A strong volleyball serve can win points and disrupt your opponent's rhythm, but common mistakes often hold players back. Here’s a quick guide to the five most frequent serving errors and how to fix them:
With practice, you can eliminate these mistakes and serve with confidence every time.
A bad ball toss can ruin your serve before it even starts. According to the Volleyball Institute, tossing the ball too far overhead is "the most common mistake we see with servers and decreases serve power, control, and risks shoulder health issues" [2].
Watch for these red flags in your toss: the ball spins when released, lands too far forward or too high, forces awkward body movements, or cuts down on serve power even with good arm mechanics. Spotting these problems is the first step to fixing them.
Drill these steps until your toss feels automatic.
Try these exercises to improve your toss:
These drills will help you develop muscle memory for a better toss.
Your foot placement plays a key role in your serve's power and accuracy. A proper stance helps you stay balanced and generate the force needed for a strong serve.
Here are three steps to get your serving stance right:
Once your stance feels solid, try these drills to boost your stability and movement:
Basic Line Drills
Advanced Movement Drills
These exercises can help fine-tune your footwork and ensure your serve starts off on the right foot - literally!
Making solid contact with the ball is crucial for both power and accuracy in your serve. This builds on the proper toss and foot positioning discussed earlier.
Here are some clues that your ball contact needs improvement:
Practice these techniques with specific drills to refine your ball contact.
Try these exercises to strengthen your contact and improve accuracy:
"As you add speed to movement, you sometimes increase injury risk. Anytime you do something faster, you lose accuracy. You also fatigue faster. Both of these things mean you might lose form and put yourself at risk of injury." - Alex Rothstein, Exercise Science Program Coordinator at the New York Institute of Technology
Your arm movement plays a huge role in the power and accuracy of your serve. Unfortunately, many players develop habits that limit their serving potential without even realizing it.
One frequent issue is starting with a low elbow and lifting it during the serve. This can weaken your power, throw off your accuracy, and mess up your timing. Another common mistake is a poor follow-through - like snapping the wrist or letting your arm veer off course. These errors can make it tough to consistently hit your target.
Follow these tips to correct those mistakes and boost your serve:
"You can have the perfect toss, transfer of weight, and hand contact, but if you don't follow-thru straight, then you can't hit your target." - KIVA (Louisville, KY) [4]
Try these drills to build muscle memory and refine your technique:
"I teach players to eliminate all extra unnecessary body movement and to be very aware of what their body is doing at all times." - Coach ApChap [3]
Even experienced players can struggle with keeping their serves consistent. Fixing erratic serves can greatly improve your overall performance.
Inconsistent serves often result from a mix of technical and mental challenges. John Forman, Strategic Manager for Talent and Indoor Performance Director for Volleyball England, explains, "Players lacking good mechanics are very likely to be inconsistent (at best) with their serves. Much of the time it's the toss which is the biggest culprit." [5]
Here are some common reasons serves go wrong:
Getting your serve right requires both solid mechanics and mental sharpness.
Stay Grounded
Keep your back foot firmly planted to maintain balance [6].
Refine Your Mechanics
Focus on clean, controlled movements. Key areas to work on include:
Think Strategically
As John Forman advises, "Players need to know when it's acceptable to take risk and when they really need to focus on getting the serve in." [5] Tailor your serve to the game situation - sometimes accuracy matters more than power.
A solid pre-serve routine can make all the difference. Former U.S. national team player Natalie Hagglund says, "Your process should be short, sweet and should be able to trigger some sort of reaction." [7]
Here’s a simple routine to try:
Olympic gold medalist Reid Priddy sums it up perfectly: "Just me and the ball." [8] This mindset helps block out distractions and keeps your focus sharp. Build these steps into your serving routine to see consistent results.
Fixing common mistakes sets the stage for a stronger serve. To improve, focus on technique and commit to consistent practice. Bill Neville, assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Team, highlights the importance of routines:
"A checklist is part of a routine. A routine is basically as mindless as what you do when you get up in the morning. You don't need to think about it. But a checklist is mindful."[1]
Start with the essentials: a steady toss at shoulder height, correct foot placement, and smooth weight transfer. Regularly revisit these basics to address any issues, from toss to follow-through. The Junior Volleyball Association emphasizes:
"Repetition on proper serving technique will create good habits, and repetition on improper serving technique will create bad habits."[4]
Improving your serve takes time and effort. Luc Tremblay, Founder and Head Coach of Volleyball Winnipeg, shares this advice:
"Improving your serving accuracy takes time, dedication, and deliberate practice."[9]
Every practice session should focus on technique, include consistent drills, and incorporate a short pre-serve routine with visualization and positive self-talk. Juliann Faucette, a former U.S. National Team player, puts it simply:
"You control your toss. You control your serve."[8]
As you advance, consider adopting more aggressive serves to challenge yourself, even if it leads to occasional mistakes. With the right mindset, solid technique, and regular practice, you'll overcome common serving errors and become a dependable asset to your team.
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