Q&A for How to Be Good at Volleyball

So, you have a team of six people and each person is in a specific position. You rotate from that position when it is your team's turn to serve. Basically, you have to get the ball over the net in 1-3 hits. Usually, one person bumps it to the setter, who then sets it up for whoever the hitter is. The hitter then hits (spikes) it over the net. This will make the ball harder to play back, which is a good thing because then your team will get the point. Whoever gets 25 points first wins that game. Then, whoever wins the most games for the set wins. You can learn more here: How to Play Volleyball .

A basketball is a lot harder and heavier than a volleyball, so it is not very useful for practice. You will have to hit it with a lot more force and you could hurt yourself.

Practice. Even if you are experienced already, you can practice every small detail to make yourself better. Get a experienced volleyball player or trainer to help you. Join a team so you can get continuous practice on your game. Practice makes perfect!

It all depends on how you're hitting it. If you're attempting a bump, then it is supposed to hit your forearm. However, for a set or a serve it should be hitting your hand. The next time you go to play, focus on your aim and try to make sure you hit it with your hand.

Always celebrate and acknowledge good play, and don't dwell upon silly mistakes or given up points.

There is only one answer: practice harder. Practice step-by-step and work on your approach. Make sure you know how to spike right. (If you slam the ball downwards, it's nearly impossible to get.) You also need to be able to jump high so you get it over the net. In a game, the circumstances may be different, but practice with high, simple sets first, then get harder.

Always work on your approach (left, right, left) and work on your vertical leap and on good jumping mechanics. When you swing your arms back, keep your wrists bent back to give more momentum upward. Also, kick your legs back when you are up, this will give you more hang time on your jump.

Try serving underhand, and work your way up to overhand. Practice will help you get better at serving the ball over time.

Practice by standing on top of a table or box and tossing a ball up in the air. Practice snapping your wrist when you hit the ball so that it goes down. As for your approach, that just takes practice. If you are right-handed, practice left, right, left, then jump. Try practicing it to a beat. Left, right, left. Do the opposite if you are left-handed, right, left, right.

Squats, wall sits, planks, and push-ups are great exercises you can do at home.

You can, but it would be beneficial to you to seek advice and assistance from someone who has experience with the sport.

Talk to your coach. Instead of just outright saying, "Can I move up?" just ask her/him, "What can I do to move up on the team?" and then work REALLY hard and try to become really good. Remember, you don't need to be the best ON the team, you need to be the best FOR the team. It isn't a one man/woman sport. Work really hard and talk to your coach!

If you are a poor runner, then try going for short runs a few times a week, then increasing duration to build up your cardiovascular strength. To become stronger, try a simple strength training program. Both skills are important in volleyball.

Just forget about your mistakes and go out and practice as hard as you can.

It's not really about trust, it's a matter of how much space there is on the team and how competitive it is. You can always try out for the team. But if you're inexperienced and the team is fully of experienced players, you are unlikely to get on the team, unless they don't have enough people. In that case, you can look elsewhere in your community for a team better suited for your experience/abilities - or practice a lot on your own and try again next year.

You can wear basketball shoes, or you could try to find regular tennis shoes/sneakers. As long as the shoes you have are closed-toe (no sandals, flip-flops, etc.), they offer good support to prevent injuries and so your feet don't hurt after hours of practice or a long game. They should have plenty of traction, so you can make quick movements without having to worry about slipping and sliding on a slick gym floor.

You just have to focus and concentrate when the ball is coming to you.

It is hard to use a any other ball besides a volleyball to pass, hit, or serve. But if you want to get better at setting and getting the ball higher, a soccer or basketball is great to use.

Yes, you can. You just have to get low and then push yourself up with your legs so you can jump higher.

You should use it every day consistently for the foreseeable future. Jump roping is a great way to make your legs more muscular and maintain the new muscle.

You will never catch a ball during a game as that would result in a point for the other team. You may catch in some drills just to get the feel of the motion or placement of your hands though.

It's really recommended, yes. They help a lot when it comes to diving for the ball or if you fall down.

It is all about moving your feet. If you know that the ball is yours, then always stay on your toes and run after it. When you are running, make sure your hands are not together so you can get there quicker. If you have to dive, do it, but only if you know how. Practice diving and moving to balls before you have to do it in a game.

Practice catching and throwing at a small distance and increase it as you become more comfortable. It may take a while, but eventually it will become muscle memory to hit a ball as it hurtles toward you.

You should be OK. It might improve performance, though.

Coaches like people who will hustle and shag balls. Don't let the ball hit the ground, and during drills, chase your ball and bring it back. The coaches will probably review how to play the game, so you'll get an extra repetition of the basics and possibly more advanced elements. You can also read about how to make your school's volleyball team .

Ask your parents if you can join a local club. You could also join the school volleyball team.

Just focus on making the ball go over the net, this way you'll get better, and in the end your height won't actually matter. If you just practice you'll become a "little giant"!

Really all you have to do is practice, hit the ball against the wall or over a net. The more practice, the better. This way you'll get used to the feeling and the way you should do it. With plenty of practice, you'll be the best there!

You have to hit the ball hard, but with control. As soon as you have mastered that, just a plain serve you can move on to a jump float. Your opponents won't know where the ball is going to land. It will confuse them not knowing to go back or front. While usually it lands in front but it is not predictable.