Block Skill Practices
Block and Defend
This volleyball drill works on both blocking and then emphasizes recovery into a defensive position after a block is played by the opposing team. Start by having players line up on one side of the net, these will be the blockers. Either a coach or a hitter line up on the opposite side of the net. The drill begins by the hitting player or coach tossing a volleyball to themselves and hitting the volleyball over the net. The blocking player must challenge and attempt to block the hit. After they have attempted to block the volleyball the coach plays another volleyball over the net that the player must successfully dig.
Block, Block, Recover
Begin by lining up players on one side of the net. This volleyball drill is completed in pairs and each pair will jump to block twice then recover into a defensive position. The drill is initiated by the coach, after a command is given the players run to the middle of the net and jump to block a ball.
Ensure that the players are putting in maximum effort with their blocks, by doing so adds a conditioning element to this volleyball drill along with creating tactical awareness. After the first block the players quickly proceed to the opposite side of the net for their second block. Once the players land back on their feet the coach plays a volleyball over the net that the blockers must successfully return.
Players must learn to reset into a defensive position quickly after a successful block and work together to return the volleyball. Players stay in the same pairs throughout the drill and score a point for every ball they successfully return. To make this volleyball drill more game like and add intensity players or coaches can be placed on the other side of the net and hit balls into the blockers.
Blocking Pairs
Two pairs of blockers will compete in this volleyball drill by scoring a point for every attack they successfully block. The drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball to the attacking side, the players build an attack and must choose which blocking pair to attack. Have the setter in this drill determine which side to attack to keep the blocking players ready at all times to defend and read the attack. The intensity of this drill depends on how quickly the coach plays the next volleyball in to the attacking side. Each pair should compete against each other for 2 to 3 minutes then switch roles.
Defensive Read
Have a hitter and blocker line up on opposite sides of the net from each other. The coach will position themselves directly behind the blocker and begin the drill by playing a hittable volleyball into the hitter.
The blocker must read where the hitter is going to attack. Ensure that the blocking player has a fair chance to block the volleyball by limiting the areas in the court the hitter can attack. This is a great volleyball drill for high repetitions for both the blocker and hitter.
Face-off
Split up players into two teams and have the teams line up on opposite sides of the net and they will face-off against each other one v one with one player blocking and the other hitting. The coach begins the drill by playing a volleyball to either player, the player that the ball is played to becomes the attacker and the player on the opposite side becomes the blocker.
Try to have a different number of players on each team so that different players are facing off against each other for each repetition. Three points are scored for a successful block and one for a successful attack. This volleyball drill can be modified by giving the attacking player the option to set the volleyball they receive from the coach to the next player in line for an attack. By adding this variation players will have to remain ready and stay focused throughout the drill.
Middle Blocking
Have a setter take position in the middle of the net and a blocker on the opposite side of the net from the setter. Hitters will position themselves on both sides of the setter. The volleyball drill begins by having a player pass a ball into the setter and the setter determines which hitter to play the volleyball to. Once the set is made the blocker must react and block the attack.
To make this volleyball drill manageable for the blocker limit the drill to the central part of the court as denoted by the dashed lines. A variation of this drill would be to have two blockers working in tandem to block the attacks.
Race to Block
Players line up on one side of the court and the coach on the other side on the opposite side of the net. The coach begins the drill by tossing a volleyball to themselves and will then hit it over the net. Once the toss is thrown the players must race to get to the coach to block the hit. The height of the toss will determine how much time players have to get to the block.
Have players begin from many different locations on the court. To make this volleyball drill more engaging set up multiple groups of players and associate a number with each group of the players. Just before the coach tosses the ball they call out a number and the corresponding group is the one that has to block the hit.
Rapid Blocking
In order to get a high amount of repetitions in a short amount of time use this volleyball drill. Have blockers and hitters line up on opposite sides of the net. The blockers will block in pairs and there will be a player on the attacking side of the net that is the designated setter. The drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball into the setter who then plays a volleyball for the hitter to attack. The blockers work together and must communicate to block the attack. Once players have blocked or hit they return to the back of the line. The coach dictates the tempo of the drill by playing in volleyballs to the setter at a rapid pace.
Standoff
Begin by having five players line up on the defensive side of the net and four players line up on the attacking side. This volleyball drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball into anyone of the attacking players, who then sets the volleyball to a teammate for an attack. The blockers on the other side of the net must react and coordinate to block the attack.
Team Blocking
The focus of this volleyball drill is team work and communication when blocking an opponent’s attack. Have three blockers start on one side of the net and a setter and three hitters on the opposite side of the net. The coach plays a volleyball into the setter who then selects which hitter to set up for an attack. The blockers must communicate and successfully block the attack. Focus on the communication aspect during this volleyball drill.
A variation of this volleyball drill that makes it more challenging for the blockers is to allow the volleyball to be set or passed twice before an attack must occur. This forces the blockers to react to a change in the building attack.
Zig-Zag Block
Conditioning is mixed in as part of this volleyball drill. Start by having players line up to form a W across the net. The drill starts off by the first player tossing a volleyball to themselves then hitting the ball over the net while the player on the opposite side of the net blocks. The blocking player then tosses the volleyball to themselves and challenges the next player in the W formation. The drill continues and multiple players can be challenging one another simultaneously. It is best if this volleyball drill is timed for about two to three minutes. After the drill is done another set of players can be rotated in while the set that just completed the drill rests.
(Martin, 2010)
This volleyball drill works on both blocking and then emphasizes recovery into a defensive position after a block is played by the opposing team. Start by having players line up on one side of the net, these will be the blockers. Either a coach or a hitter line up on the opposite side of the net. The drill begins by the hitting player or coach tossing a volleyball to themselves and hitting the volleyball over the net. The blocking player must challenge and attempt to block the hit. After they have attempted to block the volleyball the coach plays another volleyball over the net that the player must successfully dig.
Block, Block, Recover
Begin by lining up players on one side of the net. This volleyball drill is completed in pairs and each pair will jump to block twice then recover into a defensive position. The drill is initiated by the coach, after a command is given the players run to the middle of the net and jump to block a ball.
Ensure that the players are putting in maximum effort with their blocks, by doing so adds a conditioning element to this volleyball drill along with creating tactical awareness. After the first block the players quickly proceed to the opposite side of the net for their second block. Once the players land back on their feet the coach plays a volleyball over the net that the blockers must successfully return.
Players must learn to reset into a defensive position quickly after a successful block and work together to return the volleyball. Players stay in the same pairs throughout the drill and score a point for every ball they successfully return. To make this volleyball drill more game like and add intensity players or coaches can be placed on the other side of the net and hit balls into the blockers.
Blocking Pairs
Two pairs of blockers will compete in this volleyball drill by scoring a point for every attack they successfully block. The drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball to the attacking side, the players build an attack and must choose which blocking pair to attack. Have the setter in this drill determine which side to attack to keep the blocking players ready at all times to defend and read the attack. The intensity of this drill depends on how quickly the coach plays the next volleyball in to the attacking side. Each pair should compete against each other for 2 to 3 minutes then switch roles.
Defensive Read
Have a hitter and blocker line up on opposite sides of the net from each other. The coach will position themselves directly behind the blocker and begin the drill by playing a hittable volleyball into the hitter.
The blocker must read where the hitter is going to attack. Ensure that the blocking player has a fair chance to block the volleyball by limiting the areas in the court the hitter can attack. This is a great volleyball drill for high repetitions for both the blocker and hitter.
Face-off
Split up players into two teams and have the teams line up on opposite sides of the net and they will face-off against each other one v one with one player blocking and the other hitting. The coach begins the drill by playing a volleyball to either player, the player that the ball is played to becomes the attacker and the player on the opposite side becomes the blocker.
Try to have a different number of players on each team so that different players are facing off against each other for each repetition. Three points are scored for a successful block and one for a successful attack. This volleyball drill can be modified by giving the attacking player the option to set the volleyball they receive from the coach to the next player in line for an attack. By adding this variation players will have to remain ready and stay focused throughout the drill.
Middle Blocking
Have a setter take position in the middle of the net and a blocker on the opposite side of the net from the setter. Hitters will position themselves on both sides of the setter. The volleyball drill begins by having a player pass a ball into the setter and the setter determines which hitter to play the volleyball to. Once the set is made the blocker must react and block the attack.
To make this volleyball drill manageable for the blocker limit the drill to the central part of the court as denoted by the dashed lines. A variation of this drill would be to have two blockers working in tandem to block the attacks.
Race to Block
Players line up on one side of the court and the coach on the other side on the opposite side of the net. The coach begins the drill by tossing a volleyball to themselves and will then hit it over the net. Once the toss is thrown the players must race to get to the coach to block the hit. The height of the toss will determine how much time players have to get to the block.
Have players begin from many different locations on the court. To make this volleyball drill more engaging set up multiple groups of players and associate a number with each group of the players. Just before the coach tosses the ball they call out a number and the corresponding group is the one that has to block the hit.
Rapid Blocking
In order to get a high amount of repetitions in a short amount of time use this volleyball drill. Have blockers and hitters line up on opposite sides of the net. The blockers will block in pairs and there will be a player on the attacking side of the net that is the designated setter. The drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball into the setter who then plays a volleyball for the hitter to attack. The blockers work together and must communicate to block the attack. Once players have blocked or hit they return to the back of the line. The coach dictates the tempo of the drill by playing in volleyballs to the setter at a rapid pace.
Standoff
Begin by having five players line up on the defensive side of the net and four players line up on the attacking side. This volleyball drill begins by the coach playing a volleyball into anyone of the attacking players, who then sets the volleyball to a teammate for an attack. The blockers on the other side of the net must react and coordinate to block the attack.
Team Blocking
The focus of this volleyball drill is team work and communication when blocking an opponent’s attack. Have three blockers start on one side of the net and a setter and three hitters on the opposite side of the net. The coach plays a volleyball into the setter who then selects which hitter to set up for an attack. The blockers must communicate and successfully block the attack. Focus on the communication aspect during this volleyball drill.
A variation of this volleyball drill that makes it more challenging for the blockers is to allow the volleyball to be set or passed twice before an attack must occur. This forces the blockers to react to a change in the building attack.
Zig-Zag Block
Conditioning is mixed in as part of this volleyball drill. Start by having players line up to form a W across the net. The drill starts off by the first player tossing a volleyball to themselves then hitting the ball over the net while the player on the opposite side of the net blocks. The blocking player then tosses the volleyball to themselves and challenges the next player in the W formation. The drill continues and multiple players can be challenging one another simultaneously. It is best if this volleyball drill is timed for about two to three minutes. After the drill is done another set of players can be rotated in while the set that just completed the drill rests.
(Martin, 2010)
(Click to enlarge)
(Volleyball Expert, n.d.)
(Volleyball Expert, n.d.)