The best hitters are just not powerful. Power is obviously important, but the best hitters, those that can lead their teams to championships, are versatile. They can read the defense and are able to counter with the appropriate attack. In the video clip below former professional player David Fischer describes what type of attack is appropriate for various defensive strategies. The clip is from CoachTube’s course entitled Volleyball Spiking and Hitting Techniques
The video has sound so please make sure that you have your sound turned on.
A description of the video can be found below the clip
Coach Fischer’s goal is to help you take a one dimensional hitter and transform them into a rangy smart hitter that is able to recognize where and how to get the ball to a spot for the kill.
Coach Fischer describes seven different Block/Defensive scenarios that an outside hitter might encounter and explains the appropriate action for the hitter should take in each case.
1. Suppose the hitter is set up to go down the line and they see a space behind the block – tip the ball behind the block into open space.
2. Suppose the hitter is set up to do down the line but the defense is playing up to dig the tip – hit down the line
3. If block steps towards the sideline – Hit a seam between the blockers to the middle of the court
4. If the block closes up – tip to the middle of the court
5. If they have set a good block and hitter is off the net – hit deep corner. This is always their bailout. Go cross court deep if you are not sure what to do
6. If the block goes to cover your line – hit sharp angle inside of them
7. If middle block is off the net – Tip cross court