Perfect Volleyball Spike Checklist

Here’s the volleyball spike technique, broken down into stages, which is going to help you hit the perfect volleyball spike and smash it into the opponent’s side of the court for a kill. Make sure that you follow this checklist and turn your perfect volleyball spike into muscle memory for your next kill on the volleyball court.

Ready Position

Wait in a high track start position
Lean the body slightly forwards, arm relaxed, feet staggered and weigh on the opposite foot of the first step to aid in proper foot sequence
Read the trajectory, speed and placement of the set to determine when to begin the approach

The Approach

Strive to approach the ball in the same way each time.
The first steps are reading and timing. Start slow and finish fast, attacking the approach.
Emphasis is on a continuous movement, accelerating into the plant and take-off.

Plant and Take Off

Plant and take off quickly. The less time spent on ground during lift off, the higher the jump
Be at an arm’s distance behind the ball, line the ball up with your hitting shoulder
Take off from both feet
Life off by extending up with the arms and legs

Arm Swing

Lift up arms into attack-ready position
Get hitting arm in throwing position with elbow hight and hitting shoulder rotated back.
Throw hitting hand up at ball with elbow leading the shoulder rotation into the hit
Generate speed by rotating hips, shoulders and arm into the hit

Contact

Contact ball at maximum reach, in front of body and over the hitting shoulder
Contact ball on the palm of open hand, fingers wrapped around the ball
Direct the ball by contacting it on different sides:
- 1) 12 o’clock for straight ahead
- 2) 10 o’clock for sharp angle to right, 2 o’clock for sharp angle to left

Follow-through

Shorten swing on tight sets, but always follow-through
Body follows arm and rotates to face the direction of attack
Land softly on both feet