Outside attack with double block

A full rally build-up in four against four: the opponent puts the ball in, the libero passes, the middle runs a fake and the outside hitter swings past a double block. The ball grazes the block and the defense digs it up — that last piece is the real point of the drill.

8 players 8 phases ± 20 min 6 balls, a full court with a net Advanced, from U19 upwards

Phase 1 of 8Set-up: the opponent has the ball, we are in serve receive and the block waits

Your own team (P = passer, S = setter, M = middle, L = libero) Opponents (M = the blocking middle, D = the opposite hitter) 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

Attack-block combination: the setter sets outside, the hitter goes past or over a double block and the defense picks up the rebound.

The fake from the middle that holds one blocker.
Attacking against two hands: past the outside hand or off it.
Covering the block touch — the rebound belongs to the attack, not to what comes after it.

Coaching points

The middle runs the fake all the way, right through the jump.

Half an approach holds nobody. Only when the middle really jumps does the middle blocker stay put, and then the outside hitter is dealing with two hands instead of three.

Wait until the block has stopped moving.

A block that is still sliding has a gap between the hands. Hit too early and you hit into the closed part; a fraction later and you get to choose where the opening is.

On a ball that grazes the block, everybody keeps playing.

Players stop after their attack to watch. A block touch is still your ball, so the coverage has to be in place before the hitter lands.

The outside hitter's approach starts outside the sideline.

Start inside the court and you run parallel to the net and lose your angle. Coming from outside in keeps both the line and the cross-court shot open.

Variations

Easier: The opponent throws the ball over instead of hitting it, so the pass is clean and the attack always happens.
Harder: The double block picks for itself which angle it takes away, and announces nothing.
With six players: Three against three: outside hitter, setter and libero against a double block and one defender.
As a game: The attacking side scores on a ball on the floor, the defending side on every ball they get back up. First to fifteen, then switch.

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: turning a block touch into a point · covering your hitter · organizing a block against a strong hitter