How to Spike a Volleyball Correctly

There are many different spikes in volleyball. Learning the basic spike will improve a player's game and will lead to advanced techniques. The basic spike includes the approach, the jump and the hit. It will take practice to be able to spike the ball efficiently enough to lead to a kill. A kill occurs when the ball is spiked so hard that the other team does not have the opportunity to get to the ball before it hits the ground. A ball that is spiked correctly will result in a kill most of the time.

Instructions

1. Stand three to four feet from the volleyball net.

2. Take a long stride and lift both arms in front of the body. A right-handed player should start the stride with the left foot while a left-handed player should start with the right foot.

3. Take two smaller steps and swing the arms backwards.

4. Jump as high as possible and swing the arms forward for momentum. Bring the hands up with palms open.

5. Pull one hand back behind the head while aiming the other hand at the ball. Keep the hands open and the palms facing outwards.

6. Push both hands forward and hit the ball starting with the heel of the hand and snapping the wrist forward.

7. Bring the arms into the body and bend the knees when landing.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep an eye on the ball the entire time to prevent missing it.

• Do not hit the net with any part of the body. This will be ruled as a fault.

References

• Volleyball Spike
• Basics of the Volleyball Spike
• Volleyball Drills 'n Skills