Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Volleyball Blocking - Six Techniques To Block More Often And Effectively


I have a passion for blocking. Maybe it has to do with the fact that as a middle blocker, that is what I love to do. Volleyball blocking is so much fun. Even when I play basketball, I love to block people's shots. It has a psychological effect on people.
When you are able to block people's best hits and do it a few times, they are going to start to think that they cannot get the ball past you. When you start to get into the mind of the opponent, you have already won.
So, here are some tips on proper blocking technique to help you get into your opponents mind:
1. On a solo block, line up your block on the hitter's shoulder - The hit is almost always going to follow the path of the players hitting shoulder. As you go up to block, line up the block in the path of the hitter's hitting shoulder. This single tip will increase your blocks ten times over.
2. If two or three people are blocking, seal the block - When several people go up to block the hitter, you want to seal the block with the rest of your teammates. Holes in the block are one of the easiest ways for a hitter to hit through the block. Watch your hands and position them so that there are not gaps in the block with the other blockers.
3. Keep your eyes open - Okay, it sounds funny to think that people would actually try to block with their eyes shut...but it happens all the time. Watch players when they block and they frequently shut their eyes when the hitter swings. Train your eyes to stay open. The more you can, the more effective you will be.
4. Do not keep your hands apart - Keeping your hands separated wider than the ball is the surest way to block the ball with your face. Every blocker will do this at least once in their lifetime. Then they will learn the lesson to keep the hands apart no wider than a ball. In fact, getting hit in the face is the biggest reason people will close their eyes when they block.
5. Angle your hands down - Remember that if you have been successful in getting to the right spot to block, you must position your hands correctly. You want to turn your hands so that they are angled down on your opponent's side of the net. When the ball comes off the block, it is going to follow the angle of your hands, so position them accordingly. There is nothing worse than getting in the right spot to block, and then being a tool for the hitter because your hands were poorly positioned.
6. Penetrate the net - One of the biggest mistakes blockers make is that they do not penetrate the net. That means you need to push your arms and hands across the net as far as possible without hitting the net. Doing this will make sure that the block goes on the opponent's side of the net as well as taking away angles for the hitter to swing at.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5145138

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