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Volleyball Rotation Learn How To Rotate on the Court in Volleyball

There are 6 rotational positions on the court called zones, 3 backrow and 3 front row areas that every player position rotates in or out of. 


A volleyball rotation occurs when the receiving team wins a rally. 

  • When the receiving team wins the rally they also win a point and the right to serve.


In order to have a new server on the serving team serve the ball, the entire team rotates one rotational position.


How many positions are there
on the volleyball court?


  • There are six total rotational positions on the court.
  • Three zones are in the front row and three areas in the back row that every player position except the libero (so the setter, middle blocker, hitter, opposite,) rotates in and out of.  
  • These rotational positions are invisible so you will never see them outlined on the court. But you will have to know them because they are areas that every player needs to know in order to understand how to rotate in volleyball. 



Scroll down to continue reading about the rotational positions on the court.

Click here to learn more about specialized roles and player positions in volleyball. 


What are the 6 positions
on the court?


On a volleyball court there are six areas sometimes called zones but most often called positions on the court that players rotate in and out of once your team wins a rally and the right to serve.


Volleyball rotation starting in the back row and moving clockwise Right Back is Zone 1, Middle Back is Zone 6, Left Back is Zone 5, Left Front is Zone 4, Middle Front is Zone 3Volleyball rotation starting in the back row and moving clockwise Right Back is Zone 1, Middle Back is Zone 6, Left Back is Zone 5, Left Front is Zone 4, Middle Front is Zone 3

Starting in the back row and moving clockwise ...

  • RB - Right Back is Zone 1 or P1 (Position 1)
  • MB - Middle Back is Zone 6 or P6 (Position 6)
  • LB - Left Back is Zone 5 or P5 (Position 5)
  • LF - Left Front is Zone 4 or or P4 (Position 4)
  • MB - Middle Front is Zone 3 or P3 (Position 3)
  • RF - Right Front is Zone 2 or P2 (Position 2)

When you rotate in volleyball your entire team moves clockwise, to one position or zone on the court

If you're in the back row each player moves into the next rotational position on their left.

If you're in the front row each player moves into the next rotational position on their right. 


Volleyball Rotation
How To Rotate From Backrow to Front Row On The Court


How does the volleyball rotation from back row to front row work?

After the team on offense has won a rally and the right to serve...

The player in the LB position called P5, Position 5 or zone 5 would move up to the front row into the LF Position 4 on the court. 

The teammate in volleyball rotation Position 2, also known as the RF, right front or zone 4, would now move back row to Rotational Position 1 to be the team's next server

Once you are in a back row rotation you are a backrow player until you have rotated into Rotational Position 5, the left back position.

When your team in serve receive offense wins the rally while you are in P5, you would then rotate up to Rotational Position 4, to be in the front row


Volleyball Positions and Rotations
My Cheat Sheet


Scroll below to see that I give you, the beginner player, a very basic idea of volleyball positions and rotations based on the position you specialize in.


Click here to learn more about specialized roles and player positions in volleyball. 



  • If you are a setter or right side hitter your specialized position is on the RF and RB sides of the court. 


As you play more advanced volleyball there will be exceptions to these rules where coaches may place left side hitters middle back (MB in Position 6) and liberos in left back (LB, Position 5) so they can run a backrow attack.

Let's stick with the volleyball rotation basics for now.


Check out this video by Get the Pancake to learn more about the volleyball rotation and how it works on the court. 


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Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience.

These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis.

Sign up now!Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!


Follow me on Pinterest Volleybragswag to improve your game even faster!

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. 



Volleyball Rotation: 
Where Do You Go From Here?


Good times! Here's where you need to go now? Here are three options: 

  1. Learn more about the game and How To Rotate in Volleyball in the Related Links below. 
  2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
  3. Or visit the pages in the How to Play section in the drop down menu at the top of the page

You might like to learn more game volleyball rules in the pages below!



  1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
  2.  ›
  3. Volleyball Game Rules: Serving, Score, Skill, Rotation and Regulations
  4.  ›
  5. Volleyball Rotation Learn How To Rotate on the Court in Volleyball


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