4 Things That Make It Difficult To Hit A Volleyball

Even professional volleyball players miss the ball occasionally, because certain situations during play make it difficult to hit the ball effectively. As an amateur volleyball player, knowing how to anticipate the situations that prevent you from effectively hitting the ball can help you better identify your weaknesses. Practices that focus on these four things that make it difficult to hit a volleyball result in a stronger, more intuitive player.

Poor Form

Volleyball is a precise sport, with perfect form reigning supreme. When you don't hit the ball with proper form, you can't predict the ball's trajectory. Likewise, using poor form can result in injuries as minor as sore wrists to as serious as sprained ligaments and broken bones. When bumping the ball, always make contact by using the area at the base of the thumbs, which makes it easier to direct the ball. When volleying, get directly under the ball and use strong fingers to push the ball upward; never smack at the ball.

Positioning and Communication

A regulation indoor volleyball game requires six players on each side of the court, with three players in the front row and three in the back row. Because of this, the court is covered more effectively when each player is responsible for the area where she lines up. Communication is crucial, because many balls fall between players and one of them must react quickly to keep the ball in play. Players rotate throughout the game, but court coverage and communication remain a priority for each player. In regulation beach volleyball, each team consists of two players on the court. This obviously makes it more difficult to return the ball when it's spiked or hit in a location out of either player's reach.

Rally Speed

The speed at which a ball comes at players during a game affects their ability to hit the ball effectively. Spikes are notoriously hard to return, since they're usually extremely fast and hit with a downward trajectory, making it difficult to properly position yourself to hit the ball back. Practicing digging helps players learn to react quickly and dive to hit even precisely placed spikes.

FItness Level

While a casual volleyball game might not seem especially intense, competitive volleyball requires a high degree of athleticism. Speed, agility, reaction time and muscular and cardiovascular endurance are necessary to not only make it through a game, but to effectively hit the ball when it's your turn. If your fitness level is low, you'll likely find it difficult to hit, dive for and retrieve the ball. But continually playing volleyball is an excellent way to increase your fitness level so you become a better player over time.