Spiking is pushing the ball over the net. Hitters are generally going to attack but every player has to be able to do this and therefore it is essential that you practice this. This can be done quite easily at home if you have a ball. You can even use a cord to make a makeshift net so that your spike is high enough. The main disadvantage of this is that you have to run to retrieve your ball. There are aids out there that can help you to practice your spike a lot faster. Let’s take a look at them.
Volleyball serve training equipment for beginners
Puredrop has developed a great serve and spike training aid for volleyball players. It is quite simple to use. You close the velcro band around your waist. Once this is done, you add the ball in the cradle and close the velcro. This works with balls of multiple sizes so it will work with beach volleyball balls and indoor balls. Check that the velcro is closed properly. Check the instructions and warnings on the packaging before you start to make sure that you follow the complete guidelines from the manufacturer.
Once this is done, you can spike the ball. Just throw the ball with one hand in the air and hit it with the other. The elastic band will pull the ball back and you will be able to practice a lot faster. Check the ball at all times and be careful with the elastic. After a while, you will be able to get in a flow and this will allow you to practice your spike much faster. Repetition is the mother of all success and this spike trainer will help you to practice your spike over and over again until you fully master it. In a few weeks, you can improve your spike quite dramatically with this product.
It can also be used to practice serves (or swings) such as a floater or topspin serve. Since players rotate over the court, everyone has to be able to serve. There are a lot of nuances to get this right and the Puredrop volleyball trainer can help with this. Players can experiment with where they hold their hands and how this affects the trajectory of the ball.
Having to run after the ball wastes a lot of time. It can also allow players to practice in a smaller garden. If you hit the ball over a wall or inside the garden of the neighbor, it can be hard to get it back. This training aid is recommended by several volleyball coaches as they feel that players can improve a lot by using this volleyball trainer. It is intended for newer players as professional players should use a machine given that they already know the basics.
Volleyball spike training aid for beginners.
A spike trainer is often quite simple. It is just a hook that holds the ball. The coach can add a new ball and then adjust the height. The hook is often protected with foam so that the player doesn’t feel the metal when spiking. The main drawback of this aid is that the coach has to spend a lot of time adding new balls. Machines can automate this process as they can load multiple balls at the same time. They also allow you to set the height that the ball will be on. This is the main disadvantage of this spike trainer as the height can be different every time so you might as well just pass the ball to the hitter.
This aid can help players to get more confidence in their attack. Given that the aid is quite affordable it can be interesting for personal trainers to help beginners out and show them how they can improve their spike. It is possible to film their attack and analyze it afterward to give them some pointers on what they can do better.
Volleyball spike training machine for advanced and professional players
Teams often have budgets for machines that allow their players to practice. AcuSpike has an advanced machine that holds several volleyballs at the perfect height to spike. You can practice in short succession as the balls keep rolling out of the machine. The hitter is able to adjust the height of the machine and this can result in repeatable and measurable hits. This can allow the players to learn more about where they want to receive the ball. Some players prefer to get the ball higher than others and it is only after a lot of practice that you see what works for you. This can be communicated with the setter so that you get the best passes for your playing style.
You have several designs for this machine. Some try to save space as not all sports arenas have a lot of space given that they have to accommodate several sports. Hitters are essential in a team but everyone has to be able to spike and this machine can take the attack of teams to the next level. A lot of teams use the same attack over and over again. If more players on the team can spike, it is possible to use more advanced plays and strategies.
You could argue that another player can pass to the hitter instead of using this machine. The problem is that passes are always different. This machine always offers the ball in the same position and this can let players experiment with different approaches. Turning your hand slightly can have a big impact on the result. This can only be learned when you receive the ball multiple times in the exact same position. You can also increase the height over time to push hitters to jump higher when they attack.
Volleyball serving machine
Sportsattack has a machine that also can be used for serving. It is possible to adjust the speed, spin, and velocity of the ball. These machines are more advanced and expensive. The advent of the float serve has increased the need of making more complex machines. These need more maintenance and are therefore mainly reserved for professional teams. They can improve the serve of players as they are pushed in different situations and have to find a way to deal with it. When they throw the ball in the air, it is possible that they didn’t do a good job and have to find a way to get it over the net anyway. This machine can help players to prepare for these situations.
As manufacturers start to add more software and cameras, we can expect that machines will start to provide feedback to the players. This can help them to fine-tune their serves and attacks. For now, the coach will have to do this.
To conclude, we can state that repetition is very important in volleyball if you want to improve your serve and spike. Volleyball training aids can help you to improve much faster as you don’t have to waste time trying to find the ball or retrieve it after you have hit it. This can lead to a lot of progress in a short period of time. Especially if you have tryouts or a big game coming up, these tools can be instrumental. A lot of coaches are starting to look further into this as they can see the benefits of these tools for their players. Some machines are quite expensive and can only be bought by professional teams. We have discussed the best volleyball nets here.