A strong overhand serve is a powerful weapon in volleyball, and with the Bow & Arrow technique, you can take your serving skills to the next level! In this blog, we’ll walk you through the steps to master this technique, along with some helpful tips to make your serve more precise and powerful.
Tip 1 – The Toss
A perfect toss is essential for accurate ball positioning when serving. Begin by holding the ball in your non-dominant hand, straight out in front of the shoulder of your dominant hand, which should be bent behind your head as if holding a bow. Start by practising just the toss to get a feel for the correct height. A good toss will hover just above your hand, creating the perfect position to strike the ball. Avoid tossing too high—especially for a floater, which we’ll cover later on in this post.
Tip 2 – Making Contact with the Ball
An open palm is crucial to delivering a strong, controlled serve. Hitting the ball with an open hand creates five points of contact, providing a stable, well-controlled serve. Avoid serving with a closed fist, as it can increase the risk of injury. Aim to strike the ball at the peak of your toss or at your full arm extension, and follow through completely. Cutting your follow-through short will reduce the power of your serve.
Tip 3 – Positioning
To prevent a fault, start your serve a few steps behind the service line. Step forward as you toss the ball, using your step to help drive power into your serve. This timing will add force and accuracy to your shot.
Bonus Tip – Step-by-Step Backward
If you’re still learning, begin closer to the net—around the 3-metre line, for example. Each time you successfully get the ball over the net, take a step back and try again. If you don’t make it over, keep practising from that spot until you achieve consistent success. Repeat this process until you can serve comfortably from the service line!
Watch this video for a visual demonstration.
Extra: The Float Serve
Ready to take it up a notch? The float serve is a great technique to get the ball over the net every time—with no spin, allowing the ball to move unpredictably in the air and catch your opponent off-guard!
Starting Position: Position your left foot slightly ahead of your right foot. If you’re right-handed, hold the ball in your left hand (left-handers, do the reverse) with your right arm bent and elbow high behind your head, as if holding a bow. Position the ball’s airhole downwards, as it’s the heaviest part of the ball and helps it “float” in the air.
Hit the Ball with a Firm Palm: Your palm should be open to create a large surface area for a powerful overhand strike. Keep your palm firm and stiff when hitting the ball, aiming for a quick, sharp pop—almost like a clap. You can practise by clapping your hands firmly together. Make sure to hit the ball with your palm rather than your fingers for greater control.
Strike the Centre of the Ball: Hit the middle of the back of the ball with the centre of your palm. For a good float serve, it’s important to strike the ball quickly and firmly without following through, as you would with a topspin serve. A short, sharp hit to the centre of the ball will result in a spin-free, floating motion. If the ball catches some air, all the better for a successful float!
We can’t wait to see your serves!