A serve means the beginning of a rally in the sport of volleyball. A volleyball serve is used to integrate the ball into the game. When a serve is made, the ball is hit. After that, the ball goes to the opponent’s side of the court.

Without a doubt, a serve is a very important element of a volleyball game. Using the power of a serve, volleyball players can create difficulties for their opponents and, most importantly, earn points for their teams. On the other hand, a team can lose points if a volleyball player fails to serve the ball to the opposing side of the court successfully.

The proper volleyball serve combines two important aspects such as power and accuracy. It’s crucial for a volleyball player to develop an effective serving technique that works well.

That’s why we’ve decided to write this article and provide both volleyball beginners and experienced volleyball players with tips for improving a serve. Following these training tips will help you become a better server and contribute greatly to the success of your volleyball team.

So, let’s get started.

Toss the Ball in Front of the Hitting Shoulder

It’s incredibly important to get started with a volleyball serve in the right way. A serve in volleyball starts with tossing the ball. The proper toss is a key to a successful volleyball serve. That’s why volleyball servers should always practice tossing. If you toss the ball properly, then you will be able to serve the ball properly as well.

A volleyball player should toss the ball in front of his/her body and in front of his/her hitting shoulder. Keep in mind that the ball shouldn’t be tossed either too high or too low. It’s also important to note that the ball shouldn’t be too close to volleyball player’s body. Make sure that you will find it easy to hit the ball after a toss.

A volleyball server should aim to toss the ball ideally for a serve. When tossing the ball, you have to ensure that you’ll not find it difficult to serve the ball and manage to send the ball to the opposing side of the court successfully.

Develop a Good Consistent Volleyball Serve

Every volleyball player should have a training program that includes exercises for improving a serve. And of course, a volleyball player has to practice a lot to become a better server. By doing so, a volleyball player will be able to develop a good consistent serve over time.

Strengthen Muscles Responsible for Serving

When serving the ball, a volleyball player uses the certain muscles. It’s crucial for a volleyball server to have strong serving muscles. If you want to be a good server, then you should strengthen your serving muscles. You will be able to improve your serve if you increase your core strength and improve your shoulder stability. Strengthening the muscles of shoulders and core will allow you to serve forcefully and accurately.

Perform Volleyball Serving Exercises

And of course, a volleyball player should do serving-specific exercises. It’s a good idea to add such exercises as shoulder presses, resistance band workouts planks, exercises with a medicine ball, push-ups and others to a volleyball server’s training program. Performing such exercises regularly allows a volleyball player to increase the serving power in volleyball and improve a serving technique.

Serve Against the Wall

It’s a great way to improve a volleyball serve. It’s worth noting that a serve against the wall is an easy-to-do volleyball drill. Therefore, this type of a drill can be done by volleyball players of all skill levels. However, the drill is very effective and helps improve a volleyball serve.

The serving volleyball drill itself is very simple. Volleyball players can perform it with teammates or alone. It’s possible to serve against the wall in a gym or at home.

It’s necessary to serve with a lot of power. It’s very difficult to handle a hard-driven spike after a very powerful serve. Plus, volleyball players should always serve accurately. So, the ball has to land in the certain area on the opposite side of the court. By performing this drill, volleyball players will be able to increase the power of serving and improve the accuracy of serving.

It all begins with the preparation. Initially, a volleyball player should stand in front of a wall. Plus, an athlete should prepare a ball for performing a drill. The distance between a wall and a volleyball player has to be several feet.

During the drill, a volleyball player should serve against the wall. It’s necessary to hit the ball in the certain area of the wall. After a ball bounces back, a volleyball player should serve it again quickly.

Once a volleyball player gets used to the drill, he/she has to make it more difficult. In fact, there are several ways to make the drill more difficult for volleyball servers. For example, a volleyball player can increase the hitting power and serve the ball more forcefully. It’s possible to increase the distance between a volleyball player and the wall too.

Do Target Practice to Serve More Precisely

Every volleyball server should work on such an important aspect as precision. So, a volleyball player should aim to increase the precision of serving. Actually, there is an effective way to increase the server’s accuracy.

The target practice drill begins with the preparation. A volleyball player should position certain targets on the court. For example, volleyball players can use cones as targets. Cons should be positioned in difference areas on the opposing side of the court.

When performing the drill, a volleyball server should aim to hit the targets on the court. The drill finishes when a volleyball player hits all the targets on the court. The faster a server hits all the targets – the better. It goes without saying that performing this type of the drill helps volleyball players improve the precision of volleyball serving.

Learn Different Types of Serves

There are different types of volleyball serves, including a jump serve, float serve and topspin serve. It makes a lot of sense for volleyball players to master different types of serves and diversify their serving strategy. In this case, a volleyball player will be able to serve differently during a game and make it difficult for opponents to predict his/her actions on the court and, most importantly, react to them properly.

Develop Your Own Volleyball Serving Technique

It’s worth noting that each volleyball player is unique. The same can be said about volleyball servers. Every volleyball server is unique. Therefore, an athlete should have his/her own serving style. It would be great for a volleyball player to develop his/her own serving technique.

You should aim to serve the ball like no other volleyball players do. It all depends on your volleyball serving preferences. You have to decide when to be aggressive during a volleyball serve. Or, maybe, you are the kind of a volleyball server, who prefers to let the ball get in? Don’t try to copy the serving styles of other volleyball players. You should always serve the ball in a way that’s more to your liking.

Final Thoughts

Thank you so much for reading this article. Now, it’s time to make conclusions. So, let’s return to our main question – what makes a good server in the sport of volleyball.

When trying to improve a volleyball serve, athletes should keep several important aspects in mind. Generally speaking, volleyball players should make a serve more powerful and more precise.

We’ve provided volleyball serve tips for beginners and pros. Beginners should use our tips to learn the art of volleyball serving. Professional volleyball players should follow our tips to improve serving and get better.

When it comes to serving, success doesn’t happen quickly. You need to know that it takes some time to become a good server. So, you shouldn’t expect that quick results.

But most importantly, it’s necessary to work on a volleyball serve constantly. Train hard, train regularly and get the most out of training to improve your volleyball serve.