Best Volleyball Drills for Beginners

Volleyball drills are functional exercises that intensify team and player volleyball skills. There are many volleyball drills that teams and players can use to enhance and further strengthen their talents in all game sectors. These volleyball drills for beginners can support the players to increase repetitions in multiple skills and positions.

Drills Executed as a Team or With Multiple Players

01- Over the Net

This drill aids players to learn to serve consistently and precisely.

Formation

• Form two lines of players, one on each service line, respectively.
• Give every player a ball or per side a group of balls.

Implementation

• On the signal, the players will serve the ball over the net to the opposite side of the court.
• If there aren’t sufficient balls for each player, make sure they take turns serving.
• Give them time to perform at least 8-10 serves each.

Coaching Advice

• Support strengthens players that getting a serve over the net is more potent than beating the ball hard.
• This is something you can serve on as a practice warm-up at the start of every practice.
• You can transform it into a game by having a score (+1 point for serves that land in the court, -1 point for mistakes, the first side to 21 wins).
• Focusing on serving will play a significant part in drastically raising the number of wins your team has through the season.

02- Line Setting Drill

This beginner setting drill will direct on the setter squaring their bodies up to their objective. This drill is a great small group drill for beginners to work on set with a co-player.

Formation

• Get two players to face each other about 10 feet apart.
• Each player should balance a line facing each other.

Getting started

• Member 1 tosses a ball to the second player, who sets the ball back to member 1.
• Continue this for 10 sets and change the players’ roles.
• Players should balance the line to face each other and square their bodies up to the objective.

Coaching Advice

• As the players have a more expert setting, have them set the ball back and forth.
• Square up to the aim.
• Squat beneath the ball.
• Bring up the hands, fingers steered out and spread out, cock the wrist back over forehead.
• Stretch the arms up through the ball utilizing the legs and arms at the same time.

03- Blocking Form Drill

This drill aims to provide an opportunity for players to accomplish developing solid structural form on their blocks.

Formation

• 4-5 players will line up, bordering the net, right in front of it.

Implementation

• This drill is simple, enabling members of the team to concentrate on blocking form.
• Players will easily practice jumping up and down with stable fundamentals at the net for 1 minute.

Coaching Advice

• Players should be firm with their arms. If they look like they’re thrashing, get them to get into position and push back on their arms.
• Have them serve on other possible single focuses: wide base, thumbs up, keeping hands high, landing balanced.

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04 – Around the World

This drill will enable the players to concentrate on passing, setting, and footwork to develop their basic skills and abilities.

Formation

• Empty the whole court.
• Get one line of players on any outside edge of the court between the attack and back lines.
• Set up 3 tossers per side of the net. These can be coaches and players.

Implementation

• The first player will lead inside the court and deliver the thrown ball back to the first tosser with a BUMP pass.
• Then, they will shuffle sideways and get a toss from the second tosser, returning it with a SET pass.
• Next, they will shuffle sideways and return another thrown ball to the third tosser with another BUMP pass.
• Accordingly, they will move outside the court, running towards the net and get another toss from the third tosser, returning it with a SET pass.
• Afterward, they pass the outside of the net. And they will accept a ball from the first tosser on the opposite side of the court and return it with a BUMP pass.
• They will then go back into the court and continue the same return pass cycle – bump, set, bump, set.
• The following player in line can start once the player facing them has made it through the initial three tosses.

Coaching Advice

• This drill operates as a comprehensive skill developer. At the same time, you can also pick up the speed and make it an excellent conditioning drill.

05- Circle Passing Drill

Circle Passing is a fundamental warm-up drill for players to acquire ball control while passing.

Formation

• Members make a circle with lots of space between each player.
• Only one volleyball is required. But it’s better to keep a ball cart of volleyballs nearby to use if needed. The coach can be the “Counter” in the center of the circle, which also aims for the players to pass the ball.

Implementation

• Players get in a medium to a wide circle, with one person being the “Counter” in the circle’s center.
• Also, the coach can be the “Counter” to start, explaining how to work the drill to the other players.
• Then, the counter throws the ball to a player, that player passes it right back to the counter. Counter then passes it to another player in the circle. It should keep going this way until the ball smacks the ground.
• The counter is scoring how many passes in a row the team can get.
• When the ball taps the ground, the counter starts over at zero.
• The counter can use the set (overhead pass), tip, anything they require to keep the ball in play.

Coaching Advice

• For younger players, you can use the letters of the alphabet rather than counting by numbers.
• Enable the players in the circle to pass or set for an advanced drill set up. The coach can also command the player to pass to self, then set to Counter in the center, really serving on ball control.
• Have players call the ball.
• The coach needs to move the ball around, may even set backward, tip sideways, etc.

06- Rally Scoring Game

Rally scoring is highly effective to get players to concentrate on obtaining high percentage plays and evading absurd, easily avoidable errors.

Formation

• Each side will line up with 6 players.
• The serving team will require a ball to begin.

Implementation

• A player will serve the ball to the opposite team.
• They will return the serve, trying to get in their offense and strike the defense.
• This will remain until there is a dead ball, with the winning team proceeding to serve.

Coaching Advice

• The objective here is to keep all your hits in the court. You can set goals, like no mistakes, before your team has gotten to 3 points.
• This will make players assess if they are genuinely in a condition to attack. They are off stability and out of position; they should go with a more conventional pass. But if they’re in the ideal situation with a great set, they should attack.
• It can also be an excellent plan to put a rule in that you can’t get any scoring failures until you are at +5 on the score.
• You can penalize these errors; nevertheless, you see fit, whether that’s -1 or -2 points for those initial errors.

07- “W” Passing Drill

“W” Passing is a great passing drill for beginners to acquire knowledge to move to the ball and pass to the setter position.

Formation

• Volleyballs for the coach to toss.
• Line of players at the right-back (server) position.
• Five poly spots markers to tell them the place to pass.

Implementation

• The coach is at the front of the net, throwing balls to the players in five different positions.
• The line of members begins at the right-back (server) position.
• When the coach whistles, they toss a ball to the passer. Then, the passer moves the ball to the target, dashing right front for a short toss from the coach.
• Then, the player immediately backpedals to the center back for a third pass, then quickly to the left front for a short toss from the coach.
• Next, the player moves promptly to the left-back for the final toss.
• Each member should pass five volleyballs in one turn, shag 5 volleyballs, then move back to the passing line.

Coaching Advice

• Coaches can get the teammates to pass to the first five positions, then double back. Creating a W and then a second W back to the opening position. This would supply each player with 9 passes.
• Coaches can command that the members somewhat get “a hand” on the volleyball. They are slightly touching it if a good pass is not fit to be done.
• Practice this drill with the overhand pass too.
• Also, the coach can place themself across the net from the players. In more top levels of ability, coaches can do down ball hits rather than tosses.
• Pat the ball to indicate the start of the drill.
• Support players to get on the floor for short passes in the left front and right front.
• Players should be “calling the ball” on every pass.

08- Pepper Drill

Pepper enables the players to provide some extra fun while improving and enhancing their passing skills.

Formation

• Sufficient balls for each group of players to use 1.
• Divide your players into pairs of 2.
• Provide each group a ball.

Drill Progression

• The first player throws the ball up in the space to their co-player, and that person plays a pass (bump) back to the partner.
• Then, the second player attempts to set the ball back to their partner.
• Next, the first player makes a hit (spike), passing the ball back to their partner.
• And then, the second player must move immediately into position to bump the ball off the spike.
• Make this at half speed for some rounds before asking the players to perform it at maximum speed.

Coaching Advice

• This is an effective exercise that helps strengthen decent passing skills and movement among teammates.
• Once players learn each passing style (Bump, Set, Spike) and efficiently perform a full round at half speed, get them to increase the speed or arrange relays upon other groups.
• You can create groups of 3, and they can execute Triangle Pepper – the very game utilizing three people instead of two. This will enable you to have odd numbers, or you want to blend things up.

09- Serving to 21

Serving to 21 is a useful serving drill to guide players to serve to a particular zone.

Getting Started

• Description of 6 serving zones; may want to have poly spots as visual support.
• With younger players, line numbers on zones and a splitting line to show different areas.

How to Perform

• Get players all on one side of the court at the serving line.
• Each player should have a volleyball. Coach demonstrates that there are six serving zones.
• Players are to serve any region by obtaining that zone’s number as their “points.” A player requires precisely 21 points to achieve the drill.
• The zones are: right back (server) -1, right-front – 2, middle front – 3, left front – 4, left back – 5, middle back – 6 . For example, if a player serves a good serve to zone 4, they gain four points.
• If on their next serve, they serve an excellent serve to zone 6, they now own 10 total points.
• They remain until they have exactly 21 points.

Coaching Advice

• Coaches can make the drill smaller or large depending on the number of points they want their players to obtain.
• Can create a “BUST” rule if a player serves the ball out of bounds or into the net. They “bust” and must begin back over with zero points.
• Players can serve with a co-player. Both work towards the same point goal and sharing points.
• Support more advanced servers to jump serve to earn points or make their goal total higher than others.
• Let younger players serve at a closer line than the serving line to make them strong.
• Help the players follow through on their serve to notice if they are doing a better job by serving to the zone they are focusing on.

10- Approach Step Drill

This drill provides players a chance to concentrate entirely on footwork. This also reduces the possible intrusion of hitting a live ball and enabling them to establish a solid foundation.

Formation

• Four members will line up on the attack line, overlooking the net.
• No balls required.

Drill Progression

• Players will commence at the attack line.
• In the coach’s direction, players will go through their approach step, then jump and act to spike a ball over the net.
• Players will move back to the attack line and repeat.

Coaching Advice

• Explain to the players what it looks like before the drill starts to get a visual representation.
• The target should be on slow steps at the start into a quick burst at the conclusion.
• Tell players to take a break step before setting and taking off so they don’t have too much forward force.
• Watch their landing spots – anything past the centerline is bad.
• It gives you a great opportunity to walk around and assess players through their approach step.

Drills Executed Individually

01- Warm-up with Wall

This drill provides a warm-up time for each player to warm up arms and shoulders before practice starts. And at the same time, be serving on fundamental skills and ball control.

Implementation

Each player has their own ball and gets a space on the wall where they will have the capacity to move and practice individually.

How it goes

• Players are provided a number for the whole warm-up time. For example, “10.” They will go by each skill several times each.
• Coaches can enter skills on a board till players learn the method. They serve on these alone, not with a mate.

Coaching Advice

• Coaches can modify or add various drills or skills for the warm-up pattern.
• Also, you can change numbers for different players based on ability.

02- Side to Sides

This individual drill practice supports players to enhance their cutting, change of direction, agility, and jumping technique. You’ll only need one bounding box for this.

How to do

• Place one foot on the side of the box and one foot in the center of the box and go laterally.
• Push and do a lateral hop, switching your feet and moving from one side of the box to the other.
• Count over and back as one rep.
• Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Coaching Advice

• The weight of the players should be on the outward leg as they perform this drill.

03- Down Ups

This effective drill for strengthening speed and jumping ability can be practiced by placing a workout box at any location.

How to do

• Begin on top of the box.
• Hop down to the ground.
• Promptly upon beating the bottom, hop back onto the top of the box.
• Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

Coaching Advice

• Make sure the players jump down and then up and not the other way around.