How to Bump a Volleyball

A volleyball player's most important skill is bumping - passing a volleyball by bouncing it off his or her extended forearms.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Volleyballs

1. Remember that the first contact after a serve is normally the bump, which sets in motion the three-step volleyball offense of bump, set, spike (see "eHow to Set a Volleyball' and "eHow to Spike a Volleyball').

2. Anticipate the flight of the ball so that you can receive it in a stationary, athletic position with your knees bent, your weight forward on the balls of your feet, and your arms extended forward and down.

3. Hold your palms open and facing up, and then lay one hand on top of the other.

4. Fold your hands inward until your thumbs are side by side, pointing away from your body and slightly down. The knuckles of your fingers should be facing out.

5. Bring in your elbows and lock them so that your forearms are as close to touching as possible, creating a flat platform from your elbows to the tips of your thumbs.

6. Tilt your platform toward your target.

7. Allow the ball to bounce off your forearms (rather than swinging your arms at it).

Tips & Warnings

• The two keys to good, consistent bumping are using your feet to get in proper position to meet the ball, and keeping your elbows locked so that the ball hits a flat surface.

• Bump-pass the ball high and 2 to 3 feet from the net to a position where the setter can get to it easily.

• If you're setting and are having a hard time with the traditional setting technique, or are dealing with a bad, low pass, use the bump to get the job done.