--- title: "Volleyball Hitting Drills: Approach, Arm Swing & Lines" description: "Volleyball hitting drills start with the 4-step or 3-step approach, then the arm swing. Run hitting lines off a toss or set, with steps and shot selection." url: "https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/hitting-drill" sport: "Volleyball" category: "Drill" level: "intermediate" dateModified: "2026-09-24" --- # Volleyball Hitting Drill — Volleyball Drill This volleyball hitting drill teaches the attack in order: approach footwork, then the arm swing, then hitting lines off a coach's toss or a setter, finishing with aimed shots to line, crosscourt and a tip. Most attacking problems show up at the top of the jump but start on the floor. A hitter who arrives late, drifts under the ball or stops their feet before takeoff can't generate a full swing, no matter how strong the arm is. That is why good hitting sessions spend the first few minutes with no ball at all. The progression below builds the approach, adds the arm swing, and then puts players in a classic hitting line at the left-front position. Once the swing is consistent, the focus shifts to shot selection, because a hitter who can place the ball line, crosscourt or short over the block scores far more often than one who only hits hard. ## Objective Build a timed, repeatable approach and a full arm swing, then train hitters to attack a set from zone 4 with deliberate shot choices. ## Setup - **Area:** One half of an 18 × 9 m court, with targets on the opposite half - **Players:** 6–12 hitters, a coach or setter, and 1–2 shaggers on the far side - **Equipment:** A cart of 15+ balls, A box or chair for the coach (optional), Cones or towels as shot targets in zones 1, 5 and 3 - **Duration:** 20–30 minutes - **Level:** intermediate (U13+) ## How it works 1. **Approach footwork without a ball** — Right-handers use a 4-step approach: a small right step for direction, a left step, then a long, fast right and a quick left closing step (reverse it for left-handers). The 3-step drops the first step: left, then right-left. Start about 3.5–4.5 m from the net, just outside the left sideline, and approach at a slight angle toward the court. 2. **Add the arm swing** — On the long penultimate step, swing both arms back behind the hips, then drive them up hard as the feet plant heel to toe. At the top, draw the hitting elbow back high like pulling a bowstring, with the non-hitting arm pointing up at the ball. 3. **Hitting line off a toss** — The coach stands near the net between zones 2 and 3 and tosses a high ball to zone 4, about 1 m off the net. Hitters form a line behind the attack line in zone 4, start their approach as the ball peaks, attack, then retrieve a ball and rejoin the line. 4. **Switch to a live set** — Replace the toss with a setter in the setter's spot. The coach tosses or passes to the setter, who sets the outside hitter. The hitter now has to judge a set that varies slightly in height and distance from the net, as in a match. 5. **Call the shot** — On the far side, put a target down the line in zone 1, one deep crosscourt in zone 5, and one short in zone 3 for the tip. The coach calls line, cross or tip as the set goes up, and the hitter scores a point for landing the called shot. ## Coaching points - Stay behind the ball: start the approach late enough that you are moving toward the ball, not waiting underneath it. - The last two steps are the fastest and longest; they convert forward speed into height. - Contact the ball at full reach, in front of the hitting shoulder, and snap the wrist over the top for topspin. - Aim with the shoulders and the turn of the torso, not only the hand, so the shot is harder for blockers to read. ## Variations - **Hitters versus a blocker** — Add a blocker on a box or on the floor at the far net. Hitters learn to spot the block and choose line, cross or a tool shot off the hands instead of hitting into it. - **Right-side and middle lines** — Run the same drill from zone 2 for right-side hitters and from zone 3 for middles, who use a quicker, shorter approach to hit a lower, faster set in front of the setter. ## Build it in Coach Board Draw the 4-step approach as short arrows on the volleyball court in Coach Board, then animate a full rep: the toss to zone 4, the hitter's approach, and the attack down the line or crosscourt. Slow the playback so players see when the first step starts relative to the set, and duplicate the board for right-side and middle approaches. [Volleyball coaching app](https://www.coachboard.app/sports/volleyball) · [Start 14-day free trial, no card](https://my.coachboard.app) ## FAQ ### What is the 4-step approach in volleyball? The 4-step approach is the footwork a hitter uses to jump for an attack. For a right-hander it is right, left, right, left: a small directional step, a second step, then a long, fast penultimate step and a quick closing step before takeoff. Left-handers mirror it. The 3-step version simply removes the first step. ### How can volleyball hitters jump higher on the approach? Accelerate through the approach so the last two steps are the fastest and longest, plant heel to toe, and swing both arms back and then up hard at takeoff. Most height comes from turning forward speed into vertical lift. Hitters who slow down before jumping lose much of that lift. ## Related - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/pepper-drill.md - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/digging-drill.md - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/5-1-rotation.md --- [Volleyball coaching app](https://www.coachboard.app/sports/volleyball) · Animate and share this drill with your team: https://my.coachboard.app