How to overhand serve a volleyball open handed?

Question

Volleyball tryouts are coming up in two weeks for my school and when I hit the ball as I serve an overhand, my hand is closed. The thing is, I heard that the coach tells people to serve open handed for more control and that she hates when people serve an overhand with a closed fist.

If she tells me at tryouts to serve an overhand open handed, how should i respond?

How do I actually serve the volleyball overhand open handed with more control and power?

Answer 1

1) Always do what your coach asks you to do using the best technique that you can - it's better to not do as well with the right technique than to do it wrong and never get any better.

2) Power comes from your hips. Assuming that you're right handed, do the following.

Stand with your left foot about a foot in front of your fight foot.
Hold the ball in your left hand with your arm extended straight out in front of you.
Hold your right arm up so that your thumb of your hand is by your right ear with the elbow sticking up higher than your shoulder.
Toss the ball up with your left hand and step forward with your right foot as you swing.

Here is some info from www.volleyball.org
ARM TOSS

With firm wrist, arm toss the ball 18 inches - so that the ball falls to the spot just inside of the lead foot and in line with the hitting shoulder.

HAND UP AND BACK BEFORE THE TOSS

Elbow and hand are at shoulder height or above throughout the entire serving motion.

SHIFT

Shift weight to lead foot, or step forward, as you make contact with the ball.

SWING TO TARGET

Wrist firm throughout serve.

Contact with heel of hand through middle back of ball.

The contact should sound like a "thud", not a "slap" sound.

Hand follows ball to target.

Finish with hand alongside or within body line.

Answer 2

Volleyball Overhand Serve

Answer 3

A couple of things you need to know - First, it depends upon your arm strength. An open hand serve does give you more controll, it also can give you various degrees of "top spin" which will affect the ball when it is returned, or when it clears the net.

A few things you can do between now and your try outs - use a dumb bell to strengthen your serving arm. Pretend your "throwing a baseball" with it in your hand - large circular motion - all the way back, all the way forward, slowly bringing it back around. Do as many reps as you are able.

Now, over hand serve with an open hand - Imaigne hitting the ball with the top of your palm - not the concave part - you don't want to pop or slap the ball - it's really a combination of the top of your palm and your fingers. You can practice this in your garage, or up against a gymn wall, or the garage door, or back of the house - where ever. Just work on the power you are hitting the ball with - hit the wall or what ever at eye level so the ball will bounce back to you. You can do this over and over for hours if you have the strength.

Top spin - when you are hitting the ball against the wall - from what ever distance - you should be as far away as you would be from a net, if possible. - Anyway, top spin, imagine hitting the top of the ball and it will rotate (if you were to look at it from the side) clockwise with various degrees of rotation. The more you can controll the rotation and the location of the serve, the more effective you will be in your serve. I have perfected a "tennis" style serve which unloads so much topspin that it drops over the net but looks like it's going to go long. If it is returned it will at times bounce into the one who returns it - anyway -

I'm not sure what level of play, or what grade in school you are, but,
1 - strengthen your arm
2 - practice power, top spin and acuracy against the wall
3 - work on gettin it over the net and placing it on the court.

good luck

Answer 4

I play volleyball and I have a very good overhand serve. I think that you should focus on keeping your hand tight and hard. She probably will tell you to serve openhanded because in most volleyball teams it is illegal to serve with a fist. Also make sure that you have good position, if you don't have a good position then you won't have a good serve. Hope I can help! ;)

Answer 5

Well, some coaches don't allow their players to use a fist. When I was in 7th grade we could use a fist since we were starting out, but in 8th grade we weren't allowed to by the coach, it mostly depends on your coach. Now for me in 9th grade we are not allowed, I know it would make it easier, but life isn't just that easy. :) So, it isn't illegal, just it makes it less of a chance to have a good serve. You have a lot better control with an open hand, it takes dedication and hard work, but it comes after lots of practice.

Answer 6

My coach always says keep a tight wrist: don't let it go all floppy and follow through with you arm down the right side of your body (If you're right handed) or left if your a lefty. It would also help if you did weights, i've found that it really helps.. Just believe in yourself. I used to be really bad at it and i just practiced every day and now i'm a WHOLE lot better.

Best of luck for tryouts.

Answer 7

One other thing I've seen players do when serving is to make sure your baby finger slightly overlaps the 2nd finger and the thumb also slightly overlapping your index finger. Sort of forming a shallow bowl while keeping all fingers straight.

This will give you added power and control as the doubled fingers strike the ball evenly with more strength behind them. Will also help you avoid the weak slapping contact when you strike the ball from a mis-timed toss

Answer 8

Practice, practice, practice. Closed fisted only belongs on elementary school playgrounds. There are many ways to serve, and all of them should be open handed. You don't always need to serve with power, just control. Knuckleball or floaters can be very successful too.

Answer 9

Well only toss the ball about two feet above your head, and when you make contact, when your hand is open, make sure your wrist is entirely stiff, and make sure you follow through with your arm in the direction you want the ball to go. That's always what my coach says.

Answer 10

when serving over hand make sure you have room. i had this problem too throw the ball up in the air make sure its stright up and high so you have time to hit it. when it comes down arc your back and swing your hand and smack the ball arcing your back will put more power into the ball. if it dose not work keep trying cause you can do it