The Achieve Volleball Club is committed to teaching young players the fundamentals of the game. Blocking is one of several vital "building block skills" in the game of volleyball, and through club seasons as well as sponsored clinics and tournaments, players will be coached on blocking techniques and strategy.

Blocking is the attempt by one, two or three players to stop an attack at the net and deflect it down into the attacker’s court.  All blocks are timed to the attack of the opponent.   Touch blocks or controlled deflections into the player’s own court can be converted to good passes and lead to an effective attack to score points.   The block is the first line of defense in volleyball.  

The player should stiffen the hands and arms just before contact to stop hard hit balls.    The thumbs should be about six inches apart so that the ball will not go through the hands.   Blockers must keep their eyes open to see the hitters when the contact the ball.   As blockers reach forward to block, they should see the backs of their hands as they penetrate across the net.

The player should be about one-half arm’s length from the net.

The blocker must time the jump for the block to the attacker’s approach and jump.   The general rule of thumb is to jump to block a split second after the attacker takes off to spike or at the same time as the hitter jumps for a hitter with a fast arm swing.   The player should shoot the hands and arms over the top of the net after clearing the top of the net.   The longer the player can keep the hands over the net the better the chances of blocking the spiked ball.   As the player reaches the top of the jump, the arms should be straight and stiff to stop hard-hit spikes.   As the player descends to the floor, he or she should pull the arms and the hands back across the net and land on both legs to be ready for the next contact.

When landing, the blocker should be turning to follow the flight of the ball.   She will then be able to track the flight of  the ball as she transitions off the net to prepare to hit.   Land and step away from the net with balance and speed.   

FOOTWORK SKILLS
-Slide two-step.   The slide step to the right is a step to the right with the right foot and then closing step with the left foot.   The player starts in a slight crouch with the hands above the head and elbows at or slightly above the shoulders in front of the body.   The slide-two-step block is the easiest to learn.    Blockers use it when they need to move anly a few feet to get in front of the attacker.  

CROSSOVER STEPS
Blockers use crossover steps to move longer distances along the net to get in position to block.   Crossover steps are faster than a side step.  
Crossover two-steps.  Starting in a balanced position near the net, the player turns the hips in the direction of movement to make the block.   Moving to the right, the player pivots on the right foot while crossing the left foot over in front of the body to take a large step to the right.     The player lands on the left foot first , pivots on the left foot while turning the body back toward the net, and lands on the right foot.   Use opposite footwork to go to the left.    

THREE-STEP BLOCK  
The 3-step block is used by middle blockers to block the right and left side attackers and by smaller end blocker to gain momentum to block on the right and left side.  For the 3-step take a very large step with the outside foot in the direction of intended approach, then proceed with cross-over footwork.    
NOTE: Middle blockers should direct the first step with the outside foot away from the net and behind the end blocker so as to avoid stepping on the end blockers foot.   

TWO AND THREE PERSON BLOCKS
In two person blocks, the players should time their jumps so that they reach forward over the net together to make a solid wall of hands and arms.   The outside hands should be turned in slightly to direct the spiked ball back into the opponent’s court.     The phrase “setting the block” refers to the end blocker lining up her block to allow the middle blocker to close the block and the defense to place themselves in the areas of the court the block in not taking away.   The two basic ways of setting the block are, giving line and taking line.   Verbal cues can be helpful in timing two or three person blocks.   For example the blockers can say “1-2-3” or “Ready-set-jump.”  Blockers’ hands should be facing towards the middle back of the opponents court.   


Stopping the one-foot takeoff attack.   The left front blocker is responsible for stopping the one-foot back slide attacks.   This blocker must be able to move along the net and reach over the net very quickly.   You may try blocking the one foot attacker with a one foot block approach.    Simply stay in front of the hitter and jump and penetrate when the hitter jumps to hit.  

STUFF BLOCK
To stuff the ball, the blocker reaches over the net as far as possible to block the ball down on the attacker’s side of the net.   Players using this technique must be tall or have good jumping ability.   They must be able to jump high enough to press their hands and forearms over the net.   The player who can also get the elbows over the net will score more points blocking.   

SOFT BLOCKS
Shorter players can often block effectively by using the soft-blocking technique.   If an opposing.   If an apposing spiker is constantly hitting the ball over a player, that player should use the soft block.   This block will make it more difficult for the attacker to hit over a shorter blocker’s hands.  The player tilts the hands slightly back at the wrists to deflect the ball up in the air into the player’s own court.   The technique is like an overhand dig.   The blocker uses the palms and fingers to slow the ball down and make it easier for teammates to pass for a counterattack.   

READ BLOCKING EYE SEQUENCE: Ball-Hitter-Setter-Ball-Hitter

When read blocking raise hands up well above the head on a good pass to prepare to tap block against a quick set in the middle.    Middle blockers and help left side blocker must first track the opponent’s middle blocker and front her before worrying about blocking on the outside.   Based upon hitters strengths/weakness and setters tendencies, each blocker should be focused upon stopping the other teams primary attacker and reacting if the setter sets another attacker.

ONE-ON-ONE BLOCKING
The best blockers know how to get stuff blocks and touches when they are one-on-one against  an attacker.   The best way to start to block one-on-one is to be far enough to the sideline to block the attacker’s line shot.   The player then takes a quick step to the center and reaches in to block the crosscourt power hit.   Great blockers have the mental skill of being able to keep track of the attacker’s tendencies in certain situations.   For example, if an attacker has been turning back to hit line often, the blocker should stay wide and take that hit away.   

COMMIT BLOCKING
A tough game situation for blockers at the college level occurs when the other team is passing well and the setter is scoring by setting the quick attack most of the time.   Read blocking may be ineffective against a hot quick hitter.  In this situation a team must commit a blocker to stop it or get a touch.    
Commit blocks offer a way to stop the opponent’s quick hitter.   The blocker starts as if she is going to read block.  Instead of reading, the blocker takes the quick hitter as his or her only hitter.   The blocker gets in front of the quick hitter’s approach and takes a big, early jump, trying to get over the net before the hitter attacks.     The  blocker reaches over the net and takes away the hitter’s best hit.    This should result in some stuff blocks and the setter to start setting other options.   

HYBRID BLOCKING SYSTEM
We usually use a hybrid of read blocking and commit blocking against teams with a weak right side attack (almost all the teams we play have a weak right side attack).   To take advantage of the weak right side attack and the front row setter, we have our left-side blocker bunch in the middle and block the middle quick-hit or two-ball attack.   If the front-row-setter is capable of dumping the ball the left-side blocker must also be ready to block the setter-dump.

SHORT BLOCKERS
Shorter blockers should try to develop the swing-block approach-jump technique.   If fact we have almost all of our player use the swing-block technique to maximize their blocking ability.   Players who still cannot get their hands over the net cannot be effective blockers.   These players should learn to cover tips and dig angles rather than attempt to block.  The remaining two blockers must be sure to place themselves in front of the other teams best hitter and leave their weakest hitter unblocked.  

SWITCHING BLOCKING POSITIONS
Teams can switch the front-row blockers to different positions to make it difficult for opponent’s setter to keep track of where the shortest blocker is.   The shortest blocker should become skillful at faking the direction of movement to confuse the opponent’s setter.  Players are specialized to block primarily in one position, but good blockers are comfortable blocking wherever the opponent’s best hitter is.  
                    
KEY WORDS AND PHRASES
~See the backs of your hands when you reach forward to block.
~Face your hands to the middle of the court to block the ball into the center of the court.
~Press over the net before the hitter swings.
~Keep your hands strong to block the ball into the center of the court.
~Follow the ball with your eyes.
~Balance is the key to read blocking effectively.
~Balance is important while you are jumping in the air to block over the net.
~Read the setter while staying balanced and ready to move to follow the ball.
~Move like a big cat, agile, mobile and hostile to the attack.
~Land like a cat and you will save your knees and avoid errors.  

BLOCKING LOW SETS AND SETS OFF THE NET
On sets more than two meters away from the net and  on high sets that have allowed three blockers to form  a solid block, it is important to form the block low and over the net to avoid being a target for ball hit far out of bounds.   If a hitter contacts the ball below the plain of the net (happens when hitter drops elbow below their shoulder or on bad set) the blockers should drop their hands and not block.   It is important that when blockers do this they yell to their back-row players and communicate that they are not going to block so that the defenders can come forward to cover the vulnerable part of the court.   

ONE-HAND BLOCKS AND V-BLOCKS
When blocking each hand should move independent of the other.   Unless taking the line, end blockers should line up to block on the outside with one hand on the ball and the other hand dropping into the angle hit.   Middle blockers blocking on the ends should place outside hand  to close the seam and the inside hand should also be dropping into the angle.    Middle blockers may sometimes use a v block with both hands split apart to blocker hitters who like to hit away from the block.   Two hand moves can be effective in the middle when utilizing the “show and take” strategy.  

SHOW AND TAKE
One of my favorite techniques for blocking is the show angle or line as the hitter looks at the block and then take it away at the last second.  For example I would start as if I was going to block line giving away the crosscourt angle hit.   Then I would take away the crosscourt by jumping into the angle and blocking the angle.  

THE BATTLE BETWEEN HITTERS AND BLOCKERS
Hitters have the advantage against blockers when there is a good pass and set.   Often there is only one blocker and that gives a hitter a lot of open court to aim at.    Great blockers still score in these situations by using strategy and knowing the setter’s and hitter’s tendencies.      The blocker who blocks a hitter in one-on-one blocking situations puts a lot of pressure on a hitter.   I have seen hitters mentally break down after being stuffed one on one.    The blocker can also break down by making nets, foot faults or blocking the ball out of bounds often.   The blocker that nets when the hitter makes an error or is dug up by a teammate feels just awful.   Trust in your teammates.