Tips for serving overhand?

Question

I can serve perfectly underhand, but I cannot serve overhand. I don't want to learn with my fist closed, but with my hand open. Someone tell me the perfect form and step by step directions? A website could help too.

Answer 1

1. TAKE YOUR TIME
The official rule is that you have 8 seconds to perform your serve. This is actually an eternity. Rushing your serve will only screw up your routine, and cause you to lose serve and lose the point! So wait for the whistle!
2. CREATE A ROUTINE
Your routine is perhaps the most important aspect of your “pre-serve”.Decide how many bounces, slaps, etc. you will do before going into the serving motions.This will give you some familiarity and make your serve consistent.
This also includes knowing how far you are from the service line (“serves go over, feet don’t!”)
3. CHOOSE YOUR VICTIM
Picking a target on the floor will keep you from serving “out”.
Avoid good back row players, such as the libero as your victim. Find a possible hole on the floor (ex. in the middle of a cup formation)
4. THE TOSS
This is the most important aspect of the actual serve.
Bring the ball in both hands in front of your body.
Toss with both hands and do not toss between your legs!
5. FANCY FOOTWORK
Stand so that your feet are about shoulder width apart, with your foot the same side as your hitting arm slightly ahead of the opposite foot. Check: Are your feet/body facing your victim? Are your feet far enough from the service line?
6.THE TOSS CONTINUEDThrow the ball about 4 feet to double your height. Toss straight up- too far ahead/behind will throw off your serve.
7. CONTACTING THE BALL
Lead with your elbow.
Make solid contact on the top of the ball.
Don’t poke the ball-put some muscle into it!
NEVER, EVER fist the ball. Cast your palm as open as possible for the most surface area.
While contacting the ball, step with the foot opposite your hitting arm.
8. BODY MOVEMENTS
This will give you the most balance and propel your body.
Pull your non-hitting arm down, and let your hips twist when you hit the ball.
9. FOLLOW THROUGH
After hitting the ball, snap your wrist.
This will give you the top spin you want to make your serve difficult to receive. Drag your foot -the same side as your hitting arm-because you cannot take 2 steps.

Answer 2

Well, overhand serving can be a challenge, but it's good that you don't want to learn it with a fist, because that is the wrong way. Here's some tips:
1. Make sure your toss is right over your hitting arm so that your hitting arm can come perfectly through.
2. Before you start your overhand serve, make sure to have your body tilted so that your tossing arm is in front and your hitting arm is almost behind you.
3. Do not tilt your hand back when you try to hit the ball, always have your hand straight up and down and stiff. Or, if you want topspin on the ball when you serve it, tilt your hand forward as you hit the ball, which makes it harder for the other team to receive it as well.
4. When you hit the ball, make sure your arm is extended all the way above your head, because that is the best and ideal place to hit the ball.
5. Go straight through the ball, because a solid hit is ideal.
6. When you hit the ball, you dont have to hit it hard, because sometimes, people get spastic when they try to hit it with all their strength. Getting a solid hit will make the ball go hard.
7. All of the power in your serve doesn't come from your arm. It mostly comes from your body. Use your body strength to slam through the ball.

Hope this helped! Any other questions on that, email me.

Answer 3

There are a lot of good tips in the above answers.
I would like to add that you should start at the 3 meter line (10 foot line if you prefer) Get your serve over the net. If you get it over, take 1 step back and do the serve again. If you make it, take the step back again. If you miss, stay at that spot and serve again. If you miss 2 in a row, move up one step. Keep doing this until you are serving from the service line.
If you start serving from the service line and you do not get a serve over, you will get discouraged. And then your brain will keep telling you that you can not serve overhand. (Just as you have stated in your question.) Success breeds success.

Answer 4

I would suggest that when you serve overhand always hit the ball with the lower part of your hand. Throw the ball about arms length in the air and hit the ball with the ball of your hand. Make sure to step into your hit and aim your foot to the spot that you want to the ball to land. It takes time and patience but I am sure you will get the feeling soon.

Answer 5

well overhand serving is really simple once you set the ball for a good serve. make your legs shoulder length apaprt. if your right handed then follow, unless your left handed, then do the opposite. take the ball in your left hand with your right hand over it to keep the ball in control. toss the ball over your head, preferably 1-2 feet over your head. as you toss the ball, move your right hand ready for the hit.*as you let go of the ball in your left hand, spin, the ball toward where you want to hit. this way, your dont have to put much force to get the ball over the net. then when the ball get withing hitting range, keep an open right hand to hit the ball. if you keep doing this, then you can make your serves very hard and fast.

Answer 6

First make sure you have enough strength to simply throw the ball overhand over the net.
Your toss is the most important part of your serve so practice your toss a lot until u have got it down. you want to toss the ball just high enough for your hand to hit it and you want it to land right in front of you in front of your right foot, make sure it doesnt get too close to you.
After practing tosses then stand behind the line left foot forward weight on you back foot, hold the ball out in front of you, toss the ball, just high enough for your hand to hit it (too high is bad) step and swing.(with an open hand)
Good Luck!

Answer 7

toss the ball into the air, high enough that will give you time to set your hand right, but low enough that it won't take an hour to get back down. I use a 3-step process. 1. toss the ball 2. if your right handed step with your left leg (opposite if your left handed) 3. Hit the ball with your palm as hard as possible as you step.

Answer 8

The best way to practice serving overhand is to do some weightlifting. Weightlifting will most definitely build your arm strength. Also, buy some volleyballs and practice some overhand serves.

Answer 9

I would say the toss is most important. Bad toss and you can't hit it correctly. So...if you're right handed...I start with my right foot in front and left in back. Now with your left hand hold the ball in your palm with your arm parallel. Practice tossing the ball in the air above your head so that the ball lands right in front of your foot.Don't toss the ball back behind you ...toss it straight up. After you got that down hold the ball in your palm parallel again and pull you right hand back by your ear. Toss the ball up and step and hit the ball with the lower part of your palm. Remember to use your body weight and hit hard...also let the ball come down to your arm...don't reach up for it or else you'll lose power. Have fun

Answer 10

Overhand serving takes lost of practice...but what you should do is:
1)toss the ball in the air...not too high, but above your head...
2)then when the ball is slightly above your head, hit is with your palm...but don't SWING your arm...just "pop it" but use enough arm strength to hit it hard and high enough to get it over the net

I hope this helps....but it's really hard to explain...just keep trying and you'll get it eventually!