Hitting line over the bench

An upturned bench does duty as a net. That lets you run a complete hitting line in a gym without a net, or on a strip alongside another group. The bench is lower than a real net, so the attention shifts from height to arm swing and direction.

9 players 9 phases ± 15 min A bench, 3 balls, a free strip of the gym From U13 upwards

Phase 1 of 9The bench is the net; two hitters with a ball up front, the rest line up

Your own team (S = setter, P = outside hitter, M = middle) Equipment Ball

This animation comes straight out of the Koach app. In the app you play it at your own pace and the positions carry your players' real names.

Open in the app

How the drill runs

What you are training

Training a powerful attack over a bench standing in for the net: pass, set and spike; three hitters rotate and the line follows.

The whole chain of toss, set and attack, even without a net.
An arm swing that clears a low obstacle without the ball being hit flat.
Approach and landing in a tight space, with an obstacle right in front of your feet.

Coaching points

Take off well clear of the bench.

A bench right in front of your feet is an invitation to land on top of it. Agree on a take-off line at least a meter back and hold everyone to it.

Hit over it as if the net were at full height.

The bench is low, so even a flat swing clears it. Get used to hitting without coming over the ball here and every ball will disappear into the net once you are back in the gym.

Toss in with two hands above your head.

That gives your setter a ball that looks like a pass, and it teaches the hitter straight away that their own toss decides what their set is going to look like.

Walk around the bench, never over it.

Sounds obvious, but in a line that keeps moving there is always someone who steps over. One agreement up front saves a sprained ankle.

Variations

Easier: The setter catches the toss and throws it high to the outside; the hitter only has to time the approach.
Harder: Stretch a ribbon or a length of elastic above the bench at net height, so the ball really does have to clear it.
With six players: Two small groups on either side of the bench feeding each other in turn: whoever has hit becomes the catcher on the other side.
As a game: Ten attacks per player. A ball that hits the bench does not count, a ball that clears it and lands in the free space is a point.

Volleyball drills

4 players · 6 phases SafeVolley base round Warm-up 3 players · 5 phases Shoulder activation with band Warm-up 2 players · 6 phases Dynamic movement patterns Warm-up 5 players · 5 phases Core plank with rotation Warm-up

Read on in the knowledge base: training in a bare gym without a net · building the spike in five steps · the arm swing step by step