your hands. Many people say it hurts to play volleyball but it is usually because they are hitting the ball with their hands. In addition, the hands do not make a good, flat platform, and you're bump will likely go errant.
Don't lift or "carry" the ball. The bump should be a quick hit. If the ball stays in contact with your body for too long, you could be called for a fault and lose a point.
If you have tender skin, or bony arms, it is likely that your forearms will hurt when you have hit the ball a few times. Don't worry, if you power through it, you will get used to it, and it will stop hurting.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Bump a Volleyball. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to play volleyball

How to Play Volleyball

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
In the market for a sport that requires a positive team relationship, communication skills, upper body strength, an unlawful amount of fun, quick reflexes, knee pads, and a net? Volleyball is definitely for you! Below is an overview of the ground rules of volleyball. At the end you'll be ready to set, serve, and spike!

Steps

Get your equipment. The minimum you will need is a volleyball, a net, knee pads, good tennis shoes, and also a water bottle in case you get tired. Any store that carries sporting goods should have these. Many nets come with lines to mark the boundaries, or you can use shoes or other objects to indicate the corners of the court. Each half of a beach volleyball court should be 8 meters by 8 meters, though for a backyard game you don't necessarily have to be exact.
Have a basic idea of how to play volleyball. The objective is to
- Serve the ball from behind the line.
- Return the ball
- Don't let the ball hit the ground on your side
- Don't hit a ball that is out of bounds
- Don't hit the ball out of bounds
- Don't touch the net.
- Don't let your whole foot go under the net.
- And some simple rules will come naturally for most people.
Get your players. You need at least six on a team for a true game, but for backyard games any number will do. Just try not to get it too high because the court will be too crowded. The person in the back right corner (you set up three in front, three at the back) is the server.
Practice your serve. One of the main points in volleyball is serving--managing to get your ball on the other side of the net by hitting it. You can try an overhand serve (recommended for larger, more experienced players), or an underhand serve (easier, suggested for beginners). There are articles on wikiHow specifying how to do this.
Know how to return, or "bump" as it as called. You lay your left hand out flat, then you place your right hand directly over your left. Both must be flat. Then fold in your thumbs so they are side by side but not crossed or they could break. Let the ball bounce off of your bump when your arms are directly in front of you. You kind of shurg to get the ball up, but don't swing your arms. To make the ball go where you want it to, angle your forearms in the direction you want it to go.
Practice setting. Hold your hands in the air and hit the ball with your fingertips. If you slap it with the palm of your hand, in a real game, that will be called out for "lifting," like you actually caught the ball and just lifted it back up. Typically, you don't set the serve. The only instance you set is when the ball is above your head and near the net. Make your hands like a bowl and keep them above your head and push with your legs when you set. You want the ball to make the shape of a rainbow.
When you see the ball coming towards you, put your hands together and keep your thumbs down and hit the ball on your wrist (not your hands) and move your shoulders up. Don't bring your whole body up. When you see the ball coming, get in postion quicky
Know how to spike. This is not necessary for beginners unless your coach tells you to. But if you want to learn how, don't be misled by seeing athletes on TV. Anyone can spike. You don't have to be tall or have big muscles. Spiking can be as simple as holding up one hand and smacking the ball across the net, no problem. Larger athletes can do a "jump spike" by jumping up and slapping the ball down over the net. The idea of a spike is that it's more difficult to return. When you spike the ball, go with this method: right left right, then right left together, and spike the ball. If you're left-handed, go left right, then left right together. Keep a strong wrist or you could hurt yourself.
Have fun! Join in on what the rest of the world is enjoying!

Tips

Always practice all aspects of volleyball because in a game you may be rotated. If you are horrible at serving, when your chance to serve comes, you will be bad at it if you don't practice.
There only needs to be one "setter" for each team, but it's a good idea to know how to set just in case.
In a real volleyball game, there may be some rules you didn't know about or didn't practice, like only having 5 seconds to serve the ball, a certain line you have to serve from, etc. Be careful!
You need to practice in order to get good at volleyball. Camps are good for learning technique, but they don't put as much pressure on you as a game situation would.
If you don't have a coin to flip to decide the initial serving team, you can also "volley for serve." To do this, have a player in the front row gently toss the ball just over the net to a player on the opposing team (in the front row). Continue the volley, and the team that wins the volley takes first serve.

Warnings

Don't go right for the overhand serve if you are a beginner.
Stretch before playing, or you may pull a muscle.
Don't try to kill the ball when you bump it, because if you hit it too hard it can bounce in the wrong direction or out of bounds.
Above all, do not be afraid to have fun

Things You'll Need

A volleyball
A net
6+ players

Sources and Citations

FIVB.ch International Volleyball Federation
USAVolleyball.org Official governing body of volleyball in the U.S.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Play Volleyball. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Check this out for more info too!-----> http://4666b0i862rphphnu9v4cheqdh.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=VOLLEYBALL

How to Play Volleyball

Steps

Get your equipment. The minimum you will need is a volleyball, a net, knee pads, good tennis shoes, and also a water bottle in case you get tired. Any store that carries sporting goods should have these. Many nets come with lines to mark the boundaries, or you can use shoes or other objects to indicate the corners of the court. Each half of a beach volleyball court should be 8 meters by 8 meters, though for a backyard game you don't necessarily have to be exact.
Have a basic idea of how to play volleyball. The objective is to
- Serve the ball from behind the line.
- Return the ball
- Don't let the ball hit the ground on your side
- Don't hit a ball that is out of bounds
- Don't hit the ball out of bounds
- Don't touch the net.
- Don't let your whole foot go under the net.
- And some simple rules will come naturally for most people.
Get your players. You need at least six on a team for a true game, but for backyard games any number will do. Just try not to get it too high because the court will be too crowded. The person in the back right corner (you set up three in front, three at the back) is the server.
Practice your serve. One of the main points in volleyball is serving--managing to get your ball on the other side of the net by hitting it. You can try an overhand serve (recommended for larger, more experienced players), or an underhand serve (easier, suggested for beginners). There are articles on wikiHow specifying how to do this.
Know how to return, or "bump" as it as called. You lay your left hand out flat, then you place your right hand directly over your left. Both must be flat. Then fold in your thumbs so they are side by side but not crossed or they could break. Let the ball bounce off of your bump when your arms are directly in front of you. You kind of shurg to get the ball up, but don't swing your arms. To make the ball go where you want it to, angle your forearms in the direction you want it to go.
Practice setting. Hold your hands in the air and hit the ball with your fingertips. If you slap it with the palm of your hand, in a real game, that will be called out for "lifting," like you actually caught the ball and just lifted it back up. Typically, you don't set the serve. The only instance you set is when the ball is above your head and near the net. Make your hands like a bowl and keep them above your head and push with your legs when you set. You want the ball to make the shape of a rainbow.
When you see the ball coming towards you, put your hands together and keep your thumbs down and hit the ball on your wrist (not your hands) and move your shoulders up. Don't bring your whole body up. When you see the ball coming, get in postion quicky
Know how to spike. This is not necessary for beginners unless your coach tells you to. But if you want to learn how, don't be misled by seeing athletes on TV. Anyone can spike. You don't have to be tall or have big muscles. Spiking can be as simple as holding up one hand and smacking the ball across the net, no problem. Larger athletes can do a "jump spike" by jumping up and slapping the ball down over the net. The idea of a spike is that it's more difficult to return. When you spike the ball, go with this method: right left right, then right left together, and spike the ball. If you're left-handed, go left right, then left right together. Keep a strong wrist or you could hurt yourself.
Have fun! Join in on what the rest of the world is enjoying!

Tips

Always practice all aspects of volleyball because in a game you may be rotated. If you are horrible at serving, when your chance to serve comes, you will be bad at it if you don't practice.
There only needs to be one "setter" for each team, but it's a good idea to know how to set just in case.
In a real volleyball game, there may be some rules you didn't know about or didn't practice, like only having 5 seconds to serve the ball, a certain line you have to serve from, etc. Be careful!
You need to practice in order to get good at volleyball. Camps are good for learning technique, but they don't put as much pressure on you as a game situation would.
If you don't have a coin to flip to decide the initial serving team, you can also "volley for serve." To do this, have a player in the front row gently toss the ball just over the net to a player on the opposing team (in the front row). Continue the volley, and the team that wins the volley takes first serve.

Warnings

Don't go right for the overhand serve if you are a beginner.
Stretch before playing, or you may pull a muscle.
Don't try to kill the ball when you bump it, because if you hit it too hard it can bounce in the wrong direction or out of bounds.
Above all, do not be afraid to have fun

Things You'll Need

A volleyball
A net
6+ players

Sources and Citations

FIVB.ch International Volleyball Federation
USAVolleyball.org Official governing body of volleyball in the U.S.