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- Overhand Serve Volleyball Technique Tips
Overhand Serve Volleyball Technique Tips To Help Volleyball Service
The overhand serve, underhand serve and jump serve are the 3 volleyball serve techniques players learn. Improve your volleyball serve skills with these 2 tips.
The overhand serve, underhand serve and the jump serve are the 3 overhand serve volleyball techniques players learn.
Here are two serving tips that improve the effectiveness of your overhand serve and will increase the possibility of you scoring more aces in volleyball games and matches.
We practice these overhand serve volleyball techniques in Boot Camp classes and I want to share these serving tips to Vegas players who don't yet understand the importance of developing point-scoring volleyball serving skills.
- Keep your elbow high
- Be consistent with your body movements and move the same way every single time when serving
When you look at my players you'll see (or shoudl see) that all of them have the same serving form and technique. We work hard on -
- keeping the elbow close to the ear
- watching their hand when they contact the ball
- watch how their hips are facing where they want to serve the ball (we were working on serving line to zone 5)
- all of them are or will contact the ball at the same spot on the ball, so the upper part of the palm just below the knuckles contact the middle panels of the ball
- working on a consistent toss on every serve so I know exactly where to contact the ball
Overhand Serve Volleyball Techniques
Keep Your Elbow High
One way to help you improve your volleyball serve and to learn correct volleyball serve techniques is to watch the best collegiate and pro players perform them correctly.
In the above images , watch as the USC servers ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS keep their elbow up high above the level of their ear...
All through their overhand jump float serve routine, their serving arm is kept high above the level of their ear. with an open palmed hand that faces the opposite wall.
They do this so they can get their hand to the ball faster, after the ball has been tossed.
Click to Download Your Jump Float Volleyball Serve Mastery Checklist pdf:
🎯Jump Float Volleyball Serve Mastery Guide - $7
Are you attempting jump float serves but lacking the technical precision that creates consistent power and accuracy? Why Struggle with Jump Float Serves When You Could Master Them Systematically?
You'll Get:
Approach and Setup Methods --Master 3-step and 4-step approaches with optimal spacing and ball positioning
Jump and Timing Techniques -Perfect the slow-to-fast acceleration that creates maximum vertical lift and power
Ball Contact Fundamentals Learn the "high five" contact method for consistent float effect and accuracy
Landing and Follow-through Execute safe two-foot landings with proper hip rotation and shock absorption
Click to Download Your Tactical Serving Strategy Checklist pdf:
🎯Tactical Serving Strategy Checklist Guide - $7
Are you serving without strategic purpose while opponents easily run their offense? Why React to Opponents When You Could Be Controlling Them?
You'll Get:
Pre-game intelligence methods --Identify technical weaknesses and poor passing habits during opponent warm-ups
Strategic target selections Master seam serving and zone targeting that creates immediate passing problems
Situational serving tactics Know when to serve aggressively vs. safely based on score and game situation
Mental approach strategies Develop point-scoring mentality and force passers out of comfort zones
Coach April's tactical tips Adjust serving strategy mid-game and target front-row hitters effectively
1-page PDF checklist Convenient format you can print or keep on your device for strategic reference
Click to Download Your Consistent Toss Mastery Checklist pdf:
🎯Consistent Toss Mastery Guide - $7
Are inconsistent tosses sabotaging your serves and forcing you to chase the ball? Why fight your toss when you could master the foundation of every great serve?
Overhand Serve Volleyball Techniques
Use The Same Consistent Body Movement Every Time You Serve
Watch this EXCELLENT video of professional players and Italian (featuring Francesca Piccinini one of the best outside hitters in the world) and Dutch national team players.
They perform the same serve, the same way, every single time they go to serve.
They become like a serving machine.
Every movement makes sense and functions to get the ball aggressively over the net in a way that makes it difficult for the opposing team to receive serve.
There are no
- extra movements
- no dips
- no toe touches
- no hop skips
- no excessive bouncing
- no roller coaster side tosses
None of those extra body movements named above, help you get the ball over the net.
So there's no reason to add them to your overhand serve volleyball technique.
Overhand Serve Volleyball Techniques To Remember
Overhand Serve Volleyball Techniques
How do you serve in volleyball?
Notice in the video, each server has her
a) serving arm elbow high above the level of her ear
- its NOT on the ball
- its not bringing the ball up with two hands
- the elbow is kept high in the air in a VERY balanced movement....at a 45 degree angle
b) Serving arm palm facing outwards towards the opposite wall and not turned up to the ceiling
c) Body sets up facing the net and closes with a quarter turn to the ball - WHILE elbow is ALWAYS kept high during the turn
d) HIGH FIVE the ball - for the standing float serve- the middle of the hand contacts the middle of the ball
e) Server WATCHES her hand contact the ball...
Serving slang is not just about individual techniques; it also relates to overall game strategy. A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation.
Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2
There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with
- the same toss height and same toss location
- the same armswing speed
- the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
- the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
- getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
- and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2.
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I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.
Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.
If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list.
Overhand Serve Volleyball Techniques:
Where Do you Go From Here?
Your three options are:
- You can learn more about Serving by visiting the related links below.
- Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
- Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started.
- Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss Tattoo the Tiger wearing the #9 jersey below. Miss Tattoo is the starting defensive and serving specialist for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.
Meet Tatoo the Tiger, Serving Specialist on VolleyBragSwag's All Beast Team
The Volleyball Serve
Where Do You Go From Here?
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If your athlete struggles with consistent serve receive, gets subbed out, or is overlooked for playing time—this is the fix you’ve been looking for.
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From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend
Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.
- the first First Round Draft Pick for the first American pro indoor women's league
- named to the first First Team All-Pro team for Major League Volleyball in USA volleyball history
- former USA National team member
- one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist
April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match
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Serving slang is not just about individual techniques; it also relates to overall game strategy. A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation.
Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2
There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with
- the same toss height and same toss location
- the same armswing speed
- the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
- the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
- getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
- and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2.
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Click to Download Your Pre Serving Ritual Mastery Checklist pdf:
🎯Volleyball Pre Serving Ritual Guide - $7
Transform Your Serve from Weak to Weapon
Stop letting pressure situations destroy your serves?
Click to Download Your Parent's Volleyball Serving Guide Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves (Even If You've Never Played) Checklist pdf:
🎯Parent's Volleyball Serving Guide Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves Guide - $7
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