How can I make my overhand serve go farther?

Question

I can get my overhand over the net well, but it doesn't go very deep and is easily returned. Any tips?

Answer 1

This is an easy trick to add power to your serve: start with your feet.

Instead of trying to *arm* it over, use the momentuem of your entire body. Even if you are a biddy 90 lbs, if you use not just your arm, but all 90 lbs., you'll send the ball flying.

Here how...

Before you toss the ball to serve, if you are a righty, start with you left front in front of you, and most of your weight on your back foot, which will be, of course, your right foot. (Unless you are a three footed freak, in which case this technique will not work.) If you are a lefty, of course, vice-versa.

After you toss the ball, and you start to strike it, you should simultaneously push-off your back (right) foot, and "step through" your serve. If you step through your serve, you will get the momentum of your entire body behind the serve. After you contact the ball, and follow-through, you should continue with the step and finish with your right foot in front of your left. (If you are a lefty, of course, vice-versa.)

This push off of your back foot, will force your hips to rotate, which will force your shoulders to rotate, which will force your arm to pronate. It is a bio-mechanical chain reaction.

This motion is exactly how a tennis player servers, and how a baseball pitcher pitchers. Baseball players will tell you: good pitchers use their legs. Visualize a pitcher's wind-up. Basically, he is starting with his weight on his right foot, and "stepping through" the pitch. In volleyball, you do not need such an over-emphasized wind-up, but the concept is the same.

Feel free to follow-up if you have any more questions.

Answer 2

If you can consistenty get the ball over the net, don't worry too much about strength. Try to get some action on the ball. Try hitting it hard with a firm open hand, A LITTLE ABOVE THE CENTER OF THE BALL. Try to keep the ball low as it passes over the net. Experiment with hitting a ball with little or no spin that has a knuckleball effect. Since blocking the serve is not allowed, this can be very hard to return. A coach always likes to have a few different kinds of serves in the lineup.

Answer 3

When I played, I had the opposite problem, I always hit it deep and could not get the shallow serves, so I practiced by putting a basket on the court where I wanted the ball to go and aimed for that, then I would move the basket to a different position, learning to control the amount of force put on the ball. The same thing applies here, you want to work on the amount of force. Arm strengthening exercises work for this :).

Eventually, with practice, you will be able to hit pretty much any mark on command. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

You don't want high serves. You want the ball to travel across the net at a height between the top of the tape and the top of the antena. Anything higher than that is too easy for the opposite team to pick up. The most important part of your body in volleyball is your abs. They provide torque for all hitting techniques and serving. I'd recommend getting an exercise ball and working your abs with that. 1) lay on the ground with the ball between your legs. Left it up with your legs and pass it up to your arms, keeping both legs and arms straight as possible. Grab the ball and take it above your head a few inches above the ground. Then pass the ball back to your legs, take it a few inches above the ground and pass it back to your arms. Do 2 sets of 25. 2) hold the ball between your legs and using your abs, pull your legs above your head and touch the ball to the ground behind your head. Slowly bring your legs back over and touch the ground with the ball gently. Do 2 sets of 25 The goal for these is control, not speed. Now back to serving -- when you serve, have your feet at about a 45 degree angle. Not facing the net but not facing the sideline. In the middle is perfect. Your toss and step (IMPORTANT) should be approximately at the same time, building momentum or a strong serve. Contact the ball high with the palm of your hand and extend your arm in the direction you want the ball to go. Your arm should end up by your side. Good luck, hope this helps!

Answer 5

First of all, start working on your upper body strength because that will help everything you do in volleyball--hitting, blocking, passing, setting, serving...something as simple as pushups is going to help you tremendously if you can't hit the gym.

Next, tape yourself and look at your form. Even toss the ball a few times and let it drop without hitting it to see if it drops into your "pocket" because the toss is essential in a good strong serve. It's all about your form and the toss. If you watch the video and your form is all good, then improving your upper body strength will help to solve your problem..

You can also get it to go a little further by hitting it at the top of your swing with the heel of your hand--drive it into the ball and then follow through, which, if done right, should give you a nice floater or top spin.

Good luck!

Answer 6

That last few Answers were very good....

Don't listen to the person that said jump up a bit off the ground.

I am a college volleyball coach and if I can help you any more, please email me!

Biggest advice. Try and not to have too many variables. Keep it simple.
Best form: Left foot slightly in front of right....toss the ball over you right shoulder (if you are right handed that is). After you toss it, Take a small step forward with your left. Make sure you DRAG your right foot...do not pick it up off the ground.

By doing this...you will be more consistent and the power will come.....

The person that suggested lifting weights does have a point also.

Answer 7

Hit it strait on. And through the ball. To get my overhand serves better i've been doing push ups. that has seemed to help.

Answer 8

hit the ball with the inner part of ur hand & above ur palm..! make sure u throw it start up in there , not too high and over do it ..u know! while the ball comes down hit it in the center and make sure u get a strong swing w/ ur arm to have enough force to get the ball over the net...keep practicin the way i told u and u can get the ball to hit dead center fast enough so it will nvr get touch by the other team! holla back @ me to tell me when u master it

Answer 9

it's all about the follow through with over hand serving. You must make sure you have a nice toss as well. Not WAY above your head, but deffinatly not to yoru shoulders. You should make contact with the ball at a nice angle. Your swing will also have to do with you power in the serve.

Answer 10

Work on your stroke so the perfect overhand serves becomes a natural thing to you. You could also try building up your arm strength.