Volleyball training VI: The spike

This series of articles is intended to show some of the exercises we use in Super League 2 team training and some of the exercises we use in lower categories for training. We will try to include videos and other explanatory materials beyond the written explanation.

THE ATACK: THE SPIKE

• Attack is the main way to win points.
• The one who attacks the most and the best wins (but you have to do a lot of good things to make it possible for the attack to be carried out in good conditions).
• The most complex technique of volleyball both for its phases and for the variability of circumstances. (A good attacker scores in any circumstance)

Main objectives in initiation.

• Hitting at the highest possible height.
• Maximum speed in the exit of ball

Critical element:

• Balloon strike (active dummy = manual)

This critical element is greatly influenced in this video by Alberto Toribio of the Catalan Volleyball Federation.

Phases of the attack

• Approach race:
  • Starting point
  • Career
• Whip:
  • 2 supports (right-left)
• Air phase: Preparatory hitting:
  • Arming the arm
  • Hitting
• Fall

Let us now look at each of them in more detail.

Approach race: (for a right-handed)

• 2 steps (3 i-d-i supports)
• 1st step: normal-short
• 2nd step: + long for explosive impulse
• almost simultaneous right-left support (difficult in young players)
• braceo (arms go with left foot)
• progressively accelerated (do not leave soon)

Whipped

Objectives:

• Catching the ball at the highest possible height
• In front of the body
• Right foot
• Heel support (braked) and then plant and toe (arms are back)
• Left foot (most forward)
• Pointed support (slightly inward and plant)
• Hip opens to orient the trunk towards the ball (zone 4)
• Arms go down-first-up at maximum speed (in the support they are already pointing to the roof)

In order to observe the movement as a whole, the video of the same coach Alberto Torivio is also very good, which can be seen in the following link.

Phases of attack: armed

• Aerial phase: preparatory hitting phase: armed with the goalkeeper:
  • The right shoulder goes backwards following the movement of the hip, while the left arm is above pointing at the ball.
• Right elbow. Goes back over the shoulder.
• Others armed:
  • Circular arming
  • Arming "straight"

Phases of the attack: hitting

• It's the critical element
• Previously the previous movements are undone: right hip and shoulder go forward while the executing arm seeks the ball with the elbow above the head and the shoulder as high as possible.
• Hitting:
  • Open hand to cover the largest ball surface (direction control)
  • Active wrist
  • Arm as stretched as possible (maximum contact height)
  • Letting go of the arm
• Advanced hits:
  • Outer stroke (thumb up): Used to change the ball direction to the left side, line from 4 and diagonal from 2.
  • Inner stroke (thumb down): Used to change the directional ball to the right side, diagonal from 4 or line from 2.
  • Time change: Delay the maximum hit to look for the fall of the block.
  • Block-out: Look for the external weak part of the block to cause the block out.

Phases of the attack: fall

• Must be balanced
• Will be amortized (tip-heel-tip)
• The fall should occur most of the time with two feet to prevent injuries.

Keys to attack training

• In teaching, simplify the situation as much as possible: break it down into parts and train them separately.
• A lot of ball hitting (critical element) from the ground, as seen in the previous video.
• As soon as it is possible to work with varied trajectories of positioning (indispensable the launching of the trainer).
• Reinforce the basic technique before starting the advanced one.
• In "training" there must almost always be a block to get used to attacking with him.
• Vary starting situations: "transitions to attack from various previous actions".
• Train the attack both in situations favored and hindered by the setter.