Okay, so today I decided to work on my volleyball skills. I haven’t played in a while, so I knew I needed to start with the basics.
Warm-up
First things first, I did some warm-ups.
- Started with some light jogging around my backyard to get the blood flowing.
- Then, I did some dynamic stretches, like arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists.
- I also did some jumping jacks to get my heart rate up a bit.
Serving Practice
I grabbed my volleyball and headed to an open area. My goal was to work on my overhand serve, because it is short and weak.
- I focused on tossing the ball high and in front of me.
- I practiced my approach, making sure I was taking a few quick steps before hitting the ball.
- I concentrated on hitting the ball with the palm of my hand and following through with my swing.
- I started off hitting the ball a little and made myself far away from the wall.
It took a few tries to get the hang of it again. Some serves went too short, some went too long, and some just went completely sideways. But I kept practicing, and eventually, I started to get a better feel for it. My serves were becoming more consistent and powerful.
Bumping/Passing Practice
Next, I worked on my bumping, also known as forearm passing. This is a crucial skill for receiving serves and setting up attacks.
- I practiced getting into the ready position, with my knees bent and my arms out in front of me.
- I focused on keeping my platform (the area between my wrists and elbows) flat and angled towards my target.
- I tossed the ball up in the air and practiced bumping it to myself.
- I really focused on controlling the direction and height of the bump.
It was harder than I remembered! I messed up the angle of my arms a few times, and the ball went flying in all sorts of directions. But I persisted, and after a while, I started to get a better feel for the proper technique. My bumps were becoming more consistent and accurate.
Setting Practice
After bumping, I moved on to setting. Setting is all about accuracy and control.
- I practiced getting into the ready position, with my hands up and my fingers forming a triangle shape.
- I tossed the ball up and practiced setting it to myself, focusing on using my fingertips to control the ball.
Cool-down
Finally, I finished up with some cool-down stretches, holding each stretch for about 30 seconds. This is important to help my muscles recover and prevent soreness.
Overall, it was a pretty good practice session. I definitely felt a bit rusty at first, but I started to get back into the groove after a while. I’m going to try to keep practicing a few times a week so I can improve my skills and get ready for some actual games.
