More effective blocking can be accomplished by teaching these two techniques: Early Arms and Attacking the Block.
In the video below Coach Jim Miret, head coach of the Front Range Volleyball Club, uses game video to demonstrate these two key techniques.
While the natural tendency of the body is to extend the legs and arms together, to be an effective blocker you must teach players to extend the arms early.
The arms must extend first and then the body will follow.
The second technique that Coach Miret discusses is attacking the block. He stresses that he wants his players to rotate aggressively into the block. They should not begin rotating until they make contact with the ball.
To accomplish this turn he explains that they should extend their inside leg back behind them as this will help them rotate towards the center of the court and turn away from the net.
While some would be concerned that this causes the player to land on one leg, Coach Miret discusses the proper technique for landing on one leg that will reduce ACL injuries.
The clip concludes with Coach Miret showing video of how he teaches “Early Arms”
The video below is just a segment of Coach Miret’s presentation at a recent Glazier Clinic. For more information about gaining access to the full presentation as well as hundreds of others like it click the link Glazier Volleyball Clinics