Set Skill Practices
Use Your (Fore)head
DRILL DESCRIPTION: Two players face each other and set balls back and forth. The correct body position is with the ball, forehead and hips in a vertical line. After person sets ball, move forward three steps. Stay there until after partner passes ball, move to ball and set again. Drill #2 Take three steps backward after you set ball, and move your feet to get under the ball.
Long Distance Sets
DRILL DESCRIPTION: Two partners face each other from a distance of 20 feet and set the ball back and forth. This exaggerated distance helps develop hand and wrist strength and makes a setter better at smaller distances. This replicates setting the ball crosscourt during a match accuracy is just as important as setting to a nearby hitter.
One and Freeze
DRILL DESCRIPTION: One player stands on opposite side of net and serves to another. A third player stands in the receiver's side setting position. Receiving player must set serve. The correct contact point is just above the forehead (hairline). When contacting the ball, the hands move in one direction only. Freeze with arms fully extended in the direction you want the ball to go. (Hands are same distance apart upon completion as they were during contact.) Hands follow the ball. Receiving player must set the ball to a third player standing in the setter position. After three successful passes, the threesome rotates and setter goes to serve etc.
Side to Side
DRILL DESCRIPTION: partners face each other and stand about 10 feet apart. Set balls back and forth and focus on using proper technique. One partner stands still while setting and sets balls to the right and left of the other player forcing him to move laterally to get to the ball. This player then sets the ball directly and accurately. Switch after 2-3 minutes. Checkpoint: feet and shoulders are square to target.
Have a Seat
DRILL DESCRIPTION: 2 partners sit cross legged about 8-10 feet apart from each other. They set the ball back and forth. This develops arm and wrist strength because the legs are taken out of the set. Great drill for young players because it helps develop their strength and coordination. Again, the idea is to get a high arcing lob on the ball and to get it to the target. This drill can be difficult because the players are sitting down. However, it is an excellent way to develop a young setter.
(Coach, 2017)
DRILL DESCRIPTION: Two players face each other and set balls back and forth. The correct body position is with the ball, forehead and hips in a vertical line. After person sets ball, move forward three steps. Stay there until after partner passes ball, move to ball and set again. Drill #2 Take three steps backward after you set ball, and move your feet to get under the ball.
Long Distance Sets
DRILL DESCRIPTION: Two partners face each other from a distance of 20 feet and set the ball back and forth. This exaggerated distance helps develop hand and wrist strength and makes a setter better at smaller distances. This replicates setting the ball crosscourt during a match accuracy is just as important as setting to a nearby hitter.
One and Freeze
DRILL DESCRIPTION: One player stands on opposite side of net and serves to another. A third player stands in the receiver's side setting position. Receiving player must set serve. The correct contact point is just above the forehead (hairline). When contacting the ball, the hands move in one direction only. Freeze with arms fully extended in the direction you want the ball to go. (Hands are same distance apart upon completion as they were during contact.) Hands follow the ball. Receiving player must set the ball to a third player standing in the setter position. After three successful passes, the threesome rotates and setter goes to serve etc.
Side to Side
DRILL DESCRIPTION: partners face each other and stand about 10 feet apart. Set balls back and forth and focus on using proper technique. One partner stands still while setting and sets balls to the right and left of the other player forcing him to move laterally to get to the ball. This player then sets the ball directly and accurately. Switch after 2-3 minutes. Checkpoint: feet and shoulders are square to target.
Have a Seat
DRILL DESCRIPTION: 2 partners sit cross legged about 8-10 feet apart from each other. They set the ball back and forth. This develops arm and wrist strength because the legs are taken out of the set. Great drill for young players because it helps develop their strength and coordination. Again, the idea is to get a high arcing lob on the ball and to get it to the target. This drill can be difficult because the players are sitting down. However, it is an excellent way to develop a young setter.
(Coach, 2017)
Watching the Coach Drill
Prior to start doing this volleyball drill coach and setter have to be positioned on the opposite side of the playing court. The balls are tossed to a setter by other players. At the same time a coaches tells a setter where he/she has to aim a ball. So, the setter has to watch the coach carefully and react to his/her commands in a fast manner. It is necessary to say that doing this volleyball drill provides setters with many important advantages. For example, the drill is good for peripheral vision and helps the setters develop their defensive decision making skills.
Special attention should be drawn to the fact that these volleyball setting drills are recommended not only to setters. In fact, they can be included in the training program of other players as well. Focusing on these volleyball drills coaches will manage to diversify their training programs and make them more complex. Finally, all players of the volleyball team will demonstrate better results during the game!
Setting Triangle Drill
This volleyball setting drill is usually performed by three players (setter, player 1 and player 2). First of all, three players have to create the triangle. Both player 1 and player 2 should take a ball. For the first time, the ball is tossed to player 1 to a setter. So, the task of a setter is to set the ball back to player 1. Very quickly the ball has to be tossed to a setter by player 2. Now, the task of a setter is to set the ball to player 2.
Jump Setting Drill
Mastering jump setting drill is especially important to a setter. Jump setting delivers multiple significant benefits to volleyball players during the game. So, if a player learns the skill of jump setting drill you will be able to reach the ball much quicker. As a result, you will manage to speed up the process of conducting an attack hit dramatically. Another important advantage of jump setting is that this technique provides volleyball players with an easy way of fooling their opponents. That means that each time you use jump setting during the game the players of the opponent team may start thinking that your team is planning to complete an attack hit. There is no doubt that jump setting will help you make your blocker begin to worry again and again. That’s why setters are advised to learn how to set both from the ground and from a jump set.
When it comes to learning the skill of jump setting it is very important for you to ensure that your feet are positioned properly. Keep in mind that in order to make an effective jump set a volleyball player has to be positioned under the ball. No matter, whether a player is going to make a jump set or ground set. In both cases, your body and hands will be positioned in the same way. Therefore, if you know how to do ground set you will be able to learn how to do jump set easily and quickly. A setter has to do his/her best to set the ball at the moment when his/her jump reaches peak! And, of course, practicing on a regular basis is vital for jump setting success.
(Pakmen Volleyball, n.d.)
Prior to start doing this volleyball drill coach and setter have to be positioned on the opposite side of the playing court. The balls are tossed to a setter by other players. At the same time a coaches tells a setter where he/she has to aim a ball. So, the setter has to watch the coach carefully and react to his/her commands in a fast manner. It is necessary to say that doing this volleyball drill provides setters with many important advantages. For example, the drill is good for peripheral vision and helps the setters develop their defensive decision making skills.
Special attention should be drawn to the fact that these volleyball setting drills are recommended not only to setters. In fact, they can be included in the training program of other players as well. Focusing on these volleyball drills coaches will manage to diversify their training programs and make them more complex. Finally, all players of the volleyball team will demonstrate better results during the game!
Setting Triangle Drill
This volleyball setting drill is usually performed by three players (setter, player 1 and player 2). First of all, three players have to create the triangle. Both player 1 and player 2 should take a ball. For the first time, the ball is tossed to player 1 to a setter. So, the task of a setter is to set the ball back to player 1. Very quickly the ball has to be tossed to a setter by player 2. Now, the task of a setter is to set the ball to player 2.
Jump Setting Drill
Mastering jump setting drill is especially important to a setter. Jump setting delivers multiple significant benefits to volleyball players during the game. So, if a player learns the skill of jump setting drill you will be able to reach the ball much quicker. As a result, you will manage to speed up the process of conducting an attack hit dramatically. Another important advantage of jump setting is that this technique provides volleyball players with an easy way of fooling their opponents. That means that each time you use jump setting during the game the players of the opponent team may start thinking that your team is planning to complete an attack hit. There is no doubt that jump setting will help you make your blocker begin to worry again and again. That’s why setters are advised to learn how to set both from the ground and from a jump set.
When it comes to learning the skill of jump setting it is very important for you to ensure that your feet are positioned properly. Keep in mind that in order to make an effective jump set a volleyball player has to be positioned under the ball. No matter, whether a player is going to make a jump set or ground set. In both cases, your body and hands will be positioned in the same way. Therefore, if you know how to do ground set you will be able to learn how to do jump set easily and quickly. A setter has to do his/her best to set the ball at the moment when his/her jump reaches peak! And, of course, practicing on a regular basis is vital for jump setting success.
(Pakmen Volleyball, n.d.)
(Click to enlarge)
(Volleyball Expert, n.d.)
(Volleyball Expert, n.d.)