How to Spike a Volleyball

Video Transcript

"Hello, this is Keith Sewell on behalf of Expert Village. In this clip, we're going to be talking about how to hit or spike a volleyball. Usually when you hit, you want to take a 3 or 4 step approach to the net. A 3-step approach would be accomplished by using a left, right, left foot pattern. And a 4-step would be a right, left, right, left. And I say right-left at the end of both of those real quick because it's a gathered step; it happens super quickly. And this is for a right-handed swinger. Your approach when you're hitting the strong side would be to swing out so that you can have your options of hitting cross-court or down the line. And when you're coming from the right side, you're going to approach pretty much straight towards the net. The hands are in front of the hitter until that last 2 steps when they swing up and back behind the hitter to gain explosiveness as the hitter jumps. You should try to contact the ball at the peak of how high your arm swing can get. And when you go up, you want to pull your arm back like you're drawing a bow and arrow. And when you contact the ball, you want to hit the ball with an open hand and follow through like you're trying pull yourself up by using the ball. If you hit the ball slightly in front of your body, you can keep your weight behind the ball, and you'll have more power to hit. You want to swing fully extended upward and not side armed. Follow through across your body or beside your body, either way...whatever's more comfortable for you. You always want to land evenly with both feet on the ground. "