The dink in volleyball -- also known as the tip or poke -- is a technique used to keep the defense off guard and advance the ball just over the defenders' arms rather than spiking the ball back onto the other side of the court. Drills involving the dink can make you a better offensive player and keep the other team guessing as to what move you're going to use when you attack the net.
Juggle Drill
To master the poke, or dink, you have to practice it until you have the form down. The juggle drill helps you do this even from the comfort of home after practice. Stand or sit with a volleyball in your hands and toss it up slightly into the air. Dink the ball with the first two knuckles on your right hand, pushing it straight up into the air. Keep the ball in the air by doing the same with your left hand. Juggle the ball back and forth between your hands using the dink technique. See how many times you can successfully dink the ball without letting it hit the floor.
Parallel Jump Drill
Good footwork is just as essential to executing a quality poke as your arm position is. Squaring up to the net will help you see the whole court and allow you to take note of where the defense is and where exactly you can dink the ball to score a point. Stand at one of the posts of the volleyball net and have a coach or teammate set the ball at the net. If you have enough teammates, you can have them on the other side of the net as defenders. Run toward the ball and jump, turning your body so it's parallel to the net rather than perpendicular. Face the defense and find an open spot. Motion with your arm as if you're going to spike the ball, then dink it over the net to an open spot. Repeat the drill, having your setter put the ball in different spots to mix things up.
High Dink Drill
Sometimes you'll face a defense that has superior blockers, meaning you'll need to dink the ball higher if you want to get it over the block. For this drill, have two blockers on the other side of the net, standing on chairs with their arms high above their head. Have a coach or teammate set the ball in front of the blockers. Run and jump to the ball -- again, focusing on proper body alignment -- and dink the ball over the outstretched arms of the defenders. Repeat the drill until you can perform a perfect dink 10 times in a row.
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