Serving Drill:

From a sagittal view: This drill is to improve contact with the ball. It is important to first master how to contact the ball on a serve before learning anything else. Proper contact on the ball will allow the ball to go over the net and different serves will come from different contacts on the ball. For example: contacting the ball directly in the middle with force will allow the ball to float in the air. Another example is contacting the ball at its peak and flicking (flexing) the wrist with force will make the ball have a top spin.  Also by mastering this drill it is easier to place the ball anywhere on the other teams side.

In order to do this drill a volleyball ball and a sturdy wall is needed. Throw the ball up and hit the ball towards the wall with palm of hand. For beginners start off a few feet from the wall then back up once contact gets better.

From an anatomical reference position the dominate arm is abducted to about 90 degrees, elbow flexed about 90 degrees by your head, and knees are flexed about 45 degrees. The other hand is throwing the ball in a flexion movement. Since this drill is to improve ball contact, quantitative movement not qualitative movement is important in this drill.

50 Serves in a Row/ Continuous Serves Drill:

This drill involves the team to serve 50 serves in a row. The serves must be over the net and can not be out of bounce. This drill allows them to work together and concentrate on their serves especially since you do not want to be the one player that ruins the progress. 


One ball is given to each player. The player then flexes legs about 35 degrees keeping dominate foot behind the other foot. The non dominate shoulder is flexed about 90 degrees throwing the ball in front of them, while the dominate shoulder is abducted 90 degrees and elbow is flexed 90 degrees. Glenohumeral joint allows for great flexibility but terrible stability due to the joint flexibility of the shoulder, which also leads to great range of motion.  The player then contacts the palm of their hand with there ball. At his time back is flexed about 30 degrees and dominate foot is plantar flexed while non dominate foot is dorsiflexed. If done as instructed and with force the ball will go over the net and the next player will do the same thing until the team has completed 50 serves in a row.  

Step Back Drill:

For beginners it is difficult to simply get the ball over the net. In order to progressively serve from the end line have the player start from the ten foot line. Serve several times until the player feel confident in their serve then have them take a step or two back and serve from there. Again have them serve several times until the player feels confident then have them take another step or two back so on and so forth until they get to the end line. This drill will also help the players to hit the ball in a linear motion. Out of the two linear motions the ball should have a curvilinear motion because the ball has to land within the end lines and side lines. The agonist muscles to flex the shoulder in order to serve are anterior deltoid and coracobrachialis, while the abductor muscles are middle deltoid, supraspinatus, and biceps brachii.

phase 1

From a sagittal view: The dominate shoulder is abducted about 90 degrees along the frontal plane in the anteropsterior axis of rotation, and elbow is flexed about 90 degrees along the sagittal plane in the mediolateral axis of rotation. The other shoulder is flexed about 60 degrees and holding the ball. Flex knees to about 35 degrees. Key fact: feet should not be parallel to each other because balance will be off. The non dominate foot goes in front of the dominant foot. 

phase 2

From a sagittal view: Throw the ball up by extend non dominant shoulder keeping, it in front where it is visible at all times. Dominate shoulder is abducted and flexed ready to hit the ball. Dominate leg must be hyperextended about 15 degrees. Note: legs are extended because the legs help with ball toss.

phase 3

From sagittal view: Contact the ball with the palm of dominate hand while plantar flexing non dominant foot and dorsiflex dominant foot. Then follow through with dominate leg. The non dominate shoulder is hyperextended about 10 degree. In the process of serving the ball, not only is arm strength needed but core strength, so hips and abs are going to be contracted and back will flex about 20 degrees giving power to the serve. 

phase 4

Once serve has gone over the net and the ball has traveled in a curvilinear motion, go back on the court into defensive position which is arms flexed at about 45 degrees , elbows flexed about 45 degrees,  knees flexed about 90 degrees, and on the ball of feet to move for the ball.